International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Red Banks]

what do you mean about "is a big tail at 45 degree angle an obstacle?

chooks man

Well..... if the cockerel has a big tail but it is at the correct angle is that okay. Should I keep trying to correct the angle AND reduce the size?

 

[KF0002]

We have eggs!!
Of course I was traveling at the time so I missed the big day, but my husband let me know. We have 4 now so far, pictured here with a store bought egg for comparison; looks like a pretty good colour View attachment 1298197

Congratulations! Very pretty eggs!

 

[KF0002]

@RedBanks I terribly hate that Tony2 didnt turn out to be a keeper after all. I was really rooting for him. I hate that a seemingly nice tailed bird can spring up a high tail nearly overnight it seems. I had the exact same situation just happen. The cockerel with the bump on his beak that "had" a great tail and all that just a few days ago has cocked up and his tail angle is much higher. His comb has doubled in size in a week and he is now crowing. Its crazy what a difference there is in so short a time! I nearly didnt recognize him when I was looking for him earlier.

 

[KF0002]

Look what I caught last night. Glad its finally gone! This one never bothered my chickens that I know of but it always stole my cat's food. I baited the trap with dog food and half a cheeseburger!

 

[marchick]

Update pictures of my 4 chicks.
Splash tagged #1
Blue tagged #2 he is the blue with darker head. 1 &2 are from Thor pure Bev rooster in with three pure Bev hens.
Blue tagged#4
Black tagged #5
I had one hen from my friend that I hatched chicks from. Chicks 4&5 could be chicks from them. Rooster being Pure Bev. My friend has very nice Marans. So will try working with the two lines.

 

[Red Banks]

@RedBanks I terribly hate that Tony2 didnt turn out to be a keeper after all. I was really rooting for him. I hate that a seemingly nice tailed bird can spring up a high tail nearly overnight it seems. I had the exact same situation just happen. The cockerel with the bump on his beak that "had" a great tail and all that just a few days ago has cocked up and his tail angle is much higher. His comb has doubled in size in a week and he is now crowing. Its crazy what a difference there is in so short a time! I nearly didnt recognize him when I was looking for him earlier.

Remember I was never really sold on Tony2 so I am okay with it. If he was the only option I could live with it but he isn't. Doesn't he look like Amanda's roosters to you?

Sorry to hear about your cockerel. Does your RedBanks cockerel have a high/big tail?

 

[Red Banks]

Look what I caught last night. Glad its finally gone! This one never bothered my chickens that I know of but it always stole my cat's food. I baited the trap with dog food and half a cheeseburger! View attachment 1298490

Even though I know they are a nuisance I always feel sorry for them. I trapped one once. I was looking at this poor little possum in the trap thinking now what. Then she leaned back and I saw all the babies on her belly. I let her go. Poor mama..... just trying to feed her children, what is a little cat food. My chickens are bigger than she was.

 

[Hensndoes]

Even though I know they are a nuisance I always feel sorry for them. I trapped one once. I was looking at this poor little possum in the trap thinking now what. Then she leaned back and I saw all the babies on her belly. I let her go. Poor mama..... just trying to feed her children, what is a little cat food. My chickens are bigger than she was.

I would have done the same

 

[KF0002]

Even though I know they are a nuisance I always feel sorry for them. I trapped one once. I was looking at this poor little possum in the trap thinking now what. Then she leaned back and I saw all the babies on her belly. I let her go. Poor mama..... just trying to feed her children, what is a little cat food. My chickens are bigger than she was.

They will kill chickens bigger than they are, I know that first hand. At night chickens are at a huge disadvantage and are very vulnerable to predators because they can't see. Possums are nocturnal and prey on chickens if they have the opportunity. I hate that we have to kill them, but they cannot co-exist here when they are coming too close to my birds. The other one was in my hen house trying to grab a chicken when we killed it. I cannot afford to lose the birds I've worked way to hard to breed, hatch, raise, and grow out. I don't want possums associating our place with a meal. The very night there is no cat food out, they will go after my chickens and I just can't take that risk. I do feel sorry for the possums, but I'm going to feel even sorrier for myself when they eat my chickens.

 

[Chooks man]

Well..... if the cockerel has a big tail but it is at the correct angle is that okay. Should I keep trying to correct the angle AND reduce the size?

correct the tail angle first ,than work of the shape later .

small tail is easier to correct ,take less time to breed it true ,you only have have to select a hen with a nice small pointed tail as your main breeder for this trait . cross back her best son to her and create line from her .

I used this method to fix the tail in my flock in just few years of breeding .now I m breeding it as a true trait ( dominant ).

you guys focusing too much on the cockerels and you are forgotten the importance of the pullets/hens in the breeding program .MAMA hen has a lot to say .
mama hen dictate the sex of the chick.
mama hen dictate the type of the chick,
mama hen dictate the size of the chick,
mama hen dictate most of the tail genes to the progeny,
mama hen dictate the laying type of the of spring,
mama hen transmit all her Sex Linked genes to her male off spring ,

PLUS MAMA HEN LAY THE EGG

chooks man