International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[chickengr]

she is very nice , correct conformation .only problem I m having with her is her very late maturing type .that is a worry for me .you are rushing her , she has not proven her laying ability . you need to find out I think first .
if I was you I will not breed her yet .I will keep her penned with another pullets { not dark egg layer } for a company and watch how many eggs she will lay a week and how many is a duration of next 2 months .if she lay the 40 eggs expected for the breed ,than I will breed her , if she lay less than 40 in her next 2 months than she is not a breeder .except for showing .witch she will be good @ it .
the productivity of a breed as farm chooks has to be maintained .

you have many adult hens .proven breeders . and you have a gorgeous correct cockerels { Dark Angel } why not work with them first . they chicken will be bigger than a pullets .

this is my humble opinion . I want to help you breed well rounded good marans chooks .not just marans .
think about

chooks man

chooks man

I wonder if cold winter is the reason she started to lay late?

 

[chickengr]

Perfect is too small so I've thrown her out. I will be catching the BLC pullets up when I am off work again. Glad you like them!

my first marans hen was small but she hatched georgeous pullet and cockerel. I would give Perfect a chance. you can always sell chickens or eat them if you don't want to keep them.

 

[Chooks man]

I am just anxious to hatch some chicks to get some off early for show and Jolie is the only breeder that is laying at this time. I am dying to hatch chicks from her and Dark Angel. The older hens may not start laying for another month or two.

that is different story .
if it is a case than go for it .just make sure count the number of eggs she is going to lay the next 2 months .

tell me a laying cycle of your older hens ,you have for a white now .when normally they come to lay .late winter? ,early spring? w@ what age they start laying ?

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Perfect is too small so I've thrown her out. I will be catching the BLC pullets up when I am off work again. Glad you like them!

Ok .never breed from a small hen . full stop .
BLC pullets look great to me well chunky . please do weight them .how old are they now ?

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Thank you! I sure hope you're right!

I agree, I think Malika is Jolie's Dam.

So would you clean Blue Bird out and put her with Dark Angel or leave her with Duke?

if she is not laying ,it is no point to pair her with ant body .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I wonder if cold winter is the reason she started to lay late?

very good point .
genetic as well .I always said . marans pullets should be well observed the first 2 months of they laying cycle ,how many egg they lay in this 60 day ?
what the average weight of the total eggs laid in this duration and what the shape .
When they start laying ? { this has to do to well they hatched .they should start @ 6months .7 latest .if hatched early and middle spring

in the cold climate ,pullets hatched in the summer will not lay @ 6 months ,because of the very cold winter .
pullets hatched in the Autumn will lay @ 6 months .because will be spring season when they come to lay .

time to hatch pullets is very important if a person what to breed a good line .

we have to know if it is genetic OR climate .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

my first marans hen was small but she hatched georgeous pullet and cockerel. I would give Perfect a chance. you can always sell chickens or eat them if you don't want to keep them.

we did not had another choice .but @kfelton0002 she have many better pullets to select from .
chooks man

 

[wolfwalker]

12 weeks old tomorrow. The boys are looking good. Number 53 is looking better and number 54 is really popping with color.

Number 53

Number 54

 

[KF0002]

I wonder if cold winter is the reason she started to lay late?

I think so. That coupled with the stress of showing her which she did not enjoy at all I think has delayed her laying. She did not pose in the cage at the show and seemed stressed the whole time. She is the only bird I have taken so far that showing seemed to cause stress. The others have taken it in stride and posed like they were very confident and comfortable. Definitely not Jolie.

 

[KF0002]

12 weeks old tomorrow. The boys are looking good. Number 53 is looking better and number 54 is really popping with color.

Number 53
View attachment 2015390

Number 54
View attachment 2015392

I cant help but like 53 better, he looks like a chunkier bird despite his darker color. Its hard to tell without a side view. They will both change so much in the next few months. Number 53 may suprise you.