International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[kcrandall]

Chooksman, I am really liking this BC best so far. She has the best copper so far also. I am naming her Ginger. What do you think of her. I couldn't get a good picture of her. Actually the 2 in the first picture are the best 2 so far.


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Ginger is gorgeous! Full rich copper hackle, correct eye color and tail set too. From what I can tell she seems to be large bodied with nice type but a straight on side shot from her level would give us a better visual for type. Now all we need to see is her egg. Well done Marchick!

 

[Punkybrewster]

X2 !

 

[kcrandall]

Ok so here are pictures of 4 cockerels I have from the 3rd breeder. Not happy with them and will all likely end up in freezer unless you see something that is worth keeping.
Only thing I like is smaller comb compared to my others. 4 months old. This breeder keeps Blue and Black Marans together.
#1 (Grey)
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#2 (Blondie)
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#3 (This to me is the best of the 4)
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#4 (Runt)

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I agree that #1 (parasitic white), #2 (color is not uniformed) and #4 (too dark) are culls. I like #3, he is worth growing out to full maturity.

 

[marchick]

Ginger is gorgeous! Full rich copper hackle, correct eye color and tail set too. From what I can tell she seems to be large bodied with nice type but a straight on side shot from her level would give us a better visual for type. Now all we need to see is her egg. Well done Marchick!

Thank you! She wouldn't let me get a good picture but I will try again tomorrow. I hope she lays before it gets too cold.

 

[Minky]

I myself do like to use the young Pullets until they are mature.

thank you for explaining your process. what do you mean by this statement above?

Mature breeding cocks have separate 5’x5’ pens that I can also use for single mating. I only put Cocks with Hens/Pullets during breeding season. This prevents over mating and helps the Hens/Pullets maintain their conditions through out the year.

Thanks for responding. Very helpful.

I have been having issues with my laying flock not laying (all summer). I have 18 hens and am getting from 1-7 eggs a day with an average of 4. These are not marans, Easter Eggers, welsummer, wyandotte. Almost all 2 year olds. (2 of them are only 1 year old)
People keep telling me its because im free ranging- so I locked them up for 2 weeks. No kitchen scraps, no bugs no weeds. Nothing changed. Same. Today 1 egg!!!! from 18 hens. My numbers are (4,2,5,4,3,5,7,2,4,5,4,4,3,7,1). Isn't that crazy? So..... here's a question. We have hard water here (its a 12) Can anyone tell me if hard water can effect egg laying? I am wondering if I should start to collect rain water only.

 

[chickengr]

thank you for explaining your process. what do you mean by this statement above?

Thanks for responding. Very helpful.

I have been having issues with my laying flock not laying (all summer). I have 18 hens and am getting from 1-7 eggs a day with an average of 4. These are not marans, Easter Eggers, welsummer, wyandotte. Almost all 2 year olds. (2 of them are only 1 year old)
People keep telling me its because im free ranging- so I locked them up for 2 weeks. No kitchen scraps, no bugs no weeds. Nothing changed. Same. Today 1 egg!!!! from 18 hens. My numbers are (4,2,5,4,3,5,7,2,4,5,4,4,3,7,1). Isn't that crazy? So..... here's a question. We have hard water here (its a 12) Can anyone tell me if hard water can effect egg laying? I am wondering if I should start to collect rain water only.

we have hard water too and it is packed with calcium witch helps laying.

what do you feed them? try to feed them a good layers feed for a week and see what happens. they are young and supposed to be good layers so you might have egg eaters or some predators who eat their eggs.

free ranging is supposed to be good for laying if they can find enough staff to eat.

 

[Chooks man]

we have hard water too and it is packed with calcium witch helps laying.

what do you feed them? try to feed them a good layers feed for a week and see what happens. they are young and supposed to be good layers so you might have egg eaters or some predators who eat their eggs.

free ranging is supposed to be good for laying if they can find enough staff to eat.

agree with @chickengr .
give it a go and see what happen .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I have fixed the high tails for the most part. There are still a few cropping up with high tails but I am seeing an improvement in the grow outs. I fixed high tails using an unrelated male with a low tail, which was Duke. He now spends his retirement with his harem of layers free ranging in the yard. Pardon his feather condition, he is molting.

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shame he has a golden hackle . but he did what he had to do . his son Dark angel is a fine example .

in theory we should breed him back to his daughter to reinforce the trait of good tail ,but he has a golden hackle ,that will be reinforced too if we breed him back to his daughter .

long back with low tail will always be dominant again short back /high tail .

thanks for sharing .
chooks man

I do Duke very much .

 

[Chooks man]

Chooksman, I am really liking this BC best so far. She has the best copper so far also. I am naming her Ginger. What do you think of her. I couldn't get a good picture of her. Actually the 2 in the first picture are the best 2 so far.


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I like her hackle marking and the quality of the copper . tail look good too . that all what I can see .
need better photos to fair to her .she look very nice .
chooks man

 

[marchick]

I like her hackle marking and the quality of the copper . tail look good too . that all what I can see .
need better photos to fair to her .she look very nice .
chooks man

I don't think she is as nice as I thought. I went out and she has a part white foot feather on one foot. Bummer!