International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[kfelton0002]

Ain't that the truth. I got one i heard the other morning trying his hardest to wake someone up but hasn't quite got there. Which i thought was kinda crazy because he only 9 weeks old

Holy cow thats young! Mine dont even try to crow before they're 6 months old. Lol. Our Games start crowing young, but the Marans are very late bloomers.

 

[kfelton0002]

Looks good, i can see the improvement. Keep on trucking and in a couple more generations you'll have some super duper fancy birds.

Thank you! Here's hoping!

 

[chickengr]

Holy cow thats young! Mine dont even try to crow before they're 6 months old. Lol. Our Games start crowing young, but the Marans are very late bloomers.

my silkie boy started to crow at 4 weeks! first I thought he had some kind of respiratory issue, lol.

 

[kfelton0002]

my silkie boy started to crow at 4 weeks! first I thought he had some kind of respiratory issue, lol.

LOL. We've had one or two games start around 6-7 weeks old and it does sound freaky!

 

[Hensndoes]

You can single mate your male to the females of best type and mass and then you can choose a male or two from their offspring to replace the original male if you need to. Single mating allows you to pinpoint which pair/mating produces which chicks so you can mark them accordingly. Offspring from pair A (your male x female 1) can be mated to offspring from pair B your male x female 2) and so on and so forth. Half siblings are fine to breed as long as you arent doing it every generation. You can even mate a son back to his mother, or nephew to aunt. There are many ways you can breed within a line. If your male doesnt turn out so good Im sure you wont have trouble finding another male later on when your pullets are old enough to breed.

I had to screenshot this post. Super helpful!!! I had planned on mating Chester - my blue copper from last year to my pullets of this year. I also plan on keeping 1 boy from this year. I still don't know if #3 is my only boy and I guess it's very possible the others are his sisters. Having 2 pens I was going to house the boys separate from each other and swap out mating pairs using a CLB while I'm at it for OE. I'm not thinking I will be able to start that this year as the girls are only 7 weeks right now. Such a long process!

I'm just surprised the green egg layers turned out to only have 1 male also. Thought I'd have to get rid of a few more.

 

[Tiegrsi]

This one may be spared a trip to freezer camp.

He is looking very good! I don't mind the comb so much...breed him to a hen with a very nice comb and that should be corrected for his sons. His copper is a very nice shade, which I like. I've seen a lot lately that seem to be tending toward straw colored...way too light. I like the width of his tail, also. Pinched tails are an issue for mine that I'm trying to clear up.

He should be able to give you even better looking sons.

Ain't that the truth. I got one i heard the other morning trying his hardest to wake someone up but hasn't quite got there. Which i thought was kinda crazy because he only 9 weeks old

I have some 5 week olds in the big brooder who have been crowing their ridiculous heads off for days. Crazy birds.

 

[shepherd6567]

Holy cow thats young! Mine dont even try to crow before they're 6 months old. Lol. Our Games start crowing young, but the Marans are very late bloomers.

That's funny because I have one that started crowing at 7 weeks!

 

[marchick]

See you cant even give dang roosters away!

Actually I gave her two of the younger BC cockerals. So two down! Lol

 

[kfelton0002]

That's funny because I have one that started crowing at 7 weeks!

LOL one of the birds from me did?? I think all the Gamecocks around must be what keeps my cockerels quiet for so long.

 

[Hensndoes]

Well I'll join the crazy cockerel club. My 7 week old green egg layer from the straight run has the hots for the 8 wk old faverolles. I don't think he understands they need to be able to lay an egg for procreation.