International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Magnolia Hill]

I'm sorry, I guess i should have been more specific, i know splash over black is 100% blue, and I'm talking black copper, not overmelanized BC or true blacks.

 

[Magnolia Hill]

I know it will be hard to get a decent cockerel with a splash roo over black copper hens but I'm betting on some good pullets that i can run with a black copper cockerel later on to keep blue copper line going. Hopefully.

 

[KF0002]

I know it will be hard to get a decent cockerel with a splash roo over black copper hens but I'm betting on some good pullets that i can run with a black copper cockerel later on to keep blue copper line going. Hopefully.

I bet he will put some nice hackle color on his daughters. Pairing him with a female with little color would be a good choice if you want to work with him. A female with little to no copper will balance out his leakage and you may see nice male offspring also. The male and female in a breeding both contribute to the color of their sons. I look forward to seeing the line as you work with it.

 

[Magnolia Hill]

I bet he will put some nice hackle color on his daughters. Pairing him with a female with little color would be a good choice if you want to work with him. A female with little to no copper will balance out his leakage and you may see nice male offspring also. The male and female in a breeding both contribute to the color of their sons. I look forward to seeing the line as you work with it.

I do have a couple that aren't as colorfull, I'll just have to wait see how they grow. I'm just trying to get as many blue pullets as i can to pair with a black copper roo.

 

[KF0002]

I do have a couple that aren't as colorfull, I'll just have to wait see how they grow. I'm just trying to get as many blue pullets as i can to pair with a black copper roo.

Sounds like a good plan. That's the way I prefer to breed also, black copper male to blue copper females. I might also try it out vice versa next year with a blue copper male over black copper females. Black copper bred to blue copper keeps the blue nice and dark and not too washed out, plus the lacing seemed to be better from what experience I've had. When I bred a black copper to splash coppers a lot of the offspring were too light a blue shade but I had some that were darker blue. I get more dark blue birds by breeding black copper over blue copper. The darker blue is simply my preference as a breeder because the lighter the blue the lighter the underfluff and I'm trying to breed away from white underfluff.

My darkest blue pullets this year have dark eyes and the two cockerels I have are starting to look like their tails will be too high so they are definitely a work in progress. It may take me many years to get them right, but that's okay because they are just a hobby that I enjoy. I dont plan on making money on them or anything so I'm just having fun.

 

[KF0002]

Since Lucille was taken by a varmint I felt it was necessary to pen up my favorite blue copper pullet today, my darkest blue. I hate to put her in solitude but for the future of my blue coppers I didnt want to chance it. She has her flaws but she is the color blue I like and her lacing is pretty. She is the widest pullet also, wide the entire length of her back whereas one if her lighter sisters looks a little narrow. Her eyes are too dark and her tail angle may creep up toward being too high as she gets closer to POL but I like her and will try to pair her well when the time comes.

 

[KF0002]

Just now noticed that my son's cat totally photobombed the second picture!

 

[chickengr]

Since Lucille was taken by a varmint I felt it was necessary to pen up my favorite blue copper pullet today, my darkest blue. I hate to put her in solitude but for the future of my blue coppers I didnt want to chance it. She has her flaws but she is the color blue I like and her lacing is pretty. She is the widest pullet also, wide the entire length of her back whereas one if her lighter sisters looks a little narrow. Her eyes are too dark and her tail angle may creep up toward being too high as she gets closer to POL but I like her and will try to pair her well when the time comes.

View attachment 1426579 View attachment 1426580

she is nice. I think her eyes are good enough. they are not black. good luck!

 

[KF0002]

she is nice. I think her eyes are good enough. they are not black. good luck!

Thank you! I agree about her eyes. They are dark but not black so I can work with that. They are a brownish amber with marbling.

 

[Magnolia Hill]

Since Lucille was taken by a varmint I felt it was necessary to pen up my favorite blue copper pullet today, my darkest blue. I hate to put her in solitude but for the future of my blue coppers I didnt want to chance it. She has her flaws but she is the color blue I like and her lacing is pretty. She is the widest pullet also, wide the entire length of her back whereas one if her lighter sisters looks a little narrow. Her eyes are too dark and her tail angle may creep up toward being too high as she gets closer to POL but I like her and will try to pair her well when the time comes.

View attachment 1426579 View attachment 1426580

you better keep her locked up, i keep all my babies locked up until I'm positive i can chance losing them. Our big problem down here on the gulf coast is hawks and bald eagles are getting more and more abundant, ive seen a hawk bomb right in the middle of my flock one and came up with a full grown orpington and flew off with it. I was like WTF!! Craziest stuff i ever seen. And them SOBs sit on the trees over my coop just waiting on one to slip up.