International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Tstraub]

Seems to me that any airflow coming in the window would be suctioned up into the airflow going across the top up and over the roost.
What is the distance from their roost to the bottom of the vents up top? Your looking for a minimum of 12", I push more closer to 16"+. You could add a furnace filter to your venting, that would cut down on any wind coming in, but still allow your airflow.
Like said it does look mild if it is frostbite. I've got pics of Kong before and after frostbite, he looks better now than he did before
But his comb was huge.

He is losing more color in his comb today. From when I have read that is consistent with how frostbite progress. Less red color means the blood flow is poor. It’s drizzling rain here so I didn’t bother chasing him for a close up. But I got a good enough one as he walked past.

The bottom of the ventilation is 13 inches above the roost bars. I honestly didn’t plan it that way. When I built the coop I was trying to use up as much material I had left over from my shed build and make the best use of anything I had to buy.

The roost bars could probably be lowered a couple inches but I would have to make some sort of brackets to hold them in place and still be removed for cleaning. The open window is directly in line with the roost bars so I think I’ll keep it closed anytime it’s below freezing outside.

I did add a piece of osb that I had left over from a previous project to break the wind coming in one side of the coop. It is a foot away from the vent so I don’t think it will impede ventilation just slow down the wind as it goes through

Btw the heat lamps in the pictures are fitted with nightlight bulbs not heat bulbs and are no longer in use. The birds were having trouble finding the roost before the sun went down when they were young. I have never bothered removing them after they got things figured out.

 

[wrathsfarm]

early feathering type when the chicks feather grow very fast .they will have a full wing featheres and a full tail by week 2 some earlier .
slow feathering type the chicks feathers grow very slowly no tail at all till week 6 or later
very slow feathering type no feathers att all only the few at the wing they stay with they hatch down expose for very long time .we don t want that .
marans have both genes early and slow feathering type . if we breed them properly they will help us sexing the chicks at hatch ,
early feathering rooster mated to a slow feathering hen =all the cockerels chicks will be slow feathering type and all the pullets will be early feathering type ( Sex linked ) but has to be is this order .if we reverce the order let say slow feathering rooster mated to a early featherting hen we will not have a similar result no sex linked .
hope that help
I ll find photos when I m free lot to do today building a broody box for my Tuesday hatch
chooks man

Thank you, I'll be adding this to my notes. Yes, get your brooders done. That's most important.
Looking forward to seeing more of your littles soon.

 

[wrathsfarm]

He is losing more color in his comb today. From when I have read that is consistent with how frostbite progress. Less red color means the blood flow is poor. It’s drizzling rain here so I didn’t bother chasing him for a close up. But I got a good enough one as he walked past.

The bottom of the ventilation is 13 inches above the roost bars. I honestly didn’t plan it that way. When I built the coop I was trying to use up as much material I had left over from my shed build and make the best use of anything I had to buy.

The roost bars could probably be lowered a couple inches but I would have to make some sort of brackets to hold them in place and still be removed for cleaning. The open window is directly in line with the roost bars so I think I’ll keep it closed anytime it’s below freezing outside.

I did add a piece of osb that I had left over from a previous project to break the wind coming in one side of the coop. It is a foot away from the vent so I don’t think it will impede ventilation just slow down the wind as it goes through

Btw the heat lamps in the pictures are fitted with nightlight bulbs not heat bulbs and are no longer in use. The birds were having trouble finding the roost before the sun went down when they were young. I have never bothered removing them after they got things figured out.
View attachment 3695485View attachment 3695486View attachment 3695487

I think your good where it's at, you've got that plastic roofing panel there that breaks the wind also.
Frost bite happens, not much to do about more than what you've done. Blocking any more ventilation will just make more moisture build up inside.
If you got any of the major temp swing we got its expected with our Marans comb size.
I'm watching King also. Looks like he got frostbite also. I'll get a pic today.

 

[Tstraub]

I got a break in the rain so got a closer picture of Axl and I noticed that Sammy has a little bit of frostbite on his comb tips and wattles too.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I got a break in the rain so got a closer picture of Axl and I noticed that Sammy has a little bit of frostbite on his comb tips and wattles too.

I did look at King yesterday and had camera in hand but his comb was normal so it wasn't frostbite.
It must have been hormonal.
I never noticed any change in Kong during his lose of the tips, I'm sure there was some pain or discomfort, but they hide it quite well.

Hope your boys heal up fine from it.

 

[Chooks man]

@wrathsfarm here some photos of Early feathering and late feathering chicks I took this afternoon . they are 8 days old .
Early feathering type you can pullets ,you can see they have full wing and tail

slow feathering type you can see they only have short wings feathers the rest of the body still only hatchdown

chooks man

 

[wrathsfarm]

@wrathsfarm here some photos of Early feathering and late feathering chicks I took this afternoon . they are 8 days old .
Early feathering type you can pullets ,you can see they have full wing and tail
View attachment 3696838View attachment 3696839


slow feathering type you can see they only have short wings feathers the rest of the body still only hatchdown
View attachment 3696845
chooks man

Thank you, the visual pics are very helpful.
The last pic looks like a cockerel (slow feathering)..so this is the sex linking you explained, correct?

Were you able to get your brooders done for your next hatch?
I'd like to see pics when you have the time to share them.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Just a random thought here with pics.
I'm storing eggs in the barn in a mini fridge (non working). I have a light in it that keeps temp pretty steady around 65 F (18 c) to keep them from freezing.
Is this a good temp for storage before eating? Everything I'm searching says this is ok.
If temp is swinging between 60-80 depending on outside temps which are fluctuating between below freezing to upper 30's are they still safe to consume?

I've also noticed egg color changes after a couple days. Like they lose their sheen and turn darker (more brown)

The last egg on bottom I'm thinking Angel did not lay that. That's a Jett egg and I think Angel covered it, but actually didn't lay that day. I was watching her so when she got up I assumed she laid it.

Angel laid this one yesterday, this is her egg shape. And you can see a partial egg pic sitting next to it that's turned color. I'm keeping this one out of the fridge to document any change.

Thoughts?

 

[wrathsfarm]

Heres another... As can be seen I'm keeping record of who lays to get an average of eggs laid per month on each hen, I should just take my best guess at egg color and document that too. I need to get an actual egg color chart.
Anyone have a better image/pic they use?
If I'm just guessing let's say Angels egg I'm calling them a 5? Or hard 4?
Do I wait that few days and then document the color change then? I mean that's a pretty noticeable change in color.
If I'm selling hatching eggs or showing someone egg color I don't want to be misleading anyone.
This is the first I've noticed this, But seemed to appear when I put that light in the mini fridge.
I've had too much coffee...

 

[NanaK]

The last pic looks like a cockerel (slow feathering)..so this is the sex linking you explained, correct?

I believe it can be bred into a line and if done correctly can used as a sex-link tool to identify chicks at a young age. Someone please correct me if I am wrong. @Chooks man knows a lot more about this than I do.

I had never seen a slow feathering female until 2018 when I raised these BCM pullets.

The chick to the left feathered so slowly. She was also the largest of the group. I started wondering if she was a cockerel. She didn't grown in her tail until much later. You can see in this pic, the chick to the right is feathered in with a tail as were the others.

I still have this girl. Her name is Pudding and she will be 6yrs old in Feb. She started laying around the same time as the others. Still lays pretty well for a hen her age. Never been sick at all. Good broody, too.

Just thought I'd add another pic of a slow feather chick for you.