International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[TheBajan]

I havnt had a problem with wing bands. I do it at a 4-5 weeks old so they arent so small. It helps to have someone hold them with the wing stretched.
Its just the skin web. No muscle involved. They dont even cry out.

Do you notice a difference in your different lines? Look-wise?
My 2 lines look totally different. Line 2 at hatch were long necked and thin but i see them getting thicker now.
Line 1, my favorite, are short and round. Still are.

Im thankful for this thread because when breeding time rolls around im at a loss as to which ones to pair up.

That was my understanding about the wings bands also. But then I read a bit from a family that used them and when they culled a few of the roosters, they noticed serious issues with a lack of muscle development in the wings that were banded vs the wings that weren't. I suppose it's possible they did it wrong but it was enough for me to need more research before committing.
Yes... my lines look very different from each other. I've meant to take some pics of my GFF group (the 5 week olds) but I need my husband to help me get good pics and we just haven't gotten together for it. I'll try again in the next few days. My GFF group are visually in the ugly, gangling stage. I guess that's a good way to call it. Although, my single pullet is older by 5 days and she has just constantly matured nicely. The babies resemble my single pullet more. To be honest, I'm not impressed with the GFF chicks. I'm hoping they will turn around drastically and become the beautiful birds I'm looking for. I'm so new at this I really don't know what I should be seeing at this age but comparing them to both my older pullet and my younger chicks... I'm less impressed.

 

[Punkybrewster]

I bet they become beautiful though when feathered out. Im looking forward to seeing them. Make sure and post pics of your chicks for us to see.

 

[Punkybrewster]

I just read on page 219 the discussion between Chooks Man and Red Banks regarding dark eyes in pullets.

Eye color is from the sire.

If dark eyed Carol keeps her better qualities, i may not put her with the layers.

I may be able to use her for breeding. All my other birds have correct eye color. Even the cockerels. It can be fixed easily.

See, this is why i began reading this thread all the way from the begining again. As i learn, more of the conversations make sense the second time around.

Sheesh.
Im taking more notes again. But i understand things now that i didnt understand before.

 

[RoosterML]

So I set 27 eggs about 19 days ago. Per the advise from you guys and gals I kept the humidity low. Average 30-40 range. At lock down I pulled 2 clear eggs. So 25 set to hatch. Not sure about the final hatch yet as I still have a few days to go but I will say I am very pleased. I guess the Marans do better with the lower humidity as you all said. Thank you for the advise!!

 

[kcrandall]

So I set 27 eggs about 19 days ago. Per the advise from you guys and gals I kept the humidity low. Average 30-40 range. At lock down I pulled 2 clear eggs. So 25 set to hatch. Not sure about the final hatch yet as I still have a few days to go but I will say I am very pleased. I guess the Marans do better with the lower humidity as you all said. Thank you for the advise!!

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[kcrandall]

I just read on page 219 the discussion between Chooks Man and Red Banks regarding dark eyes in pullets.

Eye color is from the sire.

If dark eyed Carol keeps her better qualities, i may not put her with the layers.

I may be able to use her for breeding. All my other birds have correct eye color. Even the cockerels. It can be fixed easily.

See, this is why i began reading this thread all the way from the begining again. As i learn, more of the conversations make sense the second time around.

Sheesh.
Im taking more notes again. But i understand things now that i didnt understand before.

Eye color is a sex linked gene. The Cock has two copies (ZZ) whereas the Hen has one copy of each gene (ZW). Therefore, the Hen determines the sex of her chicks. The Cock will pass his genes to all of his progeny whereas the hen can only pass these sex linked genes to her male progeny. Therefore, it is more important for the Cocks eye color to be correct than the Hen. Pairing a Cock with proper color with a brown eyed Hen should yield Cockerels with proper eye color whereas the pullets should be split for orange-red and brown eyes.

 

[Punkybrewster]

Eye color is a sex linked gene. The Cock has two copies (ZZ) whereas the Hen has one copy of each gene (ZW). Therefore, the Hen determines the sex of her chicks. The Cock will pass his genes to all of his progeny whereas the hen can only pass these sex linked genes to her male progeny. Therefore, it is more important for the Cocks eye color to be correct than the Hen. Pairing a Cock with proper color with a brown eyed Hen should yield Cockerels with proper eye color whereas the pullets should be split for orange-red and brown eyes.

Thank you for this.
So if i decide to mate her to a proper eye colored cockerel, it would be okay to do and then cull the pullets with bad eyecolor?

I feel like i would be adding a fault to my line though. But maybe not...
Genetics confound me most of the time.

 

[kcrandall]

Thank you for this.
So if i decide to mate her to a proper eye colored cockerel, it would be okay to do and then cull the pullets with bad eyecolor?

I feel like i would be adding a fault to my line though. But maybe not...
Genetics confound me most of the time.

The fault was already present in the parents of your brown-eyed pullet just not expressed. If you do not have any better options than the brown-eyed pullet for breeding then it’s OK you’ll just have to cull going forward.

We as breeders cannot fix everything in one season or breeding. So we have to pick one or two bad traits that we want to improve then when we eliminate those bad traits we move on to the next. Some bad traits are easier to fix than others such as leg feathering and eye color are easier to correct than parasitic white.

 

[Punkybrewster]

I have 3 pullets and 3 cockerels in this line.
So i will wait until they grow out and make a decision at that time.

No use worrying about this until the time comes to start making decisions.

 

[Chooks man]

@Punkybrewster
yellow tagged pullet is a best looking one . correct marans body type . keep your eyes on her as she grow .

chooks man