International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[BlueTheBrahma]

The way you break this down is very informative, thank you!

I forgot to add a disclaimer that I’m not a professional judge, so it’s not 100% accurate. This is the scoring system used by judges in Britain, but like you say is useful for breaking down the quality of a marans. Notice how over half the points are awarded for type and size, stressing how important this is for a good Marans. They are famous for egg colour and feather colour, but this is only 15% of the actual score.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I forgot to add a disclaimer that I’m not a professional judge, so it’s not 100% accurate. This is the scoring system used by judges in Britain, but like you say is useful for breaking down the quality of a marans. Notice how over half the points are awarded for type and size, stressing how important this is for a good Marans. They are famous for egg colour and feather colour, but this is only 15% of the actual score.

So what do you think of the pics of the stock I bought eggs from? I appreciate your knowledge and opinion!

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

So what do you think of the pics of the stock I bought eggs from? I appreciate your knowledge and opinion!

Is there any chance that you could find better photos? I need at least a photo from the side at a neutral angle, and ideally one from the front, back, top and other side. I appreciate that some sellers just take a couple of photos from their height and think it’s enough to advertise their hatching eggs.

If you can’t get these then I will try and give it a go with the two photos you sent.

Thanks

 

[wrathsfarm]

@BlueTheBrahma would you give Kong a full review? I can either repost last year's pics or try to get up to date pics.

I've noticed recently he's developed a lone white feather in his left wing since his last molt, thinking he should lose it in his next molt but unclear what it means if it grows back.

I need to get all the hens evaluated eventually for the fall cull.

Disclaimer.. I am very fortunate and honored to have you here. I'm learning more and more and the help and insight is truly appreciated, my friend.



That goes across the board. Wouldn't be where I stand without everyone here. This is such a great group and the knowledge and everyday friendship I'm gotten is a blessing I'll always cherish

 

[wrathsfarm]

7 week old pics are coming soon. I snatched up a couple of them yesterday to check leg bands and their close to needing rebanding.
I gave the ones I got ahold of a look over and some still have the (mottling?) back feathers. But also Joannie's pullets are developing more copper in the hackles, much like 'Copper'. Happy for that.

Joannie-Dec '23

Copper-Apr '24

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

@BlueTheBrahma would you give Kong a full review? I can either repost last year's pics or try to get up to date pics.

I've noticed recently he's developed a lone white feather in his left wing since his last molt, thinking he should lose it in his next molt but unclear what it means if it grows back.

I need to get all the hens evaluated eventually for the fall cull.

Disclaimer.. I am very fortunate and honored to have you here. I'm learning more and more and the help and insight is truly appreciated, my friend.



That goes across the board. Wouldn't be where I stand without everyone here. This is such a great group and the knowledge and everyday friendship I'm gotten is a blessing I'll always cherish

You know I’m always happy to see pictures of Kong my friend. Send me any pictures you have that are suitable for judging (recent ones will be a fairer evaluation of their quality as faults can occur with age).

I’m happy to judge any hens too, it might just take me some time to get through them all.

I’m really enjoying using the scoring system and judging your chooks only helps me get better at using it.

I’ll get a picture of Loki and judge him so his tail gets a roasting and King doesn’t feel targeted!

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Disclaimer.. I am very fortunate and honored to have you here. I'm learning more and more and the help and insight is truly appreciated, my friend.

Thank you for the kind words, and I second this towards everyone active on this thread and to Chooksman who sadly isn’t.

If it weren’t for this thread, I would never have had the platform to learn about marans. If there wasn’t the group of dedicated experts, enthusiasts and breeders, I would never have been encouraged to put so much research into marans, and I’d just breed a small flock of bad birds with dark eggs, the very thing I complain about now.

Seeing everyone else’s birds keeps me stratified while I wait for my own flock to develop, hopefully I’ll have plenty of updates in the near future regarding the cuckoos.

Thank you everyone.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

@BlueTheBrahma these are the pics she just sent me, still the wrong angle on the 2, but the one of the roo is nice

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

@BlueTheBrahma these are the pics she just sent me, still the wrong angle on the 2, but the one of the roo is nice

I’ll give it a go, this is the cockerel’s score, the hens actually look better than him. I also can’t tell if the cockerel in the good photo is the same as the one we see from the front.

Type, carriage & table merit:
18/40
Decent length of back but needs to be deeper throughout. Looks wide in the front but breast could be fuller. Tail quite nice but held too high.

Size and quality: 12/20
The photo might not be doing justice but the hackle looks too thin. He looks to be on the small side but it’s hard to decide without anything to compare to.

Colouring and markings: 9/15
A correct and even shade of copper but a little dull. Needs more copper throughout the saddle, almost no red where it should be in the shoulders. Black looks good and glossy. The hens too are under coloured so it seems to be consistent in this line.

Head: 7/10
Again looks different in the two photos. Wattles really nice, no twists and round. Left earlobe looks suspiciously pale, but good shape. Comb looks even but serrations flopping in different locations. If the comb was straighter it would be good. Eye nice and orange, beak good.

Condition: 8/10
Not the brightest red in the face but no sign of illness. The offspring will have redder faces if maintained well and healthy.

Legs and feet: 4/5
Feathered correctly and correct colour. Could be a little shorter but seem to be well set apart. A clearer distinction between pink/white and slate shading would be ideal, but I don’t know how important that is.

Total: 58/100

I really think the photos aren’t doing him justice. The hens have good type, other than their high tails. There is a good chance your chicks will score higher than this. The main things to worry about is the high tail and lack of full colouring. The cockerel here also looks young so he could improve with age. I’d score them hens on average around 65-70.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I’ll give it a go, this is the cockerel’s score, the hens actually look better than him. I also can’t tell if the cockerel in the good photo is the same as the one we see from the front.

Type, carriage & table merit:
18/40
Decent length of back but needs to be deeper throughout. Looks wide in the front but breast could be fuller. Tail quite nice but held too high.

Size and quality: 12/20
The photo might not be doing justice but the hackle looks too thin. He looks to be on the small side but it’s hard to decide without anything to compare to.

Colouring and markings: 9/15
A correct and even shade of copper but a little dull. Needs more copper throughout the saddle, almost no red where it should be in the shoulders. Black looks good and glossy. The hens too are under coloured so it seems to be consistent in this line.

Head: 7/10
Again looks different in the two photos. Wattles really nice, no twists and round. Left earlobe looks suspiciously pale, but good shape. Comb looks even but serrations flopping in different locations. If the comb was straighter it would be good. Eye nice and orange, beak good.

Condition: 8/10
Not the brightest red in the face but no sign of illness. The offspring will have redder faces if maintained well and healthy.

Legs and feet: 4/5
Feathered correctly and correct colour. Could be a little shorter but seem to be well set apart. A clearer distinction between pink/white and slate shading would be ideal, but I don’t know how important that is.

Total: 58/100

I really think the photos aren’t doing him justice. The hens have good type, other than their high tails. There is a good chance your chicks will score higher than this. The main things to worry about is the high tail and lack of full colouring. The cockerel here also looks young so he could improve with age. I’d score them hens on average around 65-70.

Thank you! The pic is of her younger second roo, the other is the sir. I'm excited to see these chicks!