International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[KF0002]

I only had 22 hatch total. Not a good hatch. I got 2 splash Copper 2 Black Copper and 5 Blue Copper. There are 4 white. I have 6 Birchen pen 2 and 3 Birchen pen one.
View attachment 1749016 View attachment 1749017
4 white
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3 Black 2 Blue Birchen pen 2
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8 BBS Copper Marans.
I have one blue Copper and one blue Birchen still drying in hatcher.

YAY!! Congratulations on your hatch! 22 chicks is not too shabby! I am definitely jelly of all the varieties you have!

 

[KF0002]

I’ve got a splash cooper marans chick with a webbed toe on one foot and a fused toe on the other. Gets around and runs around fine, 3 days old.

My vet said she would separate it for me, but I’m wondering if there’s a need if it is getting around fine?

All other chicks hatched fine. Reputable breeder stock. Would you use any of the chicks that are from the pen as this webbed toe chick for any sort of breeders? I was wanting to make my own olive Eggers, nothing for commercial value, but I want to have healthy birds. Would not use the one with the webbed and fused toes.

I had a pullet that had excessive webbing on the outer toes. We culled her, but the line is still fine to breed from. I have produced many Marans chicks from my lines and only 1 oddball with the weird excessive webbing.

 

[KF0002]

@chickengr congratulations on your new Marans! That is very exciting!

 

[marchick]

OMG I am so behind in this thread.

Did those cockerels come from Harvey?

Yes, All my birds now are from him. I am a little worried about mixing lines. Who knows what recessive Genes will come out. I am so confused. Glad to see you back on. We have missed you!

 

[KF0002]

Checking in with an update on the birds. I lost my favorite blue copper hen the other day. For a few weeks prior to her death, I had been getting a very small egg from the pen she was in and I've not gotten it since she died so I'm assuming it was coming from her. I'm thinking she maybe had peritonitis or something. I didn't open her up to investigate.

I haven't managed to get any of Princess's or Duchess's eggs to hatch. No problems hatching eggs from my surviving blue copper, Xena, Queen, or Queen's daughter. Frustrating is an understatement.

I have hatched around 20+ Marans chicks. Hard to keep track of the number as they are of various sizes and in several different brooders. Their hatch down is good for the most part. Here and there one crops up with too much white but I am thoroughly documenting all of that and will avoid using those birds to breed.

I did notice a chick that hatched yesterday had the rusty brown head spot we've talked about before. Going to double tag it and keep a close eye on it as it feathers. I will do my best to take some pics this weekend.

 

[marchick]

I had a pullet that had excessive webbing on the outer toes. We culled her, but the line is still fine to breed from. I have produced many Marans chicks from my lines and only 1 oddball with the weird excessive webbing.

I had that once with a old line. I took medical scissors and cut it. Put pressure on it a bit. It didn't bleed much. Put a bandage on it for a few days. It lived and couldn't really tell when it was grown. It went to a pet home.

 

[KF0002]

Yes, All my birds now are from him. I am a little worried about mixing lines. Who knows what recessive Genes will come out. I am so confused. Glad to see you back on. We have missed you!

I hated to hear that you got a cockerel with so much white from him. It goes to show you that there are ugly things hidden inside even the most well bred and established lines. I am not knocking Harvey's birds at all. His birds are fantastic. Duke is my pride and joy and I wouldn't take anything for him. I'm just saying no matter where the birds come from, how much you spend, or how detailed the pedigree is, you will have to cull hard with any line you work with. Recessive genes will crop up in any line, especially when breeding brother/sister.

 

[KF0002]

Is your new black copper cockerel coming from him? @marchick

 

[chickengr]

If you feel like a road trip, I'm in Montana and I am NPIP so you can get birds to Washington. I just hatched about 25, but I've only got black silver and blue silver and a few recessive whites. I have not tried shipping yet, but I live next to I-90 so it's not a hard road trip or somewhere unreachable. My blues are pretty dark compared to what I am seeing here, but this is my second year breeding blues and last year I was moving.

I wish I could get some of your beautiful birds!

 

[chickengr]

@chickengr congratulations on your new Marans! That is very exciting!

thank you. welcome back!