International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chooks man]

I’ve got some photos of the eggs I hatched. I was going for splash to get a splash pullet or two, and didn’t hatch a single splash! I got all blue. They also included some of their original darkest egg line of BCM. I kept the pullets I hatched from that line. I’m ready to start learning a lot about marans, so appreciate this thread.

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those are serious colored eggs . gorgeous .
get more of them and hatch as many as you can get your hand on . the breeder you got the eggs from has a very good stock .good body type ,good hackle marking and gorgeous dark eggs ,what else we want .nothing else .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I got a lot more pictures today of Drumstick. It was not easy as he is afraid of the camera and wanted to hide in the middle of the others. In one picture you can see he's not as wide as George is as he's standing beside him.

he is just stunning .maybe a little smaller than Georges but he is correct in all the areas . well proportioned body type with great tail .I don t see any major fault @ this stage .
but they still young ,they will change so much in next coming months .so let see how they do . maybe Georges tail will lower it self down .I have seen it happen .
Drumstick Hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Also forgot they will turn 13 weeks old on monday.

they have a lot growing to do .don t rush them ,let them grow .
chooks man

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

Thank you for your opinions. I'm in no rush to make any decisions on which boy to keep yet, but at some point I will have to make a choice on which boy to keep. At what age would you recommend making final choices on a keeper boy.

 

[Chooks man]

@RebeccaBoyd
this is a stunning photo of him
Great body type .
great stand . Elegant and well proportioned body .
correct head /eyes and comb .
deep chest
long back
correct tail shape and angle .
correct legs .well feathered but not too much ,great color too ,not too dark .
Love the way he carries him self like he own the place . Show quality Stand . love him .

this cockerel will grow up to be high quality ,he has all he need .all the good part are there .look after him /and name him well .I think you are going to be around you for a long time .

he will pass his Stand{ Elegant/proud } to his progeny . chicks inherit the body type from they mama and the Stand from they sire .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Thank you for your opinions. I'm in no rush to make any decisions on which boy to keep yet, but at some point I will have to make a choice on which boy to keep. At what age would you recommend making final choices on a keeper boy.

5 months minimum to see all the good .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

my last cockerels pen , I will let then out to they run in few days ,tell they get used to they new coop.. now all the cockerels from the oldest 4 groups have they own pens and runs .
group #5 only 6 cockerels ,33 pullets I will keep them together longer as long as the behaving well .
Group#6 has 20 cockerels only 17 weeks now ,I will let them stay one more month and I will separate them .

Group#1 = 13 cockerels .
Grp#2 = 14 cockerels.
Grp #3 = 14 cockerels.
Grp #4 = 22 cockerels
Grp #5 = 6 cockerels { no separated yet}
Grp #6= 20 cockerels { No separated yet }
Plus 6 boy with a mature hen . hatched from Day Walker pen by mama hen.

adult rooster Breeder I kept are .
Day Walker .Blue tail buff .
Black Mamba . Solid Black { Split Black copper }.
Khabib = Splash copper .
Phillip = Black copper .
Golden Boy = Bared Black tail buff .
Rashad = CLB

all these cockerels will be kept as future breeding stock .
good year for me .hope they stay safe and healthy .
chooks man

 

[jolenesdad]

my last cockerels pen , I will let then out to they run in few days ,tell they get used to they new coop.. now all the cockerels from the oldest 4 groups have they own pens and runs .
group #5 only 6 cockerels ,33 pullets I will keep them together longer as long as the behaving well .
Group#6 has 20 cockerels only 17 weeks now ,I will let them stay one more month and I will separate them .
View attachment 2119723View attachment 2119724View attachment 2119728
Group#1 = 13 cockerels .
Grp#2 = 14 cockerels.
Grp #3 = 14 cockerels.
Grp #4 = 22 cockerels
Grp #5 = 6 cockerels { no separated yet}
Grp #6= 20 cockerels { No separated yet }
Plus 6 boy with a mature hen . hatched from Day Walker pen by mama hen.

adult rooster Breeder I kept are .
Day Walker .Blue tail buff .
Black Mamba . Solid Black { Split Black copper }.
Khabib = Splash copper .
Phillip = Black copper .
Golden Boy = Bared Black tail buff .
Rashad = CLB

all these cockerels will be kept as future breeding stock .
good year for me .hope they stay safe and healthy .
chooks man

What variety are you working on the hardest?

 

[Minky]

Hello everyone! My first time posting to the Marans thead. I hope I can pop in for some expert advice?
Just finishing day 21 of my very first hatch in a borrowed Little Giant with 42 eggs, about half maran and then the other half olive egger (maran mixes) and a few Lav. orpington. Also two CLB - which both turned out to be cockerels. All from local backyard breeders.

I am wondering two things:

1.BEST WAYS TO SEX my chicks
Posture? Wing sexing? Leg thickness? Foot size? When you put them on their back - how they hold their legs? Comb development? Any tricks? Even anecdotal?

2. I bought "pure bred Marans" from a couple of back yard breeders. So if they are pure bred Marans, does that mean they have to be French Black Copper Marans? or can they be splash Marans? cuckoo Marans? what is the difference please? Some of my chicks have brown faces, some no cream on belly, all have feathered legs, but some are pale grey, some black and cream like your classic photo. here is one of my silver "Marans" what kind do you think it will be?

 

[Chooks man]

What variety are you working on the hardest?

working on all marans varieties . all have they high and low .
body pattern and plumage color the Wheaten marans is the hardest pattern to work with . the hen body has to be balance on 3 places . here in Oz the wheaten are so poorly selected .very very hard to find a good lines .

chooks man