International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[kfelton0002]

Well I had a trying day. A woman picked up 6 cockerels from me this morning. I caught them and off she went. I went to the town, went to a memorial service and when I got home I went to the chicken coops. I was thinking how my #1 cockerel no longer had short legs, how could that be, then I noticed his 90 degree tail. I had given the woman the wrong cockerel. I had to go and get him. She had already processed one and I just prayed it wasn't #1. A 35 mile trip to her house and he is home but I can't put him back in with the other cockerel I kept because now he is a stranger. This mistake will probably cause me no end of grief. I don't have enough pens for three males and I wanted to lock up Antonio too. I think I will lock up Antonio and let these young cockerels take turns running with the hens/pullets. Let the hens teach them some manners.

Pen the cock bird in with the cockerels and let them sort out all the drama. They will fight for the alpha position.. that is normal chicken behavior, but they're not games so they wont fight to the death. I have a cock bird that I put in a pen with several cockerels and even added a strange cockerel none of them were familiar with. There was a little riff raff the first day or so, now they all get along fine. The cock bird immediately claimed the alpha position and asserted his dominance and the cockerels submitted. They will sort out the pecking order among themselves.

 

[kfelton0002]

@RedBanks the key is put the cock bird in at the same time your are introducing the cockerels. Antonio will keep everyone in line.

 

[kfelton0002]

My pullets are my best birds. I hope she helps your program.

She sure can't hurt my line B that's for sure. Lol. I think she will improve the line, especially the mossiness and overcoloring. She is a lot darker in her hackle than my two FRF hens so she will balance it out nicely I think.

 

[ZurcherFarms]

Has anyone here ever had a Marans that hatched with very severe looking angular head? These girls are about 3 mo old. I don't know if this is normal, of if it was a problem with the incubator... (We has one chick in the same batch hatch with a cross beak and one eye, so I think there was a temperature issue...)

 

[Red Banks]

@RedBanks the key is put the cock bird in at the same time your are introducing the cockerels. Antonio will keep everyone in line.

Do hens/pullets go near the cock pen?

 

[Red Banks]

Has anyone here ever had a Marans that hatched with very severe looking angular head? These girls are about 3 mo old. I don't know if this is normal, of if it was a problem with the incubator... (We has one chick in the same batch hatch with a cross beak and one eye, so I think there was a temperature issue...)

From this view she just looks like a nice pullet to me. What exactly is wrong with her head?

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Well I had a trying day. A woman picked up 6 cockerels from me this morning. I caught them and off she went. I went to the town, went to a memorial service and when I got home I went to the chicken coops. I was thinking how my #1 cockerel no longer had short legs, how could that be, then I noticed his 90 degree tail. I had given the woman the wrong cockerel. I had to go and get him. She had already processed one and I just prayed it wasn't #1. A 35 mile trip to her house and he is home but I can't put him back in with the other cockerel I kept because now he is a stranger. This mistake will probably cause me no end of grief. I don't have enough pens for three males and I wanted to lock up Antonio too. I think I will lock up Antonio and let these young cockerels take turns running with the hens/pullets. Let the hens teach them some manners.

I'm sorry for the struggles. What a terrifying event that must've been! I would just let them file it out and sort their order. It might be tough and a little scary at times but they should be ok after that. I just released all my breeding pens back in to the flock ( one group at a time since I was trying to get eggs from a couple still). There were fights, but everyone is now called and sharing the same coop again. Even my poor, one eyed, silkied lavender ameraucana roo who's never been a part of the main flock before has integrated well.

 

[Red Banks]

I'm sorry for the struggles. What a terrifying event that must've been! I would just let them file it out and sort their order. It might be tough and a little scary at times but they should be ok after that. I just released all my breeding pens back in to the flock ( one group at a time since I was trying to get eggs from a couple still). There were fights, but everyone is now called and sharing the same coop again. Even my poor, one eyed, silkied lavender ameraucana roo who's never been a part of the main flock before has integrated well.

I have always had good luck with three roosters in the yard but two have always been a problem. What do you think kfelton0002 and Auroradream26 if I just let everyone out and let them go where they want. Sounds like they will sort everything out themselves and they have 20 acres to run.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I have always had good luck with three roosters in the yard but two have always been a problem. What do you think kfelton0002 and Auroradream26 if I just let everyone out and let them go where they want. Sounds like they will sort everything out themselves and they have 20 acres to run.

That's lots of room to figure things out I think. I have about 12 roos running together right now on less than 2 acres I plan to remedy that soon.

 

[Red Banks]

That's lots of room to figure things out I think. I have about 12 roos running together right now on less than 2 acres I plan to remedy that soon.

The one thing about fighting roosters is that they are easy to catch. Nothing to lose.... I will let them out.... I do worry about the poor pullets though!