International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[KF0002]

your approach is correct either way will work ,but will give a different result .

crossing with a wild type is your best option .
if the Cock is a pure creles and a good one than make sense to mate his F1 daughter back to him to make the F2 progeny .

me personally I like to create 2 line from the same sire .
1) back cross his F1 daughters to the sire and keep that line pure as long as the sire is a live and active.
2) cross the F1 between them selves and make a true F2 . I like the genes combination in this generation . great varieties depend on the purity of the parent stock .
from this F2 i like to choose the ones are close to the ideal type i m looking and mate them and get the F3

after 3 year or 3 generation you can merge both line to restore the hybrid vigor and correct any fault .

the barring gene is easy to work with ,because if it is there even in a single form will show up .you can see it .

about the autosexing trait you have to select only the chicks showing the trait . the one they are hard to tell apart they are a cull .
by doing this practice from the start of the crossing for a few generation ,than all chicks will be true autosexing type .

chooks man

Thank you for the advice! I really appreciate it. I will do both the true F2 and the back cross and maintain two lines so I can have as much genetic diversity as possible. I will probably use several different wild type hens the first year too and mark chicks from each breeding separately so that will add more genetic diversity. I love the look of the Crele American Game. Can't wait for chicks from him.

 

[KF0002]

Thanks!! I will definitely get some better pics in the morning. The girls have all been inside for three days (I feel bad) because we have had 9 degree f weather. This isn't usual for us lol. With all the snow we kept them in, but hopefully they can stretch their legs tomorrow!!

It was 17 degree F here this morning and was in the 20's all day yesterday. None of our chickens in the coop/run type pens left the coops for very long yesterday.. too cold for them. Our chickens do not appreciate the snow in any amount. When it snows they stay in their coops. Any free ranging game hens will stay in the trees or undercover until they can see the ground. lol. Luckily we haven't had any snow to speak of this year.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

It's a wonderful 11° right now here. It was 8 when we woke up. I have the run wrapped in plastic to block out the wind and snow so mine are content to hang out in the run. They want nothing to do with any snow so there's no free ranging. I still feel bad for them though. It's SO cold out!

 

[chickengr]

and I complain about 40s at night, lol.

 

[I Love Layers]

and I complain about 40s at night, lol.

That's a nice night here!!
Its -30 with wind chill right now

 

[Chooks man]

and I complain about 40s at night, lol.

both extreme are nasty to man and beast ..

rained for last 2 days .temperature dropped dramatically . chooks are well happy .soft ground for them to dig for worms .

chooks man

 

[winterhorses]

Most of mine will go out in any weather! My fat and fluffy flock mama (a Light Brahma) leads the way. I wish I were as content in the freezing weather as they are.

 

[Lincityfarmette]

@Chooks man here are some of my cream legbars. I love these birds

I only know a little about this breed, my CL. It seems yours are closer to the standard than mine (English) due to the more beige hackles. Is this true? Any breeding advice for my young hen pictured playing with cardboard box?

 

[chickengr]

both extreme are nasty to man and beast ..

rained for last 2 days .temperature dropped dramatically . chooks are well happy .soft ground for them to dig for worms .

chooks man

when we had some rain my chickens enjoyed worms and after that I found tapeworms in their droppings again. it seems I will have to worm them monthly.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I only know a little about this breed, my CL. It seems yours are closer to the standard than mine (English) due to the more beige hackles. Is this true? Any breeding advice for my young hen pictured playing with cardboard box?

I'm still fairly new to breeding CCL also but, I can tell you to choose a cockerel that's more cream, less gold with strong barring, as straight a comb as possible, and you want the hassle and saddle feathers to match. I had an amazing cockerel over the summer but lost him before I ever got the chance to breed him. He was a stunning example of the breed though. Here's a picture of him.