International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[KF0002]

I also like 4x8 pens for trios of Marans, but this year I will be strictly single mating. I have 2 4x8 pens so far.

 

[marchick]

I also like 4x8 pens for trios of Marans, but this year I will be strictly single mating. I have 2 4x8 pens so far.

If I do single pens it will only be 4 of them. I am a little worried I won't be able to tell everyone's eggs apart. I think I will put them in there long enough to collect hatching eggs. Talking my husband into building more pens might be a challenge. Lol If my arm worked I would do them myself.

 

[Chooks man]

Sounds like a very good rule of thumb. At what age do you decide who gets a leg band for mass in your grow outs?

@ 10 weeks I ll make my selection and fit the leg ring .
@ this age they will selected for they hatch down
Body type .
comb type if I m working on comb .
green/Blue eyes
mass and Vigor .
Early feathering type

Body and egg colour come after 6 months .plus Tail too.
chooks man

 

[KF0002]

If I do single pens it will only be 4 of them. I am a little worried I won't be able to tell everyone's eggs apart. I think I will put them in there long enough to collect hatching eggs. Talking my husband into building more pens might be a challenge. Lol If my arm worked I would do them myself.

With single mating, you write on the eggs from each pen to tell them apart. For example if I were getting an egg out of the pen with Dark Angel, I would write DA or DxM since he will be going with Malika. I use a black Sharpie to write on the eggs.

 

[Chooks man]

Sounds like a very good rule of thumb. At what age do you decide who gets a leg band for mass in your grow outs?

here how my selection program work and how is devided ;
First selection @ 10 weeks . I mantionned it in the post before ,what I look for . this selection is for the best chicks from all the chicks I hatched .

Second step = @ 4 months old .when I separate cockerels/pullets .this selection will be bassed on =
correct mass = always keeping my eyes on mass ,very important .
Correct body marking ,pullets should have they hackle marking and cockerel should have most of they shoulder colouration .
Soundness of the legs .how strong and straight are they ,how is they movement in free ranging system with less intervention ,
comb type
this selection is called the future breeders ,thet will be selected from the best chicks selection .

Third Selection .@ 6monts cockerel .they should have a full body pattern by now ,other wise they have to go ,except if they where bred for different trait s .
Pullets selected after they lay they first 30 eggs .
this selection is for the keeper breeders .

@ 8 mnoths all the keeper chooks should be selected .

@ 9 month the breeders should be penned together for test mating

@ 10 months ,breeding the new stock will start .

No late bloomer for me .no time for them ,thing to do in each season and breeding program has to move in harmony .

I prefer to start my breeding a same time each year .but life is not prodectable .so I do my best .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

If I do single pens it will only be 4 of them. I am a little worried I won't be able to tell everyone's eggs apart. I think I will put them in there long enough to collect hatching eggs. Talking my husband into building more pens might be a challenge. Lol If my arm worked I would do them myself.

for you ,no need to do single mating .we know who is mama hen ,the 2 bL pullets and 2 BC pullets .

breed them as 2 groups . pen breeding . best cockerels from one pen will be mated to best pullets from the other pen .

the year after is a same thing . line breeding as group .select the best and correct eggs ,incubate and hatch .select and move on .

simple and efficient .
2 breeding pen /
1 big pen for grown up and the spare rooster .few layers too .

2 breeding pens and 2 grown up pens is the best .each group is look after separatly .no mixing the ting up no need even tagging .just at final selection when you want to mix them up to breed from them

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

With single mating, you write on the eggs from each pen to tell them apart. For example if I were getting an egg out of the pen with Dark Angel, I would write DA or DxM since he will be going with Malika. I use a black Sharpie to write on the eggs.

I do same thing .
top of the egg is Sire Name like BM or DW
side long way of the egg .is Dam name like Gaz [ for Gazelle ]

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I also like 4x8 pens for trios of Marans, but this year I will be strictly single mating. I have 2 4x8 pens so far.

if you know the eggs you don t need single mating take too much room .if I do that I will need 100 acres just for pens .

like I said /I select my pullets when they lay they first 30 eggs then I have 3 more month to observe if any changes will occure .when time come 9 month to pen the breeders I will know wich egg come from who . 90% time accurate .

like this I manage to test all my this year breeding cockerels and pullets in 6 grouped hatch . different combination better if I did it 1/1 ration .I will never manage to test them all .

single mating is for the most advance breeder .they have many line and they work in many trait .plus they have the facility . so they will single mate each pai to zoom in on each trait they working on .
we are far away from that .let do the best with what we have .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

We have around 35 4x4' pens we use for single mating. Hubby will be building more for me. We can trio mate Games in the 4x4s but for larger birds like my Marans, a pair is just right. Watering is a chore here no matter how you try to swing it. We have 1/2 gallon-sized water cups on each 4x4 so it takes many trips back to the faucet to refill the watering cans we use to water the birds. I have known people to use an automatic watering system but that seems like a chore in itself as the watering system can freeze and bust. We just do it the good ol' fashioned way and carry the water all over the property to water the birds. I order my watering cups from ebay. Pinnon Hatch Farms is the merchant on there I use. His ebay ID is brucejones. Here is a link to his ebay store:

http://www.ebay.com/usr/brucejones?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2754

I have always been satisfied with his quality, customer service, prices, and fast shipping.

a lot pens .you and your man are reil chooks people .BRAVO

I start using Cup watering system I m in love with it .{ we don t have a freeze problem } .in the new pens I m building for the grown up will have fully automatic cup system .all hooked to the big water tank 45000 .will never do the watering again .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Which bird are we referring to as Dark Angel? The brown eyed one? @Chooks man

I like the name. It suits him.

yes Brown eyes .his is your best one for comb /copper quantity /quality , he is your way out of the hallo hackle .so I gave him the name .he has a lot work to do to fight the Melanizer . so has to be dark Angle to do that .hahahaaaaaaaaaaaa.

he will help you a lot .
no chooks is perfect ,we are only selecting who is the best of what we have .we can t just go and shopping { I just did that this year 2019 a lot money been spent to source all those blood line} but from now on no more buying .I ll breeding /fixing

chooks man