International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Red Banks]

Marans cockerels don't show their true colors until at least 6-8 months, and some closer to a year. You can have a cockerel with perfect tail angle at 5 months that has a 90 degree tail angle by 8 months. They change so much as they mature. You can normally tell a lot about how a pullet is going to look type/tail angle wise by the time she reaches point of lay. A pullet's color is usually in as good as it's going to get by 5-6 months.

Marans roosters can have a difficult time keeping a large number of females bred. If your males are running with your layer flock, your Marans pullets may or may not get fertilized adequately because the males have too many females to service. If you have 2 roosters in a pen with your Marans pullets, there will be controversy as both males mature. There will always be a power struggle to be top dog. You only need one male per breeder pen. Plus you want to know which male sired your chicks. Also, two males means twice the mating which can wear on your females. I think I've been told that 3-4 females is a good number per male in a pen. Any more than that and the male may not adequately mate them all.

Also separating your males at this point will allow your underdog cockerel #2 to "cock up" and develop faster. Subordinate males tend to have their masculine features muted for longer in the presence of a dominate male. Their comb and wattles stay smaller and they may carry their posture/tail lower than they would if they were the only rooster.

 

[KF0002]

He is coming along. Nice hen, s-comb and all.... but there you go making Chooks man right again. Comb comes from the maternal side.

Thank you! Yep he's right. Perfect example! Lol

 

[KF0002]

Her hackle does not look light to me, maybe it is relative. Another nice hen.

Okay good. Thanks! She looks more like the FRF line color wise I think but she has the LA mass and type.

 

[KF0002]

Waiting to hear what Chooks man has to say about these two. I like them!

They are big robust gals, but those high fanned tails are what I was avoiding carrying forward. I may use them to breed olive eggers.

 

[Chooks man]

These next two FRF x LA pullets look very similar. They have higher and longer tails, but they are the biggest of my FRF x LA pullets. I probably won't use these though as they will only add to my high tail/short back problem instead of helping correct it. It's hard for me to tell them apart without looking at their bands. They are #10 and #19.

I think this one is #19
View attachment 1186977
#19
View attachment 1186982

#10
View attachment 1186986

those pullets are high class breeders ,regardless of they high tail .I don t think is that bad. specially if we consider the truck load of good traits they have .
Big pullets .
pure black plumage .and under fluff .
gorgeous eyes
nice body type . tall and elegant
rich copper hackle 9 they ll pass on to they son s
comb look good to me .
deep solid chest

I like they vigor over all .solid alert chooks .

don t mean they have high tail .than all they progeny will have high tail .doesn t work like that .
this theory work only if the chooks are bred true for that trait . let say bred for high tail ,and they yield the majority of they progeny will have high tail .

we are working with unstable line ,too many crosses ,many genetic low are involved .

they are Griffin s ladies . they have the Mahogany he need .and he has the good short tail they need .
the comb I can t really tell ,because i can t see the pullets comb close .

if you mate those girls to Griffin expect big marans chooks ,solidly build .with gorgeous body color and eyes color .
super wide at the rear ( big eggs layer )with a long back ,some will have nice tail too . specially the pullets .

We aRE LOOKING FOR A BREEDER CHOOKS NOT A SHOW BIRD YET .
we need to keep the genetic diversity of our existing flock for the future if we want to build a strong and healthy lines .

all the best
chooks man

 

[Red Banks]

They are big robust gals, but those high fanned tails are what I was avoiding carrying forward. I may use them to breed olive eggers.

Breed for the size and cull for the tail. I wouldn't throw the baby out with the bath water.

 

[Red Banks]

those pullets are high class breeders ,regardless of they high tail .I don t think is that bad. specially if we consider the truck load of good traits they have .
Big pullets .
pure black plumage .and under fluff .
gorgeous eyes
nice body type . tall and elegant
rich copper hackle 9 they ll pass on to they son s
comb look good to me .
deep solid chest

I like they vigor over all .solid alert chooks .

don t mean they have high tail .than all they progeny will have high tail .doesn t work like that .
this theory work only if the chooks are bred true for that trait . let say bred for high tail ,and they yield the majority of they progeny will have high tail .

we are working with unstable line ,too many crosses ,many genetic low are involved .

they are Griffin s ladies . they have the Mahogany he need .and he has the good short tail they need .
the comb I can t really tell ,because i can t see the pullets comb close .

if you mate those girls to Griffin expect big marans chooks ,solidly build .with gorgeous body color and eyes color .
super wide at the rear ( big eggs layer )with a long back ,some will have nice tail too . specially the pullets .

We aRE LOOKING FOR A BREEDER CHOOKS NOT A SHOW BIRD YET .
we need to keep the genetic diversity of our existing flock for the future if we want to build a strong and healthy lines .

all the best
chooks man

Just what I wanted to say!

 

[Chooks man]

Thank you! Glad you think Maximus will improve the fluff. I'm hoping she throws offspring with good tails. If only the stingy boogers would start laying so I can get some eggs in the incubator.

don t rush the thing s up .do not incubate the pullets eggs if they are under 65g .very ,very important when we work with the marans breed .other wise the mass will safer .smaller chooks .

my oldest pullet are 10 /11 months old ,they eggs are not as dark as they where in the start but the weight of them is correct for the breed ,65/70g .
now I m penning ,one month and I start incubating they eggs ,by the time the chicks hatch ,they Dams will be a year old .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

He is coming along. Nice hen, s-comb and all.... but there you go making Chooks man right again. Comb comes from the maternal side.

I told RedBank I m always alright when we talking marans .Hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.

Comb come from the Rooster too .not sex linked ,autossomal .

chooks man

 

[chickengr]

@Chooks man any news from your greek friend?