International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[KF0002]

I went out and checked the cockerel's wing band number while he was on the roost, and just looked through my wing band records to get quite a surprise. The cockerel is a pure line A but is not from Sheraz or Queen, which are my best line A hens. Back on 12/20/17 I posted that I had gotten a surprise BCM chick after I set some Olive Egger eggs (Legbar male x BCM female). I had caught up my last BCM pullet at the time that was free ranging with an original plan to mate her to Apollo. I took better pictures of her and Chooks man advised me that I had better hens than her to work with as her comb was bad for one thing, so I moved her to the Legbar pen to use for Olive Eggers. I cleaned her out for over 2 weeks before I set any eggs from her for Olive Eggers, but still hatched a little BCM chick from one of her eggs. That amazingly was my little cockerel. Now what do you think of that?? LOL

The two BCM roosters she had been exposed to were Griffin and very briefly Apollo before I moved her to the Legbar pen. Both Griffin and Apollo are pure line A, and so is the hen so the cockerel is pure line A. Ain't that just a kick in the head?? So strike what I said about the cockerel being off Maximus and Lucille or Queen. I am leaning more toward Griffin being the cockerel's sire because their build and topline are very similar. Wow I am just blown away! And very pleasantly surprised. I have a better cockerel than Jupiter now to head my line A that doesn't have white anywhere so far. The cockerel is also older than I estimated, he is 5 months old instead of 4.

Here is a picture I found of the little cockerel when he was a chick.

 

[Magnolia Hill]

Yes I miss picking his brain about Marans and hearing his feedback and advice. He really does have a gift! I dont think I would be where I am in my Marans breeding program without him, you, and this thread.

Same here, but it's looking like chooks man is out of the game. You just don't find many people with that kind of experience, especially in marans.

 

[Red Banks]

The little chick with the curled toes was so cute today. When I took off the tape he walked, he hasn't been walking much. He would take a few steps and them put his head all the way down to his toes. It was like he was trying to figure out what happened to his feet. No more duck feet, he is a chicken now. His curled toes seem fine. He is very small but he made it.

 

[Hensndoes]

The little chick with the curled toes was so cute today. When I took off the tape he walked, he hasn't been walking much. He would take a few steps and them put his head all the way down to his toes. It was like he was trying to figure out what happened to his feet. No more duck feet, he is a chicken now. His curled toes seem fine. He is very small but he made it.

Great news!

 

[Hensndoes]

Help! So we are at week 6 for my chicks and #1 (who was my best looking chick at days old) still is sparsely feathered. No tail bare fluff for wing bows... like no feathers Except on end of the wings. the other 4 are looking great. #3 (cockerel) has beautiful copper... what gives? Everything about this chick says pullet still (actually the comb and wattle say pullet. It carries high now that I think) and it acts healthy. Is it gonna sprout into a cock at 4 months?!!! I thought cock when they arrived...

if pullet What would happen if I bred it being so slow to develop? It's shockingly bare - looks half the size of the others but it really is the same size and was the largest chick by far at days old. If cock I don't know if it's worth to breed even if it is perfect

 

[Magnolia Hill]

Help! So we are at week 6 for my chicks and #1 (who was my best looking chick at days old) still is sparsely feathered. No tail bare fluff for wing bows... like no feathers Except on end of the wings. the other 4 are looking great. #3 (cockerel) has beautiful copper... what gives? Everything about this chick says pullet still (actually the comb and wattle say pullet. It carries high now that I think) and it acts healthy. Is it gonna sprout into a cock at 4 months?!!! I thought cock when they arrived...

if pullet What would happen if I bred it being so slow to develop? It's shockingly bare - looks half the size of the others but it really is the same size and was the largest chick by far at days old. If cock I don't know if it's worth to breed even if it is perfect

I think you'll be fine. all the chicks I've had that were slow growers turned out fine in the end and never a passed on any noticeable traits or anything weird to their offspring. they are young and some chicks grow/mature at different rates than others. I know it's hard but try your best to be patient, and observe them as they grow.

 

[Magnolia Hill]

Help! So we are at week 6 for my chicks and #1 (who was my best looking chick at days old) still is sparsely feathered. No tail bare fluff for wing bows... like no feathers Except on end of the wings. the other 4 are looking great. #3 (cockerel) has beautiful copper... what gives? Everything about this chick says pullet still (actually the comb and wattle say pullet. It carries high now that I think) and it acts healthy. Is it gonna sprout into a cock at 4 months?!!! I thought cock when they arrived...

if pullet What would happen if I bred it being so slow to develop? It's shockingly bare - looks half the size of the others but it really is the same size and was the largest chick by far at days old. If cock I don't know if it's worth to breed even if it is perfect

Post a couple pictures with it by the other for contrast if you can.

 

[Red Banks]

Help! So we are at week 6 for my chicks and #1 (who was my best looking chick at days old) still is sparsely feathered. No tail bare fluff for wing bows... like no feathers Except on end of the wings. the other 4 are looking great. #3 (cockerel) has beautiful copper... what gives? Everything about this chick says pullet still (actually the comb and wattle say pullet. It carries high now that I think) and it acts healthy. Is it gonna sprout into a cock at 4 months?!!! I thought cock when they arrived...

if pullet What would happen if I bred it being so slow to develop? It's shockingly bare - looks half the size of the others but it really is the same size and was the largest chick by far at days old. If cock I don't know if it's worth to breed even if it is perfect

You do not have to worry about feathers. They will come. It is a slow feathering chick.

 

[KF0002]

Help! So we are at week 6 for my chicks and #1 (who was my best looking chick at days old) still is sparsely feathered. No tail bare fluff for wing bows... like no feathers Except on end of the wings. the other 4 are looking great. #3 (cockerel) has beautiful copper... what gives? Everything about this chick says pullet still (actually the comb and wattle say pullet. It carries high now that I think) and it acts healthy. Is it gonna sprout into a cock at 4 months?!!! I thought cock when they arrived...

if pullet What would happen if I bred it being so slow to develop? It's shockingly bare - looks half the size of the others but it really is the same size and was the largest chick by far at days old. If cock I don't know if it's worth to breed even if it is perfect

I get a lot of slow featherers, mostly cockerels it seems. They do look odd but there isnt anything wrong with them. In the show world Ive heard that slow featherers grow in better quality feathers and show better. Whether that's true I havent really noticed.

 

[KF0002]

We're butchering some cull cockerels

The little chick with the curled toes was so cute today. When I took off the tape he walked, he hasn't been walking much. He would take a few steps and them put his head all the way down to his toes. It was like he was trying to figure out what happened to his feet. No more duck feet, he is a chicken now. His curled toes seem fine. He is very small but he made it.

I'm glad he is doing okay!