International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chooks man]

I bred from Queen (hen), Malika, another no name black copper (#20 is what I think I call her), and two blue copper pullets. All but Queen and Duchess were 2019 offspring. Queen didn't lay well because she was almost constantly broody and I struggled with one of the blue coppers eating eggs in the group mated pen. Duchess literally only laid maybe 7 eggs all year so I've culled her as a breeder because she is a poor layer. I didn't end up with a single chick from Duchess. Not much luck all the way around and just a handful of grow outs to show from it.

Next year I plan on single mating Dark Angel to Pink band (Queen and Duke's daughter I just caught up). May retire Queen. Broken wing may go over Malika if he looks good when he matures. Then I will decide what 2020 pullets to breed when they fully mature. I've got plenty of time to think on things. For now, breeding is over until spring. I am only in the brainstorming phase for next year. I won't make my mind up completely until after the first of the year.

I see now . Queen is the older hen from the old group . retired now .
Malika and #20 and Pink Lady all will be mature hens next year .
plus this year young pullets.

rooster = Dark Angel and Dukes .plus this year cockerels .
Dark halo is going .

if all goes well .here the method I will use to breed them =
Dark Angel over all this year pullets with good eyes color .
Broken wing if he turn to be good or other cockerel over the older hens Malika etc..........

that will give you 2 breeding pen balancing the old with a young .

chooks man

 

[KF0002]

I see now . Queen is the older hen from the old group . retired now .
Malika and #20 and Pink Lady all will be mature hens next year .
plus this year young pullets.

rooster = Dark Angel and Dukes .plus this year cockerels .
Dark halo is going .

if all goes well .here the method I will use to breed them =
Dark Angel over all this year pullets with good eyes color .
Broken wing if he turn to be good or other cockerel over the older hens Malika etc..........

that will give you 2 breeding pen balancing the old with a young .

chooks man

Sounds like a good plan! Hopefully this years birds turn out decent. It's a waiting game now. I set the last clutch of eggs from the Marans on Sunday. A few of Queen's eggs were in there. Fingers crossed they hatch.

 

[KF0002]

It is hard to get a decent picture of Pink Lady (that's a good name). She has a pink zip tie on her leg so I could pick her out of the flock. I wanted to watch her a while. She took a while to fill out last year and then I honestly forgot about her until the other day where I've had so much going on. This picture shows her topline a little better once she is in a more relaxed position. She does hold her tail high when she is alert. She is also slightly short in her legs.

 

[KF0002]

This is Pink Lady more alert. I can cull hard for high tails in her chicks.

 

[kcrandall]

View attachment 2361373
@kcrandall
this cockerel has a best plumage type I ever seen . what a specimen . every thing about him is class . he is black type . extra Melanin for sure even his toes are dark .
correct leg feathering .

chooks man

Thanks Chooks Man - This all black cockerel really stands out against the other cockerels. He has a nice wide stance as well but it doesn’t show in the picture because he’s leaning to one side.

I talked to the breeder. She told me that he most likely came from the only all black hen that she breed this year. She bred the black hen because she consistently lays dark eggs. So if he is from this black hen he may have a good dose of the dark egg gene as well.

I wish I had your over colored BCM Pullet to mate to him just to see how the chicks would turn out.

 

[kcrandall]

View attachment 2361386
@kcrandall
this guy has a impressive width between his leg . his leg are straight and wide apart . he must have a great breast . chunky type . love his small tail .hope will stay small . love his plumage type too . all class .
your new line have a special plumage type .sublime .

chooks man

Yes, he’s the biggest cockerel in the group and is developing a nice breast. He’s not cooperative when it comes to picture taking but I’ll see if I can get some better pics of him. I have 4 or 5 pullets with minimal to no copper but good type, eyes and tails so I think he would go well with them to put color on the females. They all still have a lot of growing to do and they can change for better or worse so I’m trying really hard not to get ahead of myself.

 

[Chooks man]

It is hard to get a decent picture of Pink Lady (that's a good name). She has a pink zip tie on her leg so I could pick her out of the flock. I wanted to watch her a while. She took a while to fill out last year and then I honestly forgot about her until the other day where I've had so much going on. This picture shows her topline a little better once she is in a more relaxed position. She does hold her tail high when she is alert. She is also slightly short in her legs.

View attachment 2361415

in this photo she look like her leg are very short . I know it is just a posture , but funny .
she will breed well with DA . they will produce some culls but will produce some high quality too .
form you family lines ,so breeding out the faults will become easier .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

This is Pink Lady more alert. I can cull hard for high tails in her chicks.

View attachment 2361449

I like she has what you need to breed her to Dark Angel . high tail will not be a problem because you are going to breed half sibling .both they share a sire Duke s ,so both have a one dose of long back and low tail genes. so you will inbreeding a good trait. low tail will be very low in this mating .
I do see this mating will produce well .
you have to breed half sibling to build you line . based on Dukes and Queens plus they progeny .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Thanks Chooks Man - This all black cockerel really stands out against the other cockerels. He has a nice wide stance as well but it doesn’t show in the picture because he’s leaning to one side.

I talked to the breeder. She told me that he most likely came from the only all black hen that she breed this year. She bred the black hen because she consistently lays dark eggs. So if he is from this black hen he may have a good dose of the dark egg gene as well.

I wish I had your over colored BCM Pullet to mate to him just to see how the chicks would turn out.

very nice to hear .
will be nice if it is true ,that Black hen is his dam ,
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Yes, he’s the biggest cockerel in the group and is developing a nice breast. He’s not cooperative when it comes to picture taking but I’ll see if I can get some better pics of him. I have 4 or 5 pullets with minimal to no copper but good type, eyes and tails so I think he would go well with them to put color on the females. They all still have a lot of growing to do and they can change for better or worse so I’m trying really hard not to get ahead of myself.

no to worry about black pullets ,this little guy will fix them for sure .no way this little guy will produce black pullets .
love to see him fully grown .
I like your new line .the person you got them from did some home work . great .
question ,all those chicks are sired by one rooster? pen breeding?

chooks man