International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[RoosterML]

Not happy this evening. In Line #2 I only have 2 hens and one rooster. I caught the hen laying so I could clearly see what egg was hers. Egg color stinks, way to light not even a 4. Now the only thing I like about her is she is chunky. Her brother came from one of the darkest eggs I ever hatched. Any hope for her or does she just get sold as a brown egg layer? Even though she doesn’t lay dark eggs can she possibly carry the dark egg gene because her brother came from very dark egg?

 

[Punkybrewster]

Not happy this evening. In Line #2 I only have 2 hens and one rooster. I caught the hen laying so I could clearly see what egg was hers. Egg color stinks, way to light not even a 4. Now the only thing I like about her is she is chunky. Her brother came from one of the darkest eggs I ever hatched. Any hope for her or does she just get sold as a brown egg layer? Even though she doesn’t lay dark eggs can she possibly carry the dark egg gene because her brother came from very dark egg?

Good question.

I have a pullet from line #1 that is the same. Very light egg but nice type.
I dont know what to do with her.
I am hoping she goes broody so I can at least use her to hatch.



My line #3, all 9, look to be all cockerels. Hahaha

What are the odds?!
I hope I am wrong, but combs, red wattles and they are all standing tall and obnoxious when I put my hand in their coop. I know I am to only use hens from this line and not cockerels because of the white underfluff on the sires, so i am pretty discouraged right now. But it is pretty funny.

I put 3 more pullets into single pens to identify what egg they are laying.

There is still one laying the dark egg with a white, thick bloom. She has not sorted that out so she will be on the cull list also once I find her.

Everyone else is laying a 5 or better. A couple are laying nice 8. I need to find and mark them.

 

[RoosterML]

I just candled my eggs as they are on day 12 of incubation. I usually open the eggs that I take out to see what they look like. One egg that had no development when I opened had double yolks. The only time I have had double yolks before was with high production hens. Anyone seeing that often in Marans?

 

[RoosterML]

Good question.

I have a pullet from line #1 that is the same. Very light egg but nice type.
I dont know what to do with her.
I am hoping she goes broody so I can at least use her to hatch.



My line #3, all 9, look to be all cockerels. Hahaha

What are the odds?!
I hope I am wrong, but combs, red wattles and they are all standing tall and obnoxious when I put my hand in their coop. I know I am to only use hens from this line and not cockerels because of the white underfluff on the sires, so i am pretty discouraged right now. But it is pretty funny.

I put 3 more pullets into single pens to identify what egg they are laying.

There is still one laying the dark egg with a white, thick bloom. She has not sorted that out so she will be on the cull list also once I find her.

Everyone else is laying a 5 or better. A couple are laying nice 8. I need to find and mark them.

Are these the ones you took the long drive for?

 

[Punkybrewster]

I believe it can happen with any breed.
At least that has been my experience.
Some breeds more than others though.

 

[Punkybrewster]

Are these the ones you took the long drive for?

Yes.
For their short, low tails and long backs.
I may try again because they are beautiful, correct chicks and are fully feathered at 2 weeks.
Maybe.

I would not drive but have them shipped.

 

[Punkybrewster]

Yes.
For their short, low tails and long backs.
I may try again because they are beautiful, correct chicks and are fully feathered at 2 weeks.
Maybe.

I would not drive but have them shipped.

She will cut me a deal.

 

[RoosterML]

She will cut me a deal.

Why not. Give it a go. Can’t have to many chickens. Ask chooks man he needs more broody hens.

 

[kcrandall]

Sorry all, for my absence. I've had a lot of things going on. My son's virtual learning keeps me busy. I also work on a busy and packed covid unit in critical care and we have had a lot of short staffing lately. We are losing many nurses to travel. Travel agencies are recruiting them and the money for some I guess is too good to pass up. I however am a loyal servant to my profession and stay where I am very much needed. It makes it hard on those that stay but we are making it day by day. The senior nurses that have left to travel are being replaced by new graduate RNs and they have to have a few old hands to teach them the ropes.

Nothing much new to update on my Marans. I just set a few eggs from Dark Angel's single mated pen. I can't remember for the life of me what his hen's name is at the moment.

Broken Wing died a few weeks ago from an unknown issue he had, I simply deduced as failure to thrive. He wouldn't put on weight or develop. We treated for internal parasites and he never got better. Upon examination all I found to be wrong with him was simply poor body condition. No respiratory issues. No neurological symptoms. Good appetite. It was a mystery and very perplexing.

I hope everyone has stayed safe this winter and the winter storms haven't taken too much of a toll on any of you. We were without electricity one night but have been fortunate otherwise. I will be happy for spring to arrive.

May God bless all of you and keep you safe. I have certainly missed my BYC friends.

Hello Kayla! I figured you had a lot on your plate. Glad to hear you are doing well!! I’m sure your patients and their families are appreciative of your service.

 

[kcrandall]

Good question.

I have a pullet from line #1 that is the same. Very light egg but nice type.
I dont know what to do with her.
I am hoping she goes broody so I can at least use her to hatch.



My line #3, all 9, look to be all cockerels. Hahaha

What are the odds?!
I hope I am wrong, but combs, red wattles and they are all standing tall and obnoxious when I put my hand in their coop. I know I am to only use hens from this line and not cockerels because of the white underfluff on the sires, so i am pretty discouraged right now. But it is pretty funny.

I put 3 more pullets into single pens to identify what egg they are laying.

There is still one laying the dark egg with a white, thick bloom. She has not sorted that out so she will be on the cull list also once I find her.

Everyone else is laying a 5 or better. A couple are laying nice 8. I need to find and mark them.

Even if they are all cockerels don’t give up on them yet. You never know you may get 1 or 2 decent cockerels that don’t have parasitic white. If they don’t turn out then make coq au vin or paella.