International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Minky]

If you are located in the USA then I would suggest looking at the Breeder Directories on The Marans Club and Marans Chicken Club USA websites to find a breeder near you. Things you need to know / understand before buying Marans

1. First obtain a copy of the Standard of Perfection (SOP) from the American Poultry Association (APA) website for the Marans Variety you prefer. There are currently four (4) varieties of Approved Marans: Black, White, Black Copper and Wheaten. Then you need to familiarize yourself with the SOP so you have an understanding of what a Marans should look like both structurally and physically.
2. When searching for a breeder choose a breeder that is a member of one or both Marans Clubs. This is generally indicative of a breeder that is truly dedicated to breeding to the Standard of Perfection (SOP).
3. A reputable breeder should be willing to: 1) share pics of their breeding stock and eggs, 2) disclose how long they have been breeding Marans (preferably 5 years plus), and 3) what flaws they see in there specific Marans line (i.e., side sprigs, squirrel tails, parasitic white, etc.).
4. Novice chicken enthusiasts in the USA are willing to pay almost any amount of money to get “the chicken that lays the chocolate eggs” and there are an equal number of backyard breeders that are looking to cash in on this Marans Craze. These backyard breeders breed for quantity over quality to the detriment of the Marans Breed. From my own experience you will get chickens that look nothing like a Marans nor lays an egg any darker than your standard brown egg layer. You can recognize this type of backyard breeder by certain buzzwords or phrases they use in marketing their product (eggs, chicks, etc.): “layers of beautiful chocolate eggs”, “James Bond’s favorite egg”, “my stock is from superior bloodlines” or “show quality chicks”. These breeders also like to name drop the origin of their breeding stock (e.g., Bev Davis, Wade Jean, Little Peddler, Greenfire Farms,etc.) whereas a reputable breeder will tell you the foundation blood for their breeding stock of their birds only when asked. Also, beware of any breeder that says their breeding flock is a mix of the more well known Marans breeders/exhibitors in the USA - its just a sales tactic. If any Marans Breeder shows you a picture of their breeding stock that has yellow or green legs/feet, featherless leg/feet, black/brown eyes, any comb other than a single blade comb or otherwise doesn’t closely resemble the SOP then run the other way as fast as you can.

We can help you get a good start. Where are you located maybe one of us can give you some breeder recommendations.

Take Care,
Keith

Thanks very much for this information. I bought my eggs from backyard breeders for sure... but I guess my excuse is I live in Ontario? I'm not even sure if there are actual marans breeders here!
I wish I had bought eggs from someone other than the lady on craigslist who was only 1 hr from my house now.... hopefully some of my birds will be ok...

I absolutely love reading this thread, and am so glad to have found it. It is so interesting seeing other peoples birds, and then hearing the feedback from those with so much more knowledge. The more I read and see, the more I slowly start to see ....

 

[chickengr]

And then I have these two that I think are roosters... but they are way behind the others in terms of comb and rooster behaviour. Thoughts?
Pics 1 and 2 -smaller comb, feathered feet
Pics 3,4,5 slighter larger comb, clean feet

are these even roosters? I see curling feathers in front of their tails....
16 weeks, 1 day

pullets

 

[Minky]

Really? I posted the same pics on the Guess this gender and everyone said cockerels. LOL
They have saddle feathers, tho... ?

Ok...just googled... hens have saddle feathers too.. supposed to be rounded and cockerels pointy..I will look this morning... not sure if I can get close enough.... my birds are not lap birds.

 

[kcrandall]

Thanks very much for this information. I bought my eggs from backyard breeders for sure... but I guess my excuse is I live in Ontario? I'm not even sure if there are actual marans breeders here!
I wish I had bought eggs from someone other than the lady on craigslist who was only 1 hr from my house now.... hopefully some of my birds will be ok...

I absolutely love reading this thread, and am so glad to have found it. It is so interesting seeing other peoples birds, and then hearing the feedback from those with so much more knowledge. The more I read and see, the more I slowly start to see ....

