International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Red Banks]

I don't understand..... they are from the exact same birds. Are they the same age as my birds?

Some of mine will be two in Feb. Antonio is from the second group and so are a lot of the hens. I have to look back but I doubt there is much more than a months difference.

 

[KF0002]

Some of mine will be two in Feb. Antonio is from the second group and so are a lot of the hens. I have to look back but I doubt there is much more than a months difference.

The only logical explanation I can think of is that they are from different sires. Your birds look like a lot like LP birds I have seen so I think at least the majority of your birds were sired by the top dog LP rooster. He was probably dominant to the GFF rooster and likely bred more hens than the GFF. When two cock birds compete over dominance in a pen, the dominant alpha rooster won't allow the beta rooster to mate hens in his presence. It is a constant power struggle consisting of the alpha knocking the beta around preventing the beta from mating. I think when I bought my eggs, that may have been after Amanda had removed the LP rooster from the pen because he was so aggressive. Either way, I think my birds were sired by the GFF cock bird and yours by the LP. That is my theory anyway.

 

[KF0002]

Then there is always the possibility it is just the atavistic return of genes as Chooks man explains causes a lot of the different looking birds that a particular group of birds can produce in their offspring because they are not a truly bred line, but a mix of bloodlines. That may also explain why our birds look so different.

 

[Chooks man]

Then there is always the possibility it is just the atavistic return of genes as Chooks man explains causes a lot of the different looking birds that a particular group of birds can produce in their offspring because they are not a truly bred line, but a mix of bloodlines. That may also explain why our birds look so different.

agree with you in this one .they are the product of the out cross lines .a lot genetic variation and expression based on the dominance .

The Atavistic Return of the recessive genes are related to line breeding . they happen when we work with a same group of genes and recombining them differently many time over .

your explanation about the Alpha rooster in the breeding pen is possible too .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

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Wow RedBank ,sister#4 is stunning . love every thing about her .graceful ,gorgeous tail .

the weakest point I see so far and it is very small . the front of her comb ,the first point is double . the rest of the comb and the point are great .

if her comb did not had a double point than she ll be a show bird of the highest class .

in the breeding pen ,she is a first class breeder ,for type ,body color ,tail ( shape and angle) comb, eyes color . and the list keep going .

I see now why a young Antonio has a great body type and tail .

chooks man

 

[Red Banks]

Then there is always the possibility it is just the atavistic return of genes as Chooks man explains causes a lot of the different looking birds that a particular group of birds can produce in their offspring because they are not a truly bred line, but a mix of bloodlines. That may also explain why our birds look so different.

But all of my birds look very similar.... if this were the case wouldn't I have a really mixed bag. Well maybe I did and I culled or lost those birds, I culled a lot before I should have when they were pretty young. I have one hen that I really don't like. I plan on culling her when I have more hens.

I do understand this, it is the same for dogs. An outcross can give you a supreme individual that can win in the show ring but might not be able reproduce himself as well as a hodge podge of different faults/traits in mediocre offspring.

 

[Chooks man]

impressive!

I am thinking how much land to buy. it seems I can find about 1 acre only in the areas I like. I am afraid it is not enough as I plan to have chickens (marans of course, naked necks, rumpless araucana , greek hooded and to work on mixing some of them), ducks: indian runner and muscovy (to keep them separately), guinea fowl (maybe together with indian runners), pea fowl, some turkeys for food, 2-3 goats and maybe 2 pigs. I also want a big vegetable garden, some fruit trees (can be in chicken runs) and a small pasture (can be as a part of rotating vegetable garden). I already feel stuck, lol. and dogs of course. I have 2 old terrier mixes who kill mice and rats and I am thinking about getting some shepherd dogs as they are guards and usually don't chase and kill chickens.

what is the biggest number of chickens you keep in 2 acres?

it is a lot animal for one acre . they will cost you a lot of feed .
more space ,less feed needed for the animal ,because they can top up theu need for the land .

good luck my friend .

chooks man

 

[chickengr]

it is a lot animal for one acre . they will cost you a lot of feed .
more space ,less feed needed for the animal ,because they can top up theu need for the land .

good luck my friend .

chooks man

thank you.

I will try to buy more land. how much do you think I would need?

consider that I feed my animals with extra eggs. I also make kefir and give some to chickens, cats and dogs. with milk from my goats it would be free. I also must start butchering at least roos (and turkeys, ducks... later on). everything I don't eat would be for animals. (I eat chicken breast and thighs only, and meat without bones, so plenty to feed the animals.)

 

[KF0002]

My FRF x LA pullets are laying steadily now and their eggs are getting bigger and darker. My grandmother loves getting these eggs in her dozen!

 

[Chooks man]

thank you.

I will try to buy more land. how much do you think I would need?

consider that I feed my animals with extra eggs. I also make kefir and give some to chickens, cats and dogs. with milk from my goats it would be free. I also must start butchering at least roos (and turkeys, ducks... later on). everything I don't eat would be for animals. (I eat chicken breast and thighs only, and meat without bones, so plenty to feed the animals.)

I think 2 acres will be good for you and all the animal you want .
goats and pigs need some space .
chooks can go with the goat in the same pen any way .the pigs too .c
chooks will help to keep the place clean and free from bugs and ticks .

my dogs guard the chooks and in return they eat a lot of eggs and culls as well (cockerels)

chooks man