International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[KF0002]

I might be able to hold on to them another month or so but I was hoping to make some room. I have more birds to move out to the coop soon and it's a bit crowded :/ Any definite boys to say goodbye to in the group?

I would say goodbye to the one with carnation comb for sure. I would just hate for you to breed that forward if you didnt have to.

I am not a fan of red, but his comb is nice.

I rank them:
1. Green
2. Purple? Pending more pictures
3. Black? Need better pictures
4. Blue
5. Red
6. Yellow

Purple has a bad comb and does look like he is going to have a halo, but if his type and tail angle are good I would hang onto him.

Black has a good brick shape and his tail angle isnt horrible in those pictures. I would like to see more pics of him. He also looks darker and could help you with your well colored females and not produce so many overcolored offspring.

You see them everyday and you can see what a camera cant capture fully. How do you rank them? You are their final judge, jury, and executioner for the culls. Lol

I try hard to look at type, topline, tail angle, bottom line, and mass first. Those are the hardest to get right. Then color, eyes, comb, and all that stuff.

 

[KF0002]

Since your females are so well colored, it may actually benefit you to keep the darker cockerel (black band). He would balance out the color of the females and he could help you correct chest leakage.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Once again it's raining out so I can't get new pictures BUT I have a few group pictures from yesterday...maybe they can help a little.

Yellow (left), Blue (middle), and Red (right)

Purple (left), Blue (middle) and Red (right)

Purple (front left), Blue (left back/middle), red (right), Black (backround)

 

[KF0002]

Once again it's raining out so I can't get new pictures BUT I have a few group pictures from yesterday...maybe they can help a little.


Yellow (left), Blue (middle), and Red (right)

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Purple (left), Blue (middle) and Red (right)

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Purple (front left), Blue (left back/middle), red (right), Black (backround)

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Its so hard to tell much about them from these pictures, but I am still liking purple and black for second and third place.

 

[chickengr]

I have had darker hens and roos with halo. all of cockerels have halo.

 

[KF0002]

I have had darker hens and roos with halo. all of cockerels have halo.

I would rather have halos than birds with poor type, hatchet breasts, and high tails. High tails feels like an uphill battle to correct and its been a struggle. I am working extremely hard to produce one or two males this year with decent tail angle and its definitely not easy. Makes me want to scream some days for real. Type is also weighted more than color in show so that is another reason it is most important to me.

 

[Hensndoes]

I would rather have halos than birds with poor type, hatchet breasts, and high tails. High tails feels like an uphill battle to correct and its been a struggle. I am working extremely hard to produce one or two males this year with decent tail angle and its definitely not easy. Makes me want to scream some days for real. Type is also weighted more than color in show so that is another reason it is most important to me.

Can you explain what "type" means for me? I read your previous spot about top line etc, but I never know what type means. Also, what is hatchet breast? Ty from the novice!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I looked outside and Black and Purple were right outside so I grabbed some pictures. I got a lot of Purple but Black ran across the yard. I only got a couple of him.

Black in the back, Purple in the front

Black

Purple

 

[Hensndoes]

I looked outside and Black and Purple were right outside so I grabbed some pictures. I got a lot of Purple but Black ran across the yard. I only got a couple of him.

Black in the back, Purple in the front

View attachment 1438264

Black

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Purple

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Hahahahaha! What a problem you have. Too many fine looking cockerels!!!

That's probably not helpful for you. I don't recall how many birds you have or how many you can keep, but I'd get rid of yellow and think about who will produce best with the hens you are working with. When are you going to show them off?!

 

[KF0002]

Can you explain what "type" means for me? I read your previous spot about top line etc, but I never know what type means. Also, what is hatchet breast? Ty from the novice!

Type is the body shape specific to different breeds of poultry. Marans type is different than what is correct for Orphingtons for example, and even more different than the type that is correct for Leghorns. Marans being a general purpose bird (dual purpose, both eggs and meat) should be a thick and meaty bird, not lean and light like a breed that is bred for laying only like a Leghorn, Ancona, etc. Marans should be rectangular (brick shape) with a long back and have ample breast mass. The tail is held 45 degrees from horizontal.

Hatchet breast is a term used to describe a bird lacking in the breast. It looks like the breast has been sliced off with a hatchet is where the term came from.

Topline is the visual line the top of the bird makes from the slope of the neck down the back to the angle of the tail. A bird with good topline has a nice long back that slopes downward to the tail in the males, and flat in the females that runs to the tail, which lifts from the back at 45 degrees.

Bottom line is the visual line the underside of the bird makes from the slope of the breast in the front to the slope of the rear in the back. The breast and rear should be well balanced with one another to create a good bottom line. The legs should be in the center.

I hope all that makes sense. Im typing on my phone at work. Lol.