International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[LaFleche]

you mean turkey hens ,because turkey toms do not lay any eggs and for sure they are not interested in hatching them .
do you call turkey hens toms in Germany?
chooks man

No, I mean turkey toms. Just like ostrich males they take care of the clutch until hatch and afterwards of the chicks. They also sit on the nest and take turns with the female if need be.

In those days before incubators were invented or Silkies came to Europe, it was common to use turkey toms for this purpose, as they cover many more eggs and are known to be very reliable.

But I do not know if it works with the new hybrids.

 

[Chooks man]

No, I mean turkey toms. Just like ostrich males they take care of the clutch until hatch and afterwards of the chicks. They also sit on the nest and take turns with the female if need be.

In those days before incubators were invented or Silkies came to Europe, it was common to use turkey toms for this purpose, as they cover many more eggs and are known to be very reliable.

But I do not know if it works with the new hybrids.

I didn t know that .never worked with turkey before . had turkey hens here and there but nothing serious .
chooks man

 

[Punkybrewster]

I m wondering what happen to @kfelton0002 and @marchick .been a white since they last visit .hope they are well .

chooks man

Yes.
I think of both of them often when I come on this thread.
I wonder how they are doing too.

 

[Minky]

I wanted to ask what things I should look for as my chicks grow. What things do you document, and how often?
Early maturing, fast feathering/slow feathering, stance, hatch down, etc..
When does eye colour and ear lobe colour happen on chicks? (Does it develop over time?) How about foot feathering and leg colour? Do those things change as they grow also?

 

[Bantambird]

Well, I’m getting a little taste of what it is like to live in cold weather. In North Texas we’ve been below freezing for 3 days and have another 6 days to go before we’re forecasted to be above 32 F (0 C). Sunday and Monday we’re supposed to be between 16 F (-8.8 C) and -2 F (-18.8 C). Texas hasn’t seen temperatures this cold since 1899. We’re suppose to get 4-8” of snow on Sunday and another 2-5” on Wednesday.

I have a lot of respect for people that live in this type of weather and colder for weeks and months at a time especially with animals to take care of. Making sure my Marans have plenty feed and warm water fortified with electrolytes and vitamins. They seem to be doing well so far.

Last week stayed at -20 F and today it finally warmed up to 30°F (-1°C) lost all my legbar combs because the cold snap was so sudden they had no time to acclimate. The Marans always take the cold temps like champions and never require special treatment for even the coldest weather. Such good all around farm hens!

 

[Bantambird]

that's why I added pekins to my flock. silkies and maybe phoenixes are next. any idea if turkey hens might brood chicks without killing them with their heavy body?

They can raise chicks, however turkey gestation is 28 days. Make sure you don't use broad breasted hens. They smoosh everything but they can't help their wierd single trait breeding.

 

[Bantambird]

There is one gal on the turkey thread I frequent who has a dedicated broody tom. He insists on brooding babies himself and has taken in brooder babies once they are turned out of the baby pen. I don't think he ever hatched any, just stolen or given poults to raise. Doesn't work with every tom, however, but there is definitely a precedent for it.

I do have experience with turkey hens co parenting. They can group nest in 2-3 and do well in combining babies. The benefit is more watchful eyes looking for predators and the hens will take turns in brooding so eggs/poults are never left alone. The downside is the occasional trampled egg.

 

[Minky]

Last week stayed at -20 F and today it finally warmed up to 30°F (-1°C) lost all my legbar combs because the cold snap was so sudden they had no time to acclimate. The Marans always take the cold temps like champions and never require special treatment for even the coldest weather. Such good all around farm hens!

My BCM Roos will loose their points from comb- they are mostly black. Funnily enough the two cuckoo marans combs seem unphased by the weather. I have bred a 12 week old CLB ( mix)with a pea comb for just this reason. I hope it stays nice and small. I am hoping he still passes on the auto sexing and blue egg gene - we will see in fall.

 

[Bantambird]

My BCM Roos will loose their points from comb- they are mostly black. Funnily enough the two cuckoo marans combs seem unphased by the weather. I have bred a 12 week old CLB ( mix)with a pea comb for just this reason. I hope it stays nice and small. I am hoping he still passes on the auto sexing and blue egg gene - we will see in fall.

A friend, r2elk (Bob) has been working on a rosecomb legbar project for several years now. He lives only 4-5 hours south of me so I am rooting for him in completion of this project. It may be that I come to buy some day to cross in with my own legbars. the darned combs are a nuisance in our climate and not a year goes by that I don't loose at least one whole legbar rooster comb when it inevitably gets into the negatives. If i loose anything on the marans, it is just points.

 

[RoosterML]

Both my Marans combs are in rough shape. Should make a pea comb Marans. I just have no clue where to get started
What do you think is it a project worth researching and undertaking? I’ve never even seen one listed anywhere.