International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[KF0002]

These next two FRF x LA pullets look very similar. They have higher and longer tails, but they are the biggest of my FRF x LA pullets. I probably won't use these though as they will only add to my high tail/short back problem instead of helping correct it. It's hard for me to tell them apart without looking at their bands. They are #10 and #19.

I think this one is #19

#19

#10

 

[KF0002]

I like the hackle on the hen in the background is that the one in the last pics? It’s light but is it due to sun?

I think the pullet in the background you are talking about is either #19 or #10. The pullet in the post after that (#12), her hackle is light. Reminds me a lot of Gretta and Gretchen. I may need to pair her with my cockerel, Apollo because his copper is darker, instead of Maximus so she doesn't throw cockerels with hackle color too light.

Edited to add: I get carried away when talking about my birds, that I forget some people don't know my chickens' names like I do.

Gretta and Gretchen are my pure FRF females, both have light hackles.

FRF = Feels Right Farm (one line of Marans I have)
LA = Louisiana (another line of Marans I have I got from a breeder in Louisiana)
FRF x LA is a cross of both lines.

 

[KF0002]

@kfelton0002

this pullet her back is good , what make it look tilted toward the front is the fluff around her tail .
easy to get red of .all your cockerels are a fixer for this sort of fault .
they are free from any fluff .

I like her tail . very nice .

chooks man

Thank you! Glad you think Maximus will improve the fluff. I'm hoping she throws offspring with good tails. If only the stingy boogers would start laying so I can get some eggs in the incubator.

 

[ScottandSam]

Pen #2 is done.. my hubby used a few pallets to build this one. I will move my best FRF x LA pullet to this pen tonight.

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I have to ask cause were brain storming breeder / grow out pens.
Do you leave them in there all the Time?
Do you have predators in your area?

Thanks Scott

 

[dvoice]

From what I can see I like him a lot..... better than the previous second pick, maybe better than my first pick. I am amazed at the first picture you posted..... it looks like an oil painting. How did you do that?

It was just the flash that made it look that way. Lol

 

[KF0002]

I have to ask cause were brain storming breeder / grow out pens.
Do you leave them in there all the Time?
Do you have predators in your area?

Thanks Scott

Yes the birds will stay in the breeder pens until I am satisfied I have enough chicks from them. If I lose a bird here and there, it is the free ranging chickens that get picked off (layers, grow outs, etc). The ones in pens are pretty safe (knock on wood).

There are always predators. We have opossums, raccoons, lots of coyotes, rogue dogs, and minks in my area. We don't normally have a problem with predators, but we are down a LGD at the moment. Our new Pyrenees pup is still young and it will be a while before he is trained. Our female GP, Rosie is a fierce protector and even though she is burdened with puppies at the moment, she still keeps the predators at bay. We lost a few birds several weeks ago because Rosie was very heavily pregnant and our old male GP was pretty much useless at protecting the chickens at that point due his advanced age. He was deaf and slept like the dead. We had to put him down recently because he was suffering from cancer.

My Rosie (Lady Roselia), our protector. 100+ pounds of AKC registered, varmint slaying beast. Best dog I've ever had.

 

[KF0002]

Ok so a few more question pic are 16 weeks. When at how many weeks will It be easier to know what we have with roos and hens?
Also they are running with our layer flock now so should I separate roos into 2 pens and should the hens go too ? Just not sure if both roos go Into 1 pen or 2 and if the hens need to go in there too.
The reason I want to separate is I don't want roo 1 picking breeding partners In the laying house which he has started to do.
Thanks scott

Marans cockerels don't show their true colors until at least 6-8 months, and some closer to a year. You can have a cockerel with perfect tail angle at 5 months that has a 90 degree tail angle by 8 months. They change so much as they mature. You can normally tell a lot about how a pullet is going to look type/tail angle wise by the time she reaches point of lay. A pullet's color is usually in as good as it's going to get by 5-6 months.

Marans roosters can have a difficult time keeping a large number of females bred. If your males are running with your layer flock, your Marans pullets may or may not get fertilized adequately because the males have too many females to service. If you have 2 roosters in a pen with your Marans pullets, there will be controversy as both males mature. There will always be a power struggle to be top dog. You only need one male per breeder pen. Plus you want to know which male sired your chicks. Also, two males means twice the mating which can wear on your females. I think I've been told that 3-4 females is a good number per male in a pen. Any more than that and the male may not adequately mate them all.

Also separating your males at this point will allow your underdog cockerel #2 to "cock up" and develop faster. Subordinate males tend to have their masculine features muted for longer in the presence of a dominate male. Their comb and wattles stay smaller and they may carry their posture/tail lower than they would if they were the only rooster.

 

[Red Banks]

@RedBanks these are for you, since you like Griffin so much. He tagged around all day while I was outside so I snapped a few pics. I noticed today his comb has a S curve in the front, just like #60 (pure LA hen). I'd bet a pretty penny that #60 is Griffin's dam.

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#60
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He is coming along. Nice hen, s-comb and all.... but there you go making Chooks man right again. Comb comes from the maternal side.

 

[Red Banks]

Here is #12, another FRF x LA pullet. I have decided to breed her to Maximus also as soon as we build another pen. I worry she may make her male offspring's copper too light since her hackle is so light. Otherwise her back is nice and long and her tail is a nice angle. She's looking a little more chunky these days, but she is the smallest FRF x LA pullet out of the bunch.

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Her hackle does not look light to me, maybe it is relative. Another nice hen.

 

[Red Banks]

These next two FRF x LA pullets look very similar. They have higher and longer tails, but they are the biggest of my FRF x LA pullets. I probably won't use these though as they will only add to my high tail/short back problem instead of helping correct it. It's hard for me to tell them apart without looking at their bands. They are #10 and #19.

I think this one is #19
View attachment 1186977
#19
View attachment 1186982

#10
View attachment 1186986

Waiting to hear what Chooks man has to say about these two. I like them!