International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chicken_overlord]

#1 may see #2 as the more dominate male. #2 is mating. #1 is staying out of his way.
Sometimes a less dominate male does not crow, tidbit, etc because of a more dominate male being around.


A week is not very long. He made need a couple weeks to get his confidence with mature hens.

Some of the best roosters I've had were trained by mature hens. They often teach the boys proper manners. The boy must earn their respect.

You could give boy #1 some time alone with the hens his personality might change.

Do you have somewhere you could contain #2 where he has shelter, food, water and you can care for him out of sight of #1? Give #1 a trial of a couple weeks with the hens?

This way you would still have #2 as a back up.
I hate to remove a bird when I don't know if I'll need a back up plan. They are living creatures. So many things can happen. Been there myself.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Thank you for the advice! That is all very helpful.

 

[Bantambird]

I always keep minimum 2 roosters. You never know what is in store. I usually have 3 extras, because they can change so much!
This dude is 18 months. He's got that stupid parasitic white on him, but just look at that body shape and the nice silver! He's a blue silver marans.

Had a sudden 0 degree week where we lost some comb tips about 2 weeks ago, so much for his comb RIP.
He's got a little straw color on the wing bows, but overall his silver compares admirably to most blue silver. Not sure why, but the blue silver have way more straw or copper bleedtrough on the wing bows than the black silver, even though they share lines. I love his chonk.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

First marans pullet egg finally. I don’t know who laid these two, but I’m guessing Mole as all the others come from reliably darker lines. Can’t say I’m too happy with this one, hopefully it darkens as she gets used to laying. She makes up for it in type to giver her credit!

I wasn’t up to feed them, my Granddad was. He saw it, so I asked which one it was, and his answer was ‘a blackish one’. Very helpful answer for the flock of black and dark cuckoo hens.

My biggest concern is that Wellington is Mole’s sister, so I’m hoping his genetics are a bit less unlucky. Both their hatching eggs were darker than this, but lighter than my own copper marans lay.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Mole and Duke of Wellington. My silver cuckoo pair. Both nice type, it’s a shame Wellington seems to raise his tail when he knows I want to take a photo. He also still only has one wattle! He’s a chunky fella though, and I’m pleased with his colouring.

Crossing him to Chanel and the others will make a nice start to the golden cuckoo line. Just need to darken their eggs and lower the tails.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

I always keep minimum 2 roosters. You never know what is in store. I usually have 3 extras, because they can change so much!
This dude is 18 months. He's got that stupid parasitic white on him, but just look at that body shape and the nice silver! He's a blue silver marans.View attachment 4264815View attachment 4264816View attachment 4264817View attachment 4264818
Had a sudden 0 degree week where we lost some comb tips about 2 weeks ago, so much for his comb RIP.
He's got a little straw color on the wing bows, but overall his silver compares admirably to most blue silver. Not sure why, but the blue silver have way more straw or copper bleedtrough on the wing bows than the black silver, even though they share lines. I love his chonk.

I agree keep two when you can (unfortunately I can’t always).

this was Napoléon, one of my best hatches this year. He randomly died a few weeks ago, so I’m glad I have Wellington as a backup.

 

[chickengr]

View attachment 4265814View attachment 4265815First marans pullet egg finally. I don’t know who laid these two, but I’m guessing Mole as all the others come from reliably darker lines. Can’t say I’m too happy with this one, hopefully it darkens as she gets used to laying. She makes up for it in type to giver her credit!

I wasn’t up to feed them, my Granddad was. He saw it, so I asked which one it was, and his answer was ‘a blackish one’. Very helpful answer for the flock of black and dark cuckoo hens.

My biggest concern is that Wellington is Mole’s sister, so I’m hoping his genetics are a bit less unlucky. Both their hatching eggs were darker than this, but lighter than my own copper marans lay.

congrats! this egg is dark for the first egg.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

congrats! this egg is dark for the first egg.

Do you guys usually find them get darker? It’s funny because mine have always started at their peak.

this was Chanel’s first egg for example. Maybe this line is uncommon and starts dark.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Speaking of Chanel, here she is now. All her children have caught up to her in size. Hopefully I can get a couple of offspring off her x Wellington next year, because I have high hopes for that cross.

here she is back in early 2023.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

The star of 2025 for me is still Claudie. Except the tail angle, she seems to fix most of her dam’s faults. Tidier comb and I don’t recall her having crooked outer toes like Chanel.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Joannie has caught up in size now, though she has nice and small facial features still. Her pattern corrected as she matured but I’d still expect over coloured offspring from her potentially. That won’t matter much in the golden cuckoos.