International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[LilJoe]

He may be just a late bloomer and that may be a good thing.

 

[Magnolia Hill]

I

I've got a ten week old cockerel.... he's. .. a bit under colored. His father is over colored and mother could be consider under or good... he is just now getting copper in his hackle like a pullet, while his brothers already have complete copper color and some saddle color along with over colored chests...
Coukd he turn out to be a "hen colored" rooster?

I seriously doubt it, he's only 10 weeks. Give him time to bloom.

 

[kfelton0002]

I've got a ten week old cockerel.... he's. .. a bit under colored. His father is over colored and mother could be consider under or good... he is just now getting copper in his hackle like a pullet, while his brothers already have complete copper color and some saddle color along with over colored chests...
Coukd he turn out to be a "hen colored" rooster?

I have birds that are brothers and some just develop at different rates. I would see them through until they are at least 6 months old. I have several now that are around 3 months old and are just now starting to get a little copper on their back.

 

[marchick]

Do you all plan on separating your


Roosters around here you can forget selling for very much. I can usually sell the hens pretty easily though. You cant hardly give roosters away so we just eat them. Lol

I think it is too late in the season. I can usually sell the hens and roosters in the spring.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I think next week, I'm going to try to get all my cockerels separated and band them each with a different color so I can get individual pictures of them. I'll need you guys to help me and critique then for me. I may get the pullets pics too so you can see what I've got to work with

 

[Magnolia Hill]

I think next week, I'm going to try to get all my cockerels separated and band them each with a different color so I can get individual pictures of them. I'll need you guys to help me and critique then for me. I may get the pullets pics too so you can see what I've got to work with

Sounds like a plan to me.

 

[Hensndoes]

One of my marans pullets is quite large - as big as the cockerel- and constantly feather picking. Like non stop. It's not a space issue. They are on starter grower feed. Is it okay to switch to game bird starter if I can't find a chick feed with higher protein?

 

[kfelton0002]

One of my marans pullets is quite large - as big as the cockerel- and constantly feather picking. Like non stop. It's not a space issue. They are on starter grower feed. Is it okay to switch to game bird starter if I can't find a chick feed with higher protein?

We mix 28% gamebird starter with regular starter to increase the protein when we have feather pickers. It helps a lot. Make sure they have access to plenty of grass and stuff to scratch in to keep busy. Free ranging when you can helps a too. Our Marans and Legbars dont do it, but our Games feather pick bad.

 

[kfelton0002]

I have broken up all my breeding pens and let the hens out for a little summer break to free range as I always do. Today I noticed I was missing Lucille at feeding time. As I looked around I found a big pile of her pretty blue feathers. She was taken by a varmint. The feathers weren't in the coop so it happened in the daytime. Probably a hawk. Her light blue feathers probably made her stand out more than the others.

Our GP's are fenced on one end of our property and the birds were free ranging on the unfenced part. Loss is part of it, but it never fails to be one of your favorites when you lose a bird.

 

[LilJoe]

I have broken up all my breeding pens and let the hens out for a little summer break to free range as I always do. Today I noticed I was missing Lucille at feeding time. As I looked around I found a big pile of her pretty blue feathers. She was taken by a varmint. The feathers weren't in the coop so it happened in the daytime. Probably a hawk. Her light blue feathers probably made her stand out more than the others.

Our GP's are fenced on one end of our property and the birds were free ranging on the unfenced part. Loss is part of it, but it never fails to be one of your favorites when you lose a bird.

It's always the favorites that have to go, isn't it? Sorry