International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chooks man]

I decided to join the club of FBCM. I picked up 20 eggs yesterday and they are now sitting in the incubator. Very nice dark colored eggs considering the time of year. Figured I would document my journey on here so here is the first picture. I will update as I go along.
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Welcome to the thread. Great looking dark eggs? Where you got them from?

Chooks man

 

[RoosterML]

Welcome to the thread. Great looking dark eggs? Where you got them from?

Chooks man

An individual located in MA. USA he has been breeding them for over the past 7 years. He apparently has 6 of the big name blood lines mixed into his flock over the years. Time will tell. I think the color is really great and dark considering it’s winter time.

 

[kfelton0002]

Unfortunately I have devastating news. I went out yesterday afternoon and found that Malika was dead in her pen. Upon closer inspection she had a quarter sized gash in her neck. I am unsure what happened as it didn't seem like a predator attack. My husband's theory is that Dark Angel was mean to her, but I just can't see him ripping a large gash in Malika's neck. I am very saddened by this. Malika was my best hen. I had such high hopes for her offspring this year, and now my hopes are dashed. I lost all of last year's white legbar pullets in a grow out pen to a possum the other night also.

I spent yesterday combing through my Marans pullets and I have caught up 3 as possible breeders. I will take some pictures as soon as I can.

 

[kfelton0002]

Me too!

Me three! I look forward to reading it!

 

[kfelton0002]

Thanks chooksman! I wish you much luck finishing it. I look forward to that day very much! I love a good read.

Now to get over this flu. I've been sick over a week now and I'm not used to being stuck inside like this, getting better, no more fever and now a bit stir crazy. The achy muscles want to linger. Been trying to move around some to get my strength back. Maybe I need to go out and sit with the chickens a while, they always make me feel better.

Get well soon! The flu is bad this year. The achy muscles lasted for about a week with my son when he had it.

 

[kfelton0002]

last Sunday we had 2 months worth of rain in 24 hours , from fire to flood . nature does not play around .
we let Asad out of his pen ,because of flooding , he end up injuring 8 pullets from the gr#1 during night . not happy with him at all . I will find him home ,no way he will stay with me .

chooks man

We just got over some pretty severe flooding in my area as well! I hope your property wasn't damaged by the flood. I'm sorry to hear that Asad injured your hens. I hate a rooster that is mean to females.

 

[kfelton0002]

I am getting chicks from a farm. the guy is serious, got the marans eggs from germany, belgium and netherlands.

pita pinta asturiana (spanish breed):
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Congrats! Can't wait to see them!

 

[kfelton0002]

Here are the females I have penned up to clean out for breeding.

This is 004:

This is yellow band:

This is yellow band's egg:

This is my favorite blue copper pullet:

I think 004 will replace Malika with Dark Angel. Yellow band will probably go with Dark Halo. The blue copper would pair best with Dark Angel I think. Pardon the poor pictures of the last two pullets. They are still a bit freaked out from being penned up.

 

[NanaK]

Unfortunately I have devastating news. I went out yesterday afternoon and found that Malika was dead in her pen. Upon closer inspection she had a quarter sized gash in her neck. I am unsure what happened as it didn't seem like a predator attack. My husband's theory is that Dark Angel was mean to her, but I just can't see him ripping a large gash in Malika's neck. I am very saddened by this. Malika was my best hen. I had such high hopes for her offspring this year, and now my hopes are dashed. I lost all of last year's white legbar pullets in a grow out pen to a possum the other night also.

I spent yesterday combing through my Marans pullets and I have caught up 3 as possible breeders. I will take some pictures as soon as I can.

Oh no, so very sorry this happened. Have you ever seen minks or weasels there? I don't have experience with them myself, but have been told they tend to bite chickens on the neck and leave the body. If it was one, they would have probably gotten Dark Angel too, I would think...I don't know? and white cream legbars too? I know this is so disappointing.

You always post really nice looking birds!

I like the eggs that are speckled up like that. They are my favorite! And those hens are just lovely. I hope they give you lots of great looking chicks.

 

[kfelton0002]

Oh no, so very sorry this happened. Have you ever seen minks or weasels there? I don't have experience with them myself, but have been told they tend to bite chickens on the neck and leave the body. If it was one, they would have probably gotten Dark Angel too, I would think...I don't know? and white cream legbars too? I know this is so disappointing.

You always post really nice looking birds!

I like the eggs that are speckled up like that. They are my favorite! And those hens are just lovely. I hope they give you lots of great looking chicks.

Thank you! I honestly dont think it was a predator. If it were the bird it chose was completely random. My hen house is near where Malika's pen was so if it were a varmint there were plenty of easier targets. The white legbars were killed on the lower edge of my property by a possum. We caught and killed it the next night. I'm hoping the pullets I have chosen will yield nice offspring this year despite my continuous bad luck.