International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Bantambird]

My project for this year was moving my flock from one location to another. Yay! Move achieved! My current dilemma is eliminating the autosomal red from the shoulders of all future cocks, which is proving difficult as one cannot see it in female wing patterns, so I'm wondering if the hens can carry autosomal red to their sons. It crops up in a good half of my cockerels, whom then March to dinner. At least it makes culling a bit easier to sort.

 

[Bantambird]

Oh yes! My oldest daughter took some of our blue birchen Marans to the fair this year! She did pretty well against the older kids. They were super picky about missing feathers and external parasites, so a few of my older birds who hadn't molted in 11 months we're rejected. I'm sure if Jackson had had a full set of feathers, he would have been rocking the show. The supreme overall champion, however, was a bantam silver Phoenix cock who is cared for in an aviary with two foot long tail feathers and blinding white silver... That kid worked really hard to keep that cock in perfect condition. I couldn't imagine keeping longtails in our climate, but he's certainly beautiful!
Related to this, my daughter sold the cockerel I had held back as best cockerel up and coming for the fair (I held back 4 for her to raise up) to a family in Wyoming (we are NPIP and can produce health certificates). Guess who won overall supreme at their county Fair. Hint: it wasn't my daughter! I warned her that the one she let go was best cockerel, but I wanted her to get experience in picking and choosing birds appropriately. I'm not upset though, as the family was super happy and I can breed more as I have the parents. Besides, it's great for advertising!

 

[Magnolia Hill]

Pl

My project for this year was moving my flock from one location to another. Yay! Move achieved! My current dilemma is eliminating the autosomal red from the shoulders of all future cocks, which is proving difficult as one cannot see it in female wing patterns, so I'm wondering if the hens can carry autosomal red to their sons. It crops up in a good half of my cockerels, whom then March to dinner. At least it makes culling a bit easier to sort.

Can you post some pictures for example?

 

[marchick]

Ok

That what i was thinking, well i was talking to harvey the other day and we were discussing high tails. He was telling my about this girl in Kentucky that's got problems with that and that he was sending a her a cockerel. Im assuming he was talking about you, he sent me some pictures of that cockerels and he would go perfect with that hen. I hope it works out for you.

I wonder how many of us talk to Harvey? I know I do!!! He is always nice and helpful. I probably drive him crazy!!!! Lol

 

[marchick]

View attachment 1527768 View attachment 1527769 Here are some of my pullets from this years hatch. 19 weeks. WELL PLEASED!! TOM

They are looking good!

 

[WVduckchick]

Anyone have an average on BCM egg weights?

 

[Bantambird]

Pl

Can you post some pictures for example?

Ok, here's my best birchen cock, Jackson

notice he has slight yellow on the part of his wings where the black copper variety has autosomal red. Autosomal red is a separate Gene from the genes that make their hackles and saddles silver, so it's a bit trickier. Here's a different cock bird, named Handsome.

he has some bleed through on his wings to where you can see the red, but he stays because he's one of the best from my first green fire batch last spring.

Next I'll post a cockerel that I'll probably call for the red leakage in the wings

This guy is hatched during my last hatch of the year in June. He has a lot of bleed through in his wings already so he will be culled when he's big enough.

 

[KF0002]

Oh yes! My oldest daughter took some of our blue birchen Marans to the fair this year! She did pretty well against the older kids. They were super picky about missing feathers and external parasites, so a few of my older birds who hadn't molted in 11 months we're rejected. I'm sure if Jackson had had a full set of feathers, he would have been rocking the show. The supreme overall champion, however, was a bantam silver Phoenix cock who is cared for in an aviary with two foot long tail feathers and blinding white silver... That kid worked really hard to keep that cock in perfect condition. I couldn't imagine keeping longtails in our climate, but he's certainly beautiful!
Related to this, my daughter sold the cockerel I had held back as best cockerel up and coming for the fair (I held back 4 for her to raise up) to a family in Wyoming (we are NPIP and can produce health certificates). Guess who won overall supreme at their county Fair. Hint: it wasn't my daughter! I warned her that the one she let go was best cockerel, but I wanted her to get experience in picking and choosing birds appropriately. I'm not upset though, as the family was super happy and I can breed more as I have the parents. Besides, it's great for advertising!

Aww Im sorry her birds didnt do well. I actually have pulled my two pullets from my Nov and Dec potential show birds because they have lines in their tails from feather lice. Im going to choose one or two out of my bunch that are free ranging and just be super diligent with keeping them debugged once they're penned. The birds free ranging dont get lines in their tails but once you pen them up get get them of you dont stay on top of them. With my busy schedule Ive been slacking some.

 

[Magnolia Hill]

Ok, here's my best birchen cock, JacksonView attachment 1528100 View attachment 1528102 View attachment 1528104 notice he has slight yellow on the part of his wings where the black copper variety has autosomal red. Autosomal red is a separate Gene from the genes that make their hackles and saddles silver, so it's a bit trickier. Here's a different cock bird, named Handsome. View attachment 1528106 he has some bleed through on his wings to where you can see the red, but he stays because he's one of the best from my first green fire batch last spring. View attachment 1528109Next I'll post a cockerel that I'll probably call for the red leakage in the wings View attachment 1528111This guy is hatched during my last hatch of the year in June. He has a lot of bleed through in his wings already so he will be culled when he's big enough.

I see what you mean, i was thinking you were talking about bcm. My misunderstanding.

 

[Magnolia Hill]

Anyone have an average on BCM egg weights?

68 grams