International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[KF0002]

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Blue cockerel in the middle . he is silver Blue cuckoo early feathering type.sired by Stallone over Warda his daughter ,the little guy is 75% Stallone .line bred first generation . long and wide .
when fully grown he will be tested with few of his sister to check for the recessive genes carried by this line ,before I go any ferther .

chooks man

I love all the colors the different varieties have! So pretty!

 

[BenTN]

@Chooks man
What do you think of kfelton’s big boy over my two pullets? This would bring in new blood(not half sibling) and start to rectify combs.

Pics of my birds. High tailed hen in rear of pic 1 turned into owl/hawk food Monday. Only have the two pullets left. More netting is on order, ugh.

 

[BenTN]

Pic of kfelton’s big guy. She says he is a bit narrow.

 

[KF0002]

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@Chooks man
What do you think of kfelton’s big boy over my two pullets? This would bring in new blood(not half sibling) and start to rectify combs.

Pics of my birds. High tailed hen in rear of pic 1 turned into owl/hawk food Monday. Only have the two pullets left. More netting is on order, ugh.

Can you hold his wings open and photograph them? In the last pic at the very bottom, his wing looks just like my cockerel with split wing.

Otherwise I would hang onto him in addition to Big Boy. They each could be mated to their own female(s) that complement each bird. Adding fresh blood, while also maintaining your own blood. He isn't a bad looking bird at all. His comb is large but not terrible looking. Also Big Boy with his ligher quality copper may add some more color to your females.

Another observation I made is that the last hen looks like she has carnation comb. Fresh blood may be your ticket for improving combs. Females tend to be more responsible for the combs in the offspring, but I'm sure the male contributes some as well.

 

[KF0002]

On closer viewing of big boy, he isnt as narrow appearing as he once was. The pecking order has shifted in the birds free ranging and he now finds himself feeling more macho I think. He appears to be holding himself "larger" today if that makes any sense at all. Also he has white in his foot feathers, white under fluff under his hackle and 2 tiny white spots of white in his plumage (on in the hackle, and a spot in one of his left wing coverts). I just want to be completely transparent on his qualities and flaws.

Here is some pics of his back and rear view, as well as his feet.

 

[BenTN]

Can you hold his wings open and photograph them? In the last pic at the very bottom, his wing looks just like my cockerel with split wing.

Otherwise I would hang onto him in addition to Big Boy. They each could be mated to their own female(s) that complement each bird. Adding fresh blood, while also maintaining your own blood. He isn't a bad looking bird at all. His comb is large but not terrible looking. Also Big Boy with his ligher quality copper may add some more color to your females.

Another observation I made is that the last hen looks like she has carnation comb. Fresh blood may be your ticket for improving combs. Females tend to be more responsible for the combs in the offspring, but I'm sure the male contributes some as well.

I will try and get pics, he is not handled much, although very calm they have had a lot of predator action this week so are edgy.

My thoughts exactly on both cockerels. Yours has the eyes I need, copper tufts, better comb(without sprigs), and more color to brighten up the girls.

Both pullets have side sprigs. Something I need to work away from.

 

[KF0002]

I will try and get pics, he is not handled much, although very calm they have had a lot of predator action this week so are edgy.

My thoughts exactly on both cockerels. Yours has the eyes I need, copper tufts, better comb(without sprigs), and more color to brighten up the girls.

Both pullets have side sprigs. Something I need to work away from.

Well I hope he works out well for you. A male with clear eye color and a good comb should help you out then. He does have copper tufts as well so that should help improve copper of both male and female offspring.

I caught him easily today and he is easy to handle. He used to be very skittish but has calmed down as he is matures. I'm glad he will have a good home as opposed to him going to waste.

 

[BenTN]

Couldn’t get pics cause I left my third hand at work but, I believe he does have a split wing on his right side. His left wing had what looked like a emerging feather (apex or whatever they are called). Could he just be in his first partial molt? I don’t think he is going thru a full molt, he is only 8 mo old.

 

[BenTN]

Well I hope he works out well for you. A male with clear eye color and a good comb should help you out then. He does have copper tufts as well so that should help improve copper of both male and female offspring.

I caught him easily today and he is easy to handle. He used to be very skittish but has calmed down as he is matures. I'm glad he will have a good home as opposed to him going to waste.

I will do my best to keep him happy. He will spend time with the bcm girls, then a few months with the legbar girls.

I am in the process of building a few bachelor pads for the off season. I have usually kept my pens “intact” but notice the hens seem stressed and tired. Maybe some time away will make their little hearts grow fonder haha.

Do y’all do anything special for single birds in the cold? Or just the standard keep the wind off of them?

 

[KF0002]

I will do my best to keep him happy. He will spend time with the bcm girls, then a few months with the legbar girls.

I am in the process of building a few bachelor pads for the off season. I have usually kept my pens “intact” but notice the hens seem stressed and tired. Maybe some time away will make their little hearts grow fonder haha.

Do y’all do anything special for single birds in the cold? Or just the standard keep the wind off of them?

Chickens are tough so not really, aside from providing shelter from rain/snow and wind for penned birds. A good portion of my free ranging birds sleep in trees all winter long and do just fine. They have a hen house to sleep in for shelter, but a lot of them still choose the trees. I own Games, Legbars, and Marans and all appear to handle winter here in Kentucky like champs aside from frostbite damage to the combs/wattles in the males.

I would eventually like to separate my breeder males and females for the off seasons as well as soon as I create more pen space to do so. A break from the randy roosters would be appreciated I imagine. lol