International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Bantambird]

We use a device I call "the mama hen." Its a heater the chicks go under for warmth, generic for the Brinsea ones. I got in on amazon and the chicks do well with it. The Sweeter heater sounds awesome.. may have to try to get me one.

I have raised turkeys before and they do much better when brooded with baby chicks. Turkey poults don't have very much sense when they are first born. lol

One time, a friend gave me some Eastern Wild Turkey eggs they found while 4-wheeling. The hen had abandoned the nest when they disturbed her while riding. I popped them in my incubator and fussed over those things until they were big well feathered juvenile turkeys. When they outgrew the brooder I turned them out to free range with the chickens AND NEVER SAW THEM AGAIN! They went to the mountains and never came back.

I've had wild hens come close enough to get bred by my tom before disappearing into the surroundings. One hen spent nearly a whole day edging closer and closer, trying to get his attention without alerting the other birds. Except for my tom, who was definitely intrigued, the rest of them ignored her since she wasn't trying to join the flock.

 

[KF0002]

I've had wild hens come close enough to get bred by my tom before disappearing into the surroundings. One hen spent nearly a whole day edging closer and closer, trying to get his attention without alerting the other birds. Except for my tom, who was definitely intrigued, the rest of them ignored her since she wasn't trying to join the flock.

Well that's cute! He may have wild offspring running around in your woods. He must be quite the looker if a wild female was interested. lol

 

[Bantambird]

Well that's cute! He may have wild offspring running around in your woods. He must be quite the looker if a wild female was interested. lol

He was a burbon red. Those wilds are very closely related to domestics, I've seen a few domestics go feral and be just fine in a wild flock, luckily I've not had it happen to me

 

[Bantambird]

My pullets have started laying again. I'm considering when to start my new year hatches... I guess I'd better start getting some light on the turkeys so I can get everyone on the same page! If I set turkey eggs a week before the chicken eggs, they all hatch together. Does anyone feed a conditioner feed to breeders before collecting for hatch? What, if any, differences have you noticed? I like topdressing with kelp.

 

[KF0002]

He was a burbon red. Those wilds are very closely related to domestics, I've seen a few domestics go feral and be just fine in a wild flock, luckily I've not had it happen to me

Wow I didnt know that! I figured due to their heavier size for meat production they would be goners in the wild from predation. I do know from two separate experiences that wild turkeys are hard to domesticate. Another experience about 10 years ago, I was given a young Jake turkey when he was a juvenile. Once he matured he was ferocious and very aggressive. Once he learned he could fly he scaled the chain link fence with ease and was never seen again. He had been raised under a hen (chicken) but did not stay with the chickens. Their wild nature is a strong driving force that is hard to suppress.

 

[KF0002]

My pullets have started laying again. I'm considering when to start my new year hatches... I guess I'd better start getting some light on the turkeys so I can get everyone on the same page! If I set turkey eggs a week before the chicken eggs, they all hatch together. Does anyone feed a conditioner feed to breeders before collecting for hatch? What, if any, differences have you noticed? I like topdressing with kelp.

We feed a conditioning feed year round. It is an 18% protien feed mix but we add a little dog kibble during molt, and we add a little extra corn when it is very cold because that is usually all they want to eat durning very cold spells anyway. They'll pick out the corn and leave everything else. During breeding season I offer oyster shell at liberty as well. Adding any extra greens to their diet always helps as well. A good diet yields stronger egg shells, better production and hatchability, as well as healthier, more vigorous offspring.

The majority of our chickens are Games so they require a higher protein. The feed mix we use is a Gamebird conditioning feed. My Marans, Legbars, and layers get what they eat and do just fine. They always have red heads and stay nice and plump.

 

[KF0002]

Our feed mix contains whole corn, pellets, alfalfa pellets, wheat, milo, black oil sunflower seeds, and calf manna.

 

[KF0002]

Here is another pullet I caught up to watch. She is 6 months old and had good hatch down as a chick according to my records. She has no white in her plumage. She is wide the entire length of her back to the tail, nice open tail. Clear eye color, okay hackle color, good mass and type, and her comb looks good.

 

[Chooks man]

Chooksman, I understand how to breed the two roosters, 4 pullet and one hen next year. I am unclear for the continuing years. Could you go into details for me? Thank you!

very simple my friend .
from Blaze pen keep a BC cockerel and few nice pullets .does not mter who is a Dam ,because you are penning a mother and her 2 daughters ,same line ,better if a BC cockerel come from the mother hen .and a pullets are BLC

from Nimbus pen ,keep a BLC cockerel if possible from the mama hen ,her eggs will be bigger ,so her chicks will be larger . and few nice pullets .better if they are BC from the new pullets

a Year after .
if the cockerels you raise are better quality than they sire Blazs and Nimbus ,than keep a cockerel to work with .
if the pullets you are going to raise will turn up better than mother than keep the pullets to work with .

BC cockerel Blaze son will be matted to a BLC pullets from Nimbus .
BLC cockerel Nimbus Son will be penned with BC pullets from Blaze .
you keep doing this for as many years as you like ,always select for vigor and correctness . each generation .
BC cockerels always matted to BLC pullets
BLC cockerels X BC pullets .never change it .

you can t decide now ,you have to hatch them first and see how they turn up .from there we see witch way is a best way to work with .there is many ways .

chooks man

 

[KF0002]

I forgot to mention that the pullet I just posted is on the small side, so I will have to weigh her to see if she meets the weight requirement. I surely don't want to perpetuate small birds.