International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Minky]

I have a question regarding BBS Marans. Sorry if this is obvious, and therefore a silly question, but I'd feel really dumb if I didnt ask and I was wrong.

I'm wondering if BCM from a BBS line are different than BCM from a BCM line???


So, I have BBS Marans... My hens are blue copper and black copper and my rooster is black copper.
I recently had the opportunity to buy some splash chicks, and I really love their feathering, so in the interest of saving myself a year or two to breed my own, I bought myself 3. Looks like 2 are roosters, but not sure on 3rd yet.

I also have found some really nice dark egg laying BCM hatching eggs about an hour from where I live. They look to be a 7. Really beautiful.
The breeder tells me she used to breed for feathering, but then her egg colour wasn't so dark and people wanted dark eggs, so now she breeds for that, and so the feathering isn't great (lots of hens without copper hackle, and roosters with halos). -- but great looking eggs.

SO... if I buy eggs from her and hatch them out and keep the hens who lay darkest... and then breed those to my best splash rooster (who hatched out of a #4-5) I should end up with grey pullets who may lay dark eggs, and then can breed those to my splash rooster to get splash hens that lay dark eggs.

My goal is marans laying #6 and 7. Prefer splash, but would likely have blue and black hens as well. Not looking for show birds, dont plan on selling birds, just want mostly splash Marans with lovely dark eggs.

Does this plan make sense?
Also, someone told me can't breed splash to splash?is this True??

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

I’m not an expert with marans yet, but your plan sounds pretty good to me. I can’t wait until I can hatch my own eggs.
Best of luck
-ChickenWhisperer101

 

[chickengr]

I have a question regarding BBS Marans. Sorry if this is obvious, and therefore a silly question, but I'd feel really dumb if I didnt ask and I was wrong.

I'm wondering if BCM from a BBS line are different than BCM from a BCM line???


So, I have BBS Marans... My hens are blue copper and black copper and my rooster is black copper.
I recently had the opportunity to buy some splash chicks, and I really love their feathering, so in the interest of saving myself a year or two to breed my own, I bought myself 3. Looks like 2 are roosters, but not sure on 3rd yet.

I also have found some really nice dark egg laying BCM hatching eggs about an hour from where I live. They look to be a 7. Really beautiful.
The breeder tells me she used to breed for feathering, but then her egg colour wasn't so dark and people wanted dark eggs, so now she breeds for that, and so the feathering isn't great (lots of hens without copper hackle, and roosters with halos). -- but great looking eggs.

SO... if I buy eggs from her and hatch them out and keep the hens who lay darkest... and then breed those to my best splash rooster (who hatched out of a #4-5) I should end up with grey pullets who may lay dark eggs, and then can breed those to my splash rooster to get splash hens that lay dark eggs.

My goal is marans laying #6 and 7. Prefer splash, but would likely have blue and black hens as well. Not looking for show birds, dont plan on selling birds, just want mostly splash Marans with lovely dark eggs.

Does this plan make sense?
Also, someone told me can't breed splash to splash?is this True??

it makes sense. if you have a splash hen mate her to a roo from the dark egg line too. then continue with the splash, non related offspring. that will save you at least a year of breeding.

 

[Minky]

I picked up some gorgeous eggs today. Well, the best I've encountered around here, anyways. She told me the parent stock is imported from US lines, from before covid when the borders were open. She also gave me a couple of F5 olive egger eggs, so that was a nice bonus. And for some reason one of my hens, Cyclucks (the one with the partially blind eye) has started laying some really nice dark eggs. She was first to lay back in Sept when she was only 21 weeks old. In the past month her eggs have really darkened. Weird, but I'm not complaining.

Here they are, with a couple olive eggs, a few eggs from my hen Cyclucks (with the date in Sharpie) and one pretty Welsummer egg. Putting them in he incubator with some Blue Laced Red Wyandotte's tomorrow.

 

[Chooks man]

Hi Everyone! Hope you’re having a great long weekend.

Just stopping by to share my pullet’s latest egg - she’s been laying for about two months now and they’re looking really nice. Consistently dark, large, and round.

gorgeous ,true marans egg .shape/color and sheen
bravo,
chooks man

 

[LaFleche]

Hi Everyone! Hope you’re having a great long weekend.

Just stopping by to share my pullet’s latest egg - she’s been laying for about two months now and they’re looking really nice. Consistently dark, large, and round.

Congratulations on this gorgeous egg!

 

[ChickenWhisperer101]

Hey everyone,
I have 2 BCM pullets and I was suspicious of one being a roo but now I’m pretty sure it’s a pullet. They’re 12 weeks and showing no signs of being a cockerel but I just wanted some sort of confirmation. First 2 are same chick and last 2 are same chick.

 

[Minky]

Yes, I'd say they were pullets. My BCM has had bigger comb and wattles than that since about 6 weeks. Yay for pullets!

Hey everyone,
I have 2 BCM pullets and I was suspicious of one being a roo but now I’m pretty sure it’s a pullet. They’re 12 weeks and showing no signs of being a cockerel but I just wanted some sort of confirmation. First 2 are same chick and last 2 are same chick.

 

[Chooks man]

I’m in awe of how beautiful the eggs are every time she lays

My pullet:

View attachment 2596519

And Cockerel:

View attachment 2596520View attachment 2596521

They are currently 9.5 months old.

Very nice BCM hen you have there.
Chook man

 

[Chooks man]

Hey everyone,
I have 2 BCM pullets and I was suspicious of one being a roo but now I’m pretty sure it’s a pullet. They’re 12 weeks and showing no signs of being a cockerel but I just wanted some sort of confirmation. First 2 are same chick and last 2 are same chick.

Both pullet
Chooks man