International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chooks man]

My 2 cockerels from line #2 are very slow feathering. Nice color slowly coming in but little nubs for tails. It is going to take forever to see what type of tails they will have and this is driving me crazy.

I am surly going to breed for early feathering type. This is ridiculous.

agree with you slow feathering type should be and has to be bred out of marans population .

marans should have early to medium feathering type .not very late .
I have like that . culled all the cockerels .only kept the sisters to work with ,

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

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.
View attachment 2346201View attachment 2346202View attachment 2346203

his comb is a mess plus he is a square type or just the way you took the photo .
take photo of his from the side ,so we can see how long is he .
love his chunkiness .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

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.

I m pleased you separated the pullets from the boys .best thing any chooks breeder can do .I know a lot peoples do not do it ,easy for them to keep every thing in one pen .but they don t realize it is very bad for the pullets growth .
you have done great .happy to hear .
I tell peoples a lot of stuff ,but they seem to me they are very selective .they only take what they please them not what need to be done .

cockerels you can pen them together later .they will fight just to establish they dominance ,after that ,they form brother hood bond .they will move like one unit .
I have 6 cockerels pens ,they are easier to run than pullets pens . I do adjust them all the time ..

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

@Punkybrewster

I do see gorgeous long type pullet with a great plumage and gorgeous hackle marking .yes a tails are long but not high . long tail need to be kept high some time , especially when alert .

let them grow ,they look good stock .they will change many time over . so don t rush them .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

@Punkybrewster
the pullet walking away from the camera is stunning walker .well balanced and sound . well built . gorgeous long neck well colored and sublime copper quality .this is very nice pullet ,she is just young and lanky for the moment that all .see her is 3 months time .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

@Punkybrewster
this guy has a vulture hocks .they are well apparent now . he is a throw back of Brahma type .
do no keep him .this sort of guy will cause so much damage to the marans type if breed with .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Negan has the lowest tail but he is the one who had the worst hatch down. A lot of white all over his face.
View attachment 2346289View attachment 2346292

he is the one out of the 3 with a true marans body type . plus very good bodt type and tail .impressed .
I said it before ,hatch down is not related to body type . this guy is a prove .
hatch down is related to body color .

he is the only keeper for now from line #1 .
chooks man

 

[blueberry1]

Is anyone using Sage Acres Farm our of California for BCM?

 

[Punkybrewster]

agree with you slow feathering type should be and has to be bred out of marans population .

marans should have early to medium feathering type .not very late .
I have like that . culled all the cockerels .only kept the sisters to work with ,

chooks man

I do have 3 pullets from this line that are fast feathering. I will plan to breed to them together if they grow out nicely.
That should solve the feather growth problem. Yes?

 

[Punkybrewster]

I m pleased you separated the pullets from the boys .best thing any chooks breeder can do .I know a lot peoples do not do it ,easy for them to keep every thing in one pen .but they don t realize it is very bad for the pullets growth .
you have done great .happy to hear .
I tell peoples a lot of stuff ,but they seem to me they are very selective .they only take what they please them not what need to be done .

cockerels you can pen them together later .they will fight just to establish they dominance ,after that ,they form brother hood bond .they will move like one unit .
I have 6 cockerels pens ,they are easier to run than pullets pens . I do adjust them all the time ..

chooks man

Yes. The cockerels are calm and friendly again. I let them free range yesterday and they looked into the pullets pen and then moved on. They didnt really care that they were separated.

I feel more comfortable going into the cockerel pen now and dont have to watch my back. They are friendly again. Im not a threat to them as when the pullets were in there.

The pullets dont care either. I put them with the younger ones and never had a problem with integrating. They all just get along with no issues.

This blows my mind. I was expecting chaos.