International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[KF0002]

This is literally the best picture I could get of Jolie. She and Houdini have been squabbling as they are still getting used to each other.

 

[KF0002]

Here is one that is a little clearer of Jolie but she is standing weird.

 

[marchick]

I have hatched a few chicks with middle toe feathering as well. Last year I hatched 2 or 3 mossy pullets but I documented it so I could avoid breeding them. Hope all your birds are doing well! I am slowly trying to go back through the thread. It may take me a while. Lol.

Here is a quick recap of my season so you don't have to read so much. I lost my 2 BC hens. The ones I got from Harvey. So I am trying to save my breeding flock. Big setback! 1/2 of my breeding program is gone. Chooksman is trying to get me back on track. I am down to 6 hens and 3 roosters. I hatched I think 41 chicks from Blaze. He is now mean. Ready for chopping block. I am waiting to be sure I get a good replacement. I am going to hatch from Jasper (original rooster). I am waiting for clean out and electrical work to get done before I set more eggs. I am out of the Whites and Silvers (Birchen)! I sold them all.

 

[marchick]

I hate that split wing has reared its ugly head in your progeny. In trying to fix tails I have brought split wing in from HM's cock bird Duke. That means that a percentage of his offspring carry the gene. I will work to eliminate the gene as recessive genes are present in all lines of Marans in some form or another.

I will probably have the split wing also Since my birds came from Harvey.

 

[KF0002]

I will probably have the split wing also Since my birds came from Harvey.

I hope not but it is a possibility. Just keep an eye open for it.

 

[KF0002]

Here is a quick recap of my season so you don't have to read so much. I lost my 2 BC hens. The ones I got from Harvey. So I am trying to save my breeding flock. Big setback! 1/2 of my breeding program is gone. Chooksman is trying to get me back on track. I am down to 6 hens and 3 roosters. I hatched I think 41 chicks from Blaze. He is now mean. Ready for chopping block. I am waiting to be sure I get a good replacement. I am going to hatch from Jasper (original rooster). I am waiting for clean out and electrical work to get done before I set more eggs. I am out of the Whites and Silvers (Birchen)! I sold them all.

Thank you for the recap! I'm so sorry to hear you lost your black copper hens! Hopefully you will hatch plenty more replacements. I have had setback after setback and only have maybe 2 dozen Marans chicks if that. The hens just haven't been cooperative. These Marans are going to give me an ulcer!

That is terrible to hear about Blaze. He is such a beautiful rooster. You sound like you have luck like mine unfortunately. Things hardly ever go the way we plan but hopefully it will get better for us both.

 

[marchick]

Thank you for the recap! I'm so sorry to hear you lost your black copper hens! Hopefully you will hatch plenty more replacements. I have had setback after setback and only have maybe 2 dozen Marans chicks if that. The hens just haven't been cooperative. These Marans are going to give me an ulcer!

That is terrible to hear about Blaze. He is such a beautiful rooster. You sound like you have luck like mine unfortunately. Things hardly ever go the way we plan but hopefully it will get better for us both.

Here's to better days! We both need a few! I just feel bad because I wanted to help out but I don't want y'all to get junk. Right now I am trying to see who is throwing what. I have mossy for sure. I have parasitic white. Not good!

 

[Chooks man]

@Chooks man what recessive genes have you encountered in your Marans? Have you been able to eliminate them?

All sort of stuff white earlobe. Ramples dark eyes etc
I never worked long enough with any line to fix thing. Sold my old line. Those new line first time breeding them. Fan tail is there. Dark shoulder on BC cockerels. Crooked toes

Chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I hate that split wing has reared its ugly head in your progeny. In trying to fix tails I have brought split wing in from HM's cock bird Duke. That means that a percentage of his offspring carry the gene. I will work to eliminate the gene as recessive genes are present in all lines of Marans in some form or another.

to breed it out ,you need to find the carriers and move it from the breeding program .
other way to do it is to breed together 2 carriers of the recessive gene ,only 25% of the progeny will show the recessive gene . 25% will be carriers and 50% will be fine . a problem it is very hard to tell the 25% carriers from 50% no carriers .need single test mating .
with a good breeding program need 2 years of hard work max to breed the recessive gene out .
if not done properly ,the recessive genes will stay hidden for ever .

chooks man

 

[KF0002]

Here's to better days! We both need a few! I just feel bad because I wanted to help out but I don't want y'all to get junk. Right now I am trying to see who is throwing what. I have mossy for sure. I have parasitic white. Not good!

Hopefully we can both clean our lines up. I don't plan on selling any chicks, eggs, or birds anyway so no risk in letting out recessives until I get them under control.