International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chooks man]

This is very good advice, and does not only apply for the Marans breed.

I separate the cockerels from the pullets at an even earlier age, as the cockerels mature rather quickly starting to harass and chase the pullets starting at 5-6 weeks old, thus not leaving them time to eat and preen etc. as they will always be on the run to escape the unwanted and often violent attention.
My youngest cockerel started to crow and tried mating the mother hen and his siblings at the tender age of 5 weeks old.

wow very fast maturing line . any way your pullets are happy ti be without they brothers ,they have all the calmness and the space they need to grow well .
chooks man

 

[Bantambird]

Egg photography is hard to get right, guys! But I got some nice pullet eggs!

 

[Punkybrewster]

Egg photography is hard to get right, guys! But I got some nice pullet eggs!View attachment 2496615View attachment 2496616View attachment 2496619

Very nice!

 

[Punkybrewster]

Very nice!

Its hard to get correct color of marans eggs in a photo. You have a nice round one there too.

 

[Chooks man]

Egg photography is hard to get right, guys! But I got some nice pullet eggs!View attachment 2496615View attachment 2496616View attachment 2496619

very nice plus your line have the body type ,complete body pattern ,pure silver ,and gorgeous tails.
you have done well my friend .Bravo
chooks man

 

[Minky]

Last year I hatched out some marans April 29-30 and they are now in the breeding pens with their rooster. They started laying in October (I was surprised) . Their eggs are averaging 65-75 g.
I have two unrelated roosters and 3 unrelated hens.

I realize it is strongly recommended to wait til after 1 year and even 2, but when you are starting out and they are so hard to find here, its impossible to wait so long.

Should I breed all 3 hens to rooster 1, then all 3 hens to rooster 2?
Their eggs are all acceptable colour. They all have issues but I need to start somewhere. Ideally I would only have 1 rooster and 4 or 5 hens. (I have other varieties of chickens and would like to keep my "winter flock" to around 30-35. I am just breeding for myself, not to show or do anything fabulous. I just want to try and have the best looking and producing flock I can, working towards SOP.

Do I always need to have two roosters? I'm a bit confused how to start. And if I replace my rooster (s) every year, or only if I hatch out one who is a better specimen. Do always breed line 1 to line 2? and then what does that become line 3?



Also- as a side question- out of the 5 marans I own, one is blue. I am not especially a fan of blue. I wouldn't consider keeping any blue roosters. Will crossing a blue and a black produce 50% of each, and will I be able to tell at hatch which are blue? If I only keep black ones, will those black one be able to produce blue if theiy are only bred to a black? Do you think I should remove that hen from my breeding pen ?

 

[kcrandall]

Last year I hatched out some marans April 29-30 and they are now in the breeding pens with their rooster. They started laying in October (I was surprised) . Their eggs are averaging 65-75 g.
I have two unrelated roosters and 3 unrelated hens.

I realize it is strongly recommended to wait til after 1 year and even 2, but when you are starting out and they are so hard to find here, its impossible to wait so long.

Should I breed all 3 hens to rooster 1, then all 3 hens to rooster 2?
Their eggs are all acceptable colour. They all have issues but I need to start somewhere. Ideally I would only have 1 rooster and 4 or 5 hens. (I have other varieties of chickens and would like to keep my "winter flock" to around 30-35. I am just breeding for myself, not to show or do anything fabulous. I just want to try and have the best looking and producing flock I can, working towards SOP.

Do I always need to have two roosters? I'm a bit confused how to start. And if I replace my rooster (s) every year, or only if I hatch out one who is a better specimen. Do always breed line 1 to line 2? and then what does that become line 3?



Also- as a side question- out of the 5 marans I own, one is blue. I am not especially a fan of blue. I wouldn't consider keeping any blue roosters. Will crossing a blue and a black produce 50% of each, and will I be able to tell at hatch which are blue? If I only keep black ones, will those black one be able to produce blue if theiy are only bred to a black? Do you think I should remove that hen from my breeding pen ?

