International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[wrathsfarm]

Went away on vacation and came home to see that my 23/ almost 24 wk old BCM rooster DROGON has blossomed! I’ve posted him before; @wrathsfarm you might recognize him!

Let me know what y’all think!

Cheers

He's gorgeous

 

[MayBerg]

Here is Monsieur Jacques Marans
He us around 11 weeks old. I know, I know.... There's not much to see. But still, here he is.

 

[MayBerg]

Here is Monsieur Jacques Marans
He us around 11 weeks old. I know, I know.... There's not much to see. But still, here he is.

I will give him another 3 months to see. BTW, no intention of showing or breeding to super perfection. I am not there yet.

 

[MayBerg]

Him chilling with Mysyeria the fbcm pullet, puff-puff the yellowish EE and owlette the splash EE.

 

[MayBerg]

Now Gypsy
She is now a big girl. I don't know what to think. I am just enjoying the fact that she is so unique. The only has that one copper feather lol

She's molted the few white wing feathers and also her tail is molting weirdly. She has 2 feathers just sticking out.

 

[MayBerg]

I will give him another 3 months to see. BTW, no intention of showing or breeding to super perfection. I am not there yet.

Same for the girls. I am giving them time to get color and fill in. They both have very dark eyes and small amount of leg feathers. Hopefully they will lay by December a decent dark brown egg, preferably speckled .

 

[Tstraub]

My group of Easter hatch chicks are 14 weeks old and the cockerels are full of hormones I believe their time has come. These are not pure marans but olive Eggers sired by my BCM rooster. I also have one MMM cockerel that is only 10 weeks old I’m still debating on what I’m doing with him. He still looks small for butcher but it might make since to just do it now rather than growing him out and doing just one later.

I’m going to have to move them into the freezer before someone gets hurt. My main rooster Axl has been doing pretty well keeping them in line but as of late they have him outnumbered while he is dealing with one troublemaker someone else is causing problems elsewhere.

Heavy rain is in the forecast today and tomorrow so I’ll likely take care of things on Thursday or Friday before I return to work on Saturday. I feel like if I don’t get it done this week I’m going to have issues.

In other news Gena my perpetually broody girl slept in her favorite nesting box last night. She has that look in her eye and her belly is picked clean. I’m not even sure if her feathers ever completely grew back in after her last broody.

 

[chickengr]

Went away on vacation and came home to see that my 23/ almost 24 wk old BCM rooster DROGON has blossomed! I’ve posted him before; @wrathsfarm you might recognize him!

Let me know what y’all think!

Cheers

great copper! congrats!

 

[Helloyou89]

I would only separate him if he's getting too aggressive. (Grabbing hold and won't let go, relentless chasing, blood drawn etc)
Are they all cooped together?
Let them older girls school him as much as possible. They're going to teach him how to treat a lady. When they are ready to let him take over the flock, they will all submit to his advances.

Yes, they are all together. He’s still super sweet. He isn’t really chasing anyone. In fact, he gets pushed around quite a bit still. He fluffs up and has a staring contest every now and then with the pullets his age, but it’s only for a few seconds and then they all run off like they’re going to play. Usually during these short-lived staring competitions, the girls win. But I’ve also noticed the girls doing it to each other lately. Maybe they are trying to establish who’s in charge? I’ve only noticed this behavior with the two pullets and roo. They’re the youngest in of the group. The rooster is 2nd to last on the pecking order from what I can tell (the lowest one seems to be my white silkie. The Roo doesn’t pick on anyone else, but from time to time pecks the silkie on the head when he feels she’s in his personal space). I do think he’s definitely trying to get the rest of them to notice him more because he’s been standing taller lately. Before, every time I’d see him, he’d be lounging and lying down. He LOVES it…he’s the only one who eats treats laying down he looks so comfy whereas all the girls are going crazy running around each other trying to gobble up as much as possible.
Not sure if that’s a good thing-maybe he’s laid back or maybe he’s just a lazy boy

 

[wrathsfarm]

Yes, they are all together. He’s still super sweet. He isn’t really chasing anyone. In fact, he gets pushed around quite a bit still. He fluffs up and has a staring contest every now and then with the pullets his age, but it’s only for a few seconds and then they all run off like they’re going to play. Usually during these short-lived staring competitions, the girls win. But I’ve also noticed the girls doing it to each other lately. Maybe they are trying to establish who’s in charge? I’ve only noticed this behavior with the two pullets and roo. They’re the youngest in of the group. The rooster is 2nd to last on the pecking order from what I can tell (the lowest one seems to be my white silkie. The Roo doesn’t pick on anyone else, but from time to time pecks the silkie on the head when he feels she’s in his personal space). I do think he’s definitely trying to get the rest of them to notice him more because he’s been standing taller lately. Before, every time I’d see him, he’d be lounging and lying down. He LOVES it…he’s the only one who eats treats laying down he looks so comfy whereas all the girls are going crazy running around each other trying to gobble up as much as possible.
Not sure if that’s a good thing-maybe he’s laid back or maybe he’s just a lazy boy

It sounds like he's doing really good so far, but he's only 11 weeks old. Correct?
Long ways to go yet with chaos coming. Just keep doing what your doing for now and watch him.
At some point you may see that his advances towards the older girls aren't working so he goes after the pullets. This is the time where you may have to separate if it gets too aggressive. Or you may not have to.
You may also see him try to mate the pullets but the hens will chase him off or knock him off the pullets (their training him)
For now tho, he's acting pretty chill and that's a good sign.
Yes, your pullets are establishing the pecking order in their sub flock. And then around POL (point of lay) or after, they should start upsetting the hens pecking order as they meld into one flock.
Right now your cockerel is just playing along but realize he's not part of the pecking order. He's going to break away from the pecking order and man up to oversee the flock and this is the time where the hens will most likely submit to him, most of the time this goes fluently but sometimes a hen can put up a fight, usually it's the head hen not wanting to give up her leadership. Once she submits to him usually the others fall in line and it's over and he becomes the alpha.
Right now all you can do is sit back and watch him as he grows, and try to keep his aggression to a minimum.