Barbara Doddington aka Barb’s Birds on Lake Erie north of Ontario breeds and shows BCMs.

Big Rock Sheep Station in North Okanagan breeds BCMs.

Grade Eh Farms, Delta, BC breeds BCMs

Under The Feather Farms, Roberts Creek, BC breeds BCMs.

 

[Minky]

Barbara Doddington aka Barb’s Birds on Lake Erie north of Ontario breeds and shows BCMs.

Big Rock Sheep Station in North Okanagan breeds BCMs.

Grade Eh Farms, Delta, BC breeds BCMs

Under The Feather Farms, Roberts Creek, BC breeds BCMs.

Thanks for this information- I've emailed Barb! She is still several hours away, but I supposed lots of people get good hatches from shipped eggs.
the rest are all on the other side of the country.

 

[Minky]

Ok, more close ups of those mystery cockerel/pullets. Feathered feet and clean feet. I pics 2,3 and 7 are feathered footed bird, others are clean foot. And what the heck kind of comb does feather feet have?IS that a mutt comb? Supposed to be a pure Marans. An olive egger that I mis-tagged is possible for both of these birds, I suppose. I hope not.

 

[chickengr]

Ok, more close ups of those mystery cockerel/pullets. Feathered feet and clean feet. I pics 2,3 and 7 are feathered footed bird, others are clean foot. And what the heck kind of comb does feather feet have?IS that a mutt comb? Supposed to be a pure Marans. An olive egger that I mis-tagged is possible for both of these birds, I suppose. I hope not.

we need @Chooks man for this. black beak and small comb and wattles mean it is a girl. but those feathers and that red face - is it a hermaphrodite?

 

[kcrandall]

Ok, more close ups of those mystery cockerel/pullets. Feathered feet and clean feet. I pics 2,3 and 7 are feathered footed bird, others are clean foot. And what the heck kind of comb does feather feet have?IS that a mutt comb? Supposed to be a pure Marans. An olive egger that I mis-tagged is possible for both of these birds, I suppose. I hope not.

How many cockerels are penned with the mystery bird? Sometimes a less dominant cockerel when penned with dominant cockerels will mature at a much slower pace. Birds Head screams pullet but the saddle and sickle feathers indicate a cockerel albeit very immature. If you pen the mystery bird by itself or with a known pullet then if it is a male it will reveal itself. Also, I hate to say but these birds look to be mixed breeds - the combs just don’t look right to me. I hope my opinion is wrong.

Keith

 

[Minky]

How many cockerels are penned with the mystery bird? Sometimes a less dominant cockerel when penned with dominant cockerels will mature at a much slower pace. Birds Head screams pullet but the saddle and sickle feathers indicate a cockerel albeit very immature. If you pen the mystery bird by itself or with a known pullet then if it is a male it will reveal itself. Also, I hate to say but these birds look to be mixed breeds - the combs just don’t look right to me. I hope my opinion is wrong.

Keith

Well, they all free range from 9am-9pm as they wish. There are 65 birds altogether. Two roosters- a 3 yr old, and a 2 yr old, and 20 mature hens. The rest are all 16 wks (25 of them) and 12 weeks (18 of them).
Both of these birds are very tall and gauky, lanky... and I have seen them be "mated" by their hatch mates (who are my roosters from the other photos). By the way- would love some feedback on some of my rooster photos too. Who to keep- who to eat?

 

[Punkybrewster]

Ok, more close ups of those mystery cockerel/pullets. Feathered feet and clean feet. I pics 2,3 and 7 are feathered footed bird, others are clean foot. And what the heck kind of comb does feather feet have?IS that a mutt comb? Supposed to be a pure Marans. An olive egger that I mis-tagged is possible for both of these birds, I suppose. I hope not.

They dont look like pure marans to me. The rose combed one must be an accidental olive egger as you think it is mistagged.
The others look like mixes?