You should keep at least two (2) Cocks, at a minimum, in case of death or injury and to also give your line some genetic diversity. Even though the Cock Birds maybe related their genetic make up is slightly different. I have a small flock but I prefer to keep at least four Cocks because you never know what may happen. In 2018, I only kept 2 Cocks and both died over the winter so I had no way of continuing that line of BCMs when the hens came back into lay. As for a Black x Blue pairing you will get 50% each black and blue and the color difference between the two varieties should be noticeable at hatch.

 

[Thomas Bright]

Last year I hatched out some marans April 29-30 and they are now in the breeding pens with their rooster. They started laying in October (I was surprised) . Their eggs are averaging 65-75 g.
I have two unrelated roosters and 3 unrelated hens.

I realize it is strongly recommended to wait til after 1 year and even 2, but when you are starting out and they are so hard to find here, its impossible to wait so long.

Should I breed all 3 hens to rooster 1, then all 3 hens to rooster 2?
Their eggs are all acceptable colour. They all have issues but I need to start somewhere. Ideally I would only have 1 rooster and 4 or 5 hens. (I have other varieties of chickens and would like to keep my "winter flock" to around 30-35. I am just breeding for myself, not to show or do anything fabulous. I just want to try and have the best looking and producing flock I can, working towards SOP.

Do I always need to have two roosters? I'm a bit confused how to start. And if I replace my rooster (s) every year, or only if I hatch out one who is a better specimen. Do always breed line 1 to line 2? and then what does that become line 3?



Also- as a side question- out of the 5 marans I own, one is blue. I am not especially a fan of blue. I wouldn't consider keeping any blue roosters. Will crossing a blue and a black produce 50% of each, and will I be able to tell at hatch which are blue? If I only keep black ones, will those black one be able to produce blue if theiy are only bred to a black? Do you think I should remove that hen from my breeding pen ?

You can breed any rooster to any hen that is laying. The quality of the offspring is where selection of good traits or genes are important. I have hens that lay a # 4 egg in color. I have never had a hen that lays a # 4 egg star laying a #7 egg. I have hens that lay a #7 egg and they lay a #7 egg all the time. Most of their off spring lay a #7 egg. I paid for good genes and breed them the way the breeder I bought them from taught me.
This thread is the best one on the internet. If you follow Chooks man and bred according to his plan it will work. It is all in the gene pool and if you do not start with "Good" genes it will take alot longer or not at all. Just my 2cents TOMView attachment 2500002View attachment 2500002

 

[Punkybrewster]

You can breed any rooster to any hen that is laying. The quality of the offspring is where selection of good traits or genes are important. I have hens that lay a # 4 egg in color. I have never had a hen that lays a # 4 egg star laying a #7 egg. I have hens that lay a #7 egg and they lay a #7 egg all the time. Most of their off spring lay a #7 egg. I paid for good genes and breed them the way the breeder I bought them from taught me.
This thread is the best one on the internet. If you follow Chooks man and bred according to his plan it will work. It is all in the gene pool and if you do not start with "Good" genes it will take alot longer or not at all. Just my 2cents TOMView attachment 2500002View attachment 2500002View attachment 2500010

Well said Tom

 

[Punkybrewster]

You should keep at least two (2) Cocks, at a minimum, in case of death or injury and to also give your line some genetic diversity. Even though the Cock Birds maybe related their genetic make up is slightly different. I have a small flock but I prefer to keep at least four Cocks because you never know what may happen. In 2018, I only kept 2 Cocks and both died over the winter so I had no way of continuing that line of BCMs when the hens came back into lay. As for a Black x Blue pairing you will get 50% each black and blue and the color difference between the two varieties should be noticeable at hatch.

I only have 2 cockerels. Wish i had a couple more for these reasons.

One has turned into a real jerk. He is my back up but i do not want to use him for breeding because of his temperment.

My other one is calm and cooperative.
Im hoping he gives me some nice prodigy to hold on to.