FBCM vs BCM

[Roward74023]

Is there an actual difference in French black copper marans and "regular" black copper marans, or is FBCM simply the full name of the same breed?

Thank you!

 

[EvansMeXo]

As far as I am aware my fbcm has feathered legs, the BCM does not have feathered legs.. I'm unsure of other differences so I'm following to find out

 

[YdogsflY]

As said above, the French have feathered legs others don't.

IIRC, the APA standard calls for feathered shanks.

 

[Roward74023]

Ok thank you. I'm growing out around 40ish BCMs I hatched out from a relative's flock. They are about half and half on feathered feet and I'm trying to decide how to cull for breeding.

Am I right to assume feathered feet (french) is preferable in a breeding stock marketwise? I'm not a big seller but I try to cover feed costs when I can...and an extra 50 cents per chick here and there helps out.

 

[3riverschick]

We presume the above. it could be someone just doesn't realize they should be putting "French" in front of the names of their feather legged Birds . always ask the seller if they're Featherlegged
the difference is cultural. in France, they pasture their Marans, so feather legs are not a problem on pasture. in England , they yard their Marans in poultry yards. the feathers get wet and muddy and are a problem. so they breed their Marans without feathers on their legs.
personally I had my birds and I like the English Marans. because the Marans is originally a swamp bird and it seems to me only gentrification of the breed would put feather legs on such a bird. however, there was a big fight in the breed when it came time to get the Marans approved by the APA . the people who wanted "country of origin" Hallmarks (French) won out and the APA put a requirement for feathered legs in the breed...if you wanted to have them APA approved or show them in APA shows. personally, I think it should have been optional . However, nobody in authority asked me, so there you have it.
Best ,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Hi,
I checked the Black Copper Marans Standard. black eyes are a disqualification. so something's going on there.
remember if it looks like a Marans, it is a Marans. However, the females also must lay at least a number 4 hue egg on the French chart or they are not a Marans. I wouldn't worry about the white feathers.
I would wait until they grow out of their juvenile feathers and into their adult feathers. Then see if you still have them, that might be a problem.
if you'd like to look at the Standard yourself...
Go to the Marans Chicken Club USA website.
click on Marans
click on Varieties
click on Black Copper Marans
and you'll see the Standard .
Best,
Karen

 

[3riverschick]

Keep the ones with proper colored eyes and feathered legs. Check with the Marans club and see if the lighter eye color could just be a growth stage. I doubt it but maybe.
If you have an acceptable bird with clean shanks , you can get a Marans with feathered Shanks of the opposite sex. in one or two generations you can add feathered legs to your birds. it's not that much of a problem.
Karen

 

[Roward74023]

Thank you so much for that in-depth information!

The eye color according to the standard says "reddish bay"...but after pulling that color up on my phone, it doesn't look even close to either one (although my $20 phone from Wal-Mart isn't exactly awesome clarity either).

 

[3riverschick]

I was hoping you could enlarge this enough to see a reddish bay but I see the eye on this Sussex Leghorn mix is not the right color. sorry

 

[3riverschick]

Ah,
I found it! Go to the website of
" French Marans Club Australia".
Click on "Notes on Breeding".
Scroll down just a bit till you get to "eye colour"
Great pics of proper reddish bay eye and DQ eyes.
Best,
Karen