International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[LaFleche]

I have never seen a black earlobe on a Marans chicken. Or do you mean their "bouquets d'oreilles"?

@Chooks man
Just found your correction to ear tuffs while trying to skim through the posts.

Black ear tuffs hint to incomplete copper or even complete black in the offspring.

 

[LaFleche]

my chooks are free ranging all a year around . I give them ACV mild dose all the time ,some time we give them water with vitamin C in hot weather or water and cod liver fish in winter . very hard we give them plain water . only when they are chicks .
free ranging = ACV
chooks man

Really ACV in the water I take it? Do you have a separate waterer also or only ACV?

Skip the ACV in their water for a week and reassess their egg colour.

Mine get ACV too, but mostly in summer and not all the time.

 

[Punkybrewster]

I have a couple of pullets from line#2 with white on their ears. Is this something i should be worried about?

 

[Punkybrewster]

Dark Angel still lay dark number 6 eggs . special hen to have ,we are late in season ,she started with 7/8 but the majority where 6 . plus she is correct in conformation . not great on body color all dark Blue . doesn t matter .
View attachment 2488680
chooks man

I love these

 

[RoosterML]

Skip the ACV in their water for a week and reassess their egg colour.

Mine get ACV too, but mostly in summer and not all the time.

I do not give any of my bird ACV.I use a sealed pipe system now with horizontal nipples for the water

 

[Punkybrewster]

one of the young BLC hen is laying these dotted eggs . #4 color wise ,late in season .. nice base to work with to make it better . I like they shape .View attachment 2488676
she is a big solid hen .very long back and gorgeous tail .she is penned with Khabib .proven to darken the egg in his progeny .. looking forward to see her babies .
name her Winx .
chooks man

...and speckled eggs are always pretty.

 

[LaFleche]

Why are the Pullets feet so much darker but the males not so much?

Genetics, but sometimes very dark and shiny feet can hint to genetics from another breed, i.e. black Australorps, that might have been introduced to reduce the possible negative consequences of too much inbreeding.

 

[LaFleche]

I have a couple of pullets from line#2 with white on their ears. Is this something i should be worried about?

It is nothing to worry about, but their ear lobes should be just red with no white whatsoever. So you can try to fade it out breeding them with a rooster showing perfect ear lobes (mark their eggs and let them hatch separately to mark the chicks), if their eggs are worth it. Or just not use them for breeding purposes.

 

[LaFleche]

Dark Angel still lay dark number 6 eggs . special hen to have ,we are late in season ,she started with 7/8 but the majority where 6 . plus she is correct in conformation . not great on body color all dark Blue . doesn t matter .
View attachment 2488680
chooks man

Very nice!

 

[Chooks man]

...and speckled eggs are always pretty.

yes my friend ,especially if they are darker .
chooks man