International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Red Banks]

Thanks everyone. This is what they look like now (hatched early March). I'm going to need some help narrowing down roosters from 6 to 2 in a few months. So I'll definitely stick around!

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We are glad you are here! Don't hesitate to chime it and join the discussions!

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

We are glad you are here! Don't hesitate to chime it and join the discussions!

Thank you! I'm still getting caught up after missing a few days of post.

I have 1 question. There was mention of chick down and it being desirable. What make a Marans down desirable or not? What are people looking for exactly? Is it different for Black Copper, Blue Copper and Splash?

 

[Red Banks]

Thank you! I'm still getting caught up after missing a few days of post.

I have 1 question. There was mention of chick down and it being desirable. What make a Marans down desirable or not? What are people looking for exactly? Is it different for Black Copper, Blue Copper and Splash?

http://www.maransofamericaclub.com/black-copper-genetics.html

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

http://www.maransofamericaclub.com/black-copper-genetics.html

I've read that page before. I'm not sure how it applies to chicks. Did I miss it?

 

[chickengr]

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Here it is with #2 again. All others are feathering at same rate and their feathers go all the way to their tails. there's a pic of #2s wing feathers for comparison. I know #1 looks more upright but I'm not sure if that isn't just because I plucked it out of the brooder. It doesn't like being fussed and throws a chirpy fit when I do that. I don't see it standing upright when in the brooder.

last year I had a chick I believed was a cockerel. she is an upright standing hen, lol. I also think your little one is pullet.

 

[chickengr]

Thank you! I'm still getting caught up after missing a few days of post.

I have 1 question. There was mention of chick down and it being desirable. What make a Marans down desirable or not? What are people looking for exactly? Is it different for Black Copper, Blue Copper and Splash?

for black copper chicks: they should have minimum white, some around the eyes, some on the wings, feet and little on the chest. the darker the better.

 

[Red Banks]

@Hensndoes
Edit: maybe it's like @kfelton0002 bird and I will have to build it its own restroom to avoid protests.[/QUOTE]

Let's hope not! I don't know where that bird came from.

 

[Red Banks]

@kfelton0002 I have been going at this all wrong, agonizing over cockerels. I started looking at my hens. It takes two to tango. I can't fix only one side. I am going to put my nice new cockerel to three of my best long backed correct tailed hens. I see a lot of upright tails in my hen flock! Although Antonio has a big tail it is seldom at 90, never squirrel. In my new cockerels I have lots of tails at 90, potential squirrel. I have debated about only keeping one but will keep two because every day I go out there they look a little different. My knock kneed pullet is so pretty but..... can never use her. I am going to start incubating Sunday.

 

[Red Banks]

Thank you! I'm still getting caught up after missing a few days of post.

I have 1 question. There was mention of chick down and it being desirable. What make a Marans down desirable or not? What are people looking for exactly? Is it different for Black Copper, Blue Copper and Splash?

I am sorry I misunderstood. I believe they want to see as little white as possible. I have never really studied chick down. I try not to look at them in a critiquing kind of way when they are young.

 

[KF0002]

@kfelton0002 I have been going at this all wrong, agonizing over cockerels. I started looking at my hens. It takes two to tango. I can't fix only one side. I am going to put my nice new cockerel to three of my best long backed correct tailed hens. I see a lot of upright tails in my hen flock! Although Antonio has a big tail it is seldom at 90, never squirrel. In my new cockerels I have lots of tails at 90, potential squirrel. I have debated about only keeping one but will keep two because every day I go out there they look a little different. My knock kneed pullet is so pretty but..... can never use her. I am going to start incubating Sunday.

Don't forget if you are planning on mating one of your cockerels to your best hens, you have to give the hens time to get clear of Antonio's sperm if he has been with them. It takes roughly 2-3 weeks, otherwise the chicks could still be fathered by Antonio. Hens retain a rooster's sperm for quite some time.

My very first year with Marans I flock mated and my results were not good. I ended up with very few keepers and a whole lot of culls. Since then with help from this forum, Chooks man, and other show breeders I talk to, I have learned to be a little more strategic and keep the list of tips you posted from Curtis Hale in my head all the time. I got those tips from Brenda Little's LP website, they are there word for word and are like guidelines I've been trying to follow. I have them printed out and keep them in my 3-ring binder.

I have plenty of birds that have great personalities or are pretty but have too many faults to use as breeders, so I know how you feel about your pullet. Maybe you can rehome your little knock kneed pullet as a layer. I'm sure she will lay lovely dark brown eggs and would make someone a nice addition to a layer flock. I have rehomed a lot of my cull Marans hens, and still have a few more I still might part with. They have all went to layer flocks and will have good homes.