International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

I too have noticed my marans are often broody but not good mothers. The best mama chicken I've had was a split chocolate orpington named cocoa. She did a great job until she developed a sudden infection and died at 6 last year. My next best broodiest are turkeys. Then the legbars, then the marans. The legbars are descended from leghorns, and they still do better than the marans! The marans go broody way more often than the other hens, however. Sometimes I am tempted to get another orpington just to have a good broody chicken again!



in my climate orpingtons are not good mothers. it is too hot for them to cover the chicks. I like orpingtons but will never ever have them. my poor girl died due to heat at 11 mo.

I had other broodies that were good mothers: silkie, araucana, greek non standard hens and 1 black sex link.

I am glad to hear that legbars get broody too. I have just got 5 pullets and a cockerel of cuckoo legbars. they have been imported from italy and lay dark green (sort of olive) eggs. I googled cuckoo legbars and found nothing. has anyone ever heard of cuckoo legbars?
 
This is one of the cockerels from line #2.
I am learning not to worry about the overcolored chest at this age.

His comb will be an issue though.
10 weeks old.
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I separated my line #1 birds.
What a difference in temperment and behavior when you take the pullets out of the pen. Ive never separated before.

The 2 cockerels from line #2 are still with the pullets until they get a little older.

Do i put them with the 3 older cockerels when the time comes? Will they fight too much? Ive never had a cockerel pen or bachelor pen before.
 
A mix of both line 1 and 2 pullets.
Red leg bands are line #1.
A lot of high tails. They seem low at first when they are standing still and then boom...they start walking around and the tails shoot up.
 

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A mix of both line 1 and 2 pullets.
Red leg bands are line #1.
A lot of high tails. They seem low at first when they are standing still and then boom...they start walking around and the tails shoot up.

If a pullets tail is low when relaxed then I would not worry. Chickens will raise their tails when they are on high alert.
 
in my climate orpingtons are not good mothers. it is too hot for them to cover the chicks. I like orpingtons but will never ever have them. my poor girl died due to heat at 11 mo.

I had other broodies that were good mothers: silkie, araucana, greek non standard hens and 1 black sex link.

I am glad to hear that legbars get broody too. I have just got 5 pullets and a cockerel of cuckoo legbars. they have been imported from italy and lay dark green (sort of olive) eggs. I googled cuckoo legbars and found nothing. has anyone ever heard of cuckoo legbars?
We have hot dry summers, but spring and fall are both cool. Last spring frost here is late may, and first fall frost is usually early October if not late September, so orpingtons do well here as long as we have shade and water in summer for them. Always wanted to visit Greece, but it sounds like I'd like Grecian winters!
 

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