International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Punkybrewster]

In the cockerel grow out pen, there are 14 cockerels, around 8 weeks old. Should I cull for dark or marbled eyes now or grow them out some more.

I feel like I should grow them ALL out. What if one of the dark eyed cockerels is perfect in every way except for his eyes?
Ugh.
I don't want to mess up.

 

[Chooks man]

In the cockerel grow out pen, there are 14 cockerels, around 8 weeks old. Should I cull for dark or marbled eyes now or grow them out some more.

I feel like I should grow them ALL out. What if one of the dark eyed cockerels is perfect in every way except for his eyes?
Ugh.
I don't want to mess up.

I keep telling my friend forget about any other traits except for the body type and body colour . We need to fix the body type first before we start thinking about the other thing other wise the breeding become complex without going any where.
Every year we should fix one trait . We start from what important first .
Lately I have been posting a lot photos of my hens C and roosters with a correct body type without mentioning any other fault that may have .
I want you guys to see how I breed my Marans .
I say it again we need to breed the correct body type and dark eggs layers first before we thing about any thing else . Chooks man
PS: if you have a space and time keep all the cockerel for now so we can select the best ones later .

 

[Chooks man]

BCM hen Madonna 3 and half years old now. She has a lot good thing going for her. Great long body type and dark eggs laying are some of her great traits. She is like the dog she will follow you around where ever you go plus she is chatty . Talks all the time. I haven f manage to breed from her yet . I will this breeding season .

Chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Australia wild turkey or bush turkey like they call them down here . There is 5 hens. They come to feed early morning and j kg ate afternoon .

Chooks man

 

[Punkybrewster]

I keep telling my friend forget about any other traits except for the body type and body colour . We need to fix the body type first before we start thinking about the other thing other wise the breeding become complex without going any where.
Every year we should fix one trait . We start from what important first .
Lately I have been posting a lot photos of my hens C and roosters with a correct body type without mentioning any other fault that may have .
I want you guys to see how I breed my Marans .
I say it again we need to breed the correct body type and dark eggs layers first before we thing about any thing else . Chooks man
PS: if you have a space and time keep all the cockerel for now so we can select the best ones later .

I like this. Keep it simple.

I will keep them for now then.

I have about 20 hens total. I do need to cull for egg color. There are some who do not lay a dark egg. This will allow me to make room for this year's pullets.

So this year is type, color, egg color. Got it.

 

[Chooks man]

I like this. Keep it simple.

I will keep them for now then.

I have about 20 hens total. I do need to cull for egg color. There are some who do not lay a dark egg. This will allow me to make room for this year's pullets.

So this year is type, color, egg color. Got it.

any hen with a square body type and lay lighter eggs is a cull .
any hen with great and correct body type but lay dark eggs is a keep
keep hens that are going to help us in our breeding programs ,you should have by now progeny from them all .
if you not sure post photos we can go through them so you don t don t miss out .
chooks man

 

[Punkybrewster]

any hen with a square body type and lay lighter eggs is a cull .
any hen with great and correct body type but lay dark eggs is a keep
keep hens that are going to help us in our breeding programs ,you should have by now progeny from them all .
if you not sure post photos we can go through them so you don t don t miss out .
chooks man

Judith #2, lovesong and Bella Luna
are kept for their dark eggs.

This year, from the pullet line pen, I only kept chicks from the darkest eggs and a couple for their egg shape. I think there are maybe 20 chicks in the brooder. I will count them tomorrow.

Once they are sexed, I will know my total numbers of pullets.

Because not all hens are laying dark, I do not have progeny from all of them. Is this a problem?
Should I do another hatch?

I will be sure to take photos of the hens in question. Thank you @Chooks man .

 

[Chooks man]

Judith #2, lovesong and Bella Luna
are kept for their dark eggs.

This year, from the pullet line pen, I only kept chicks from the darkest eggs and a couple for their egg shape. I think there are maybe 20 chicks in the brooder. I will count them tomorrow.

Once they are sexed, I will know my total numbers of pullets.

Because not all hens are laying dark, I do not have progeny from all of them. Is this a problem?
Should I do another hatch?

I will be sure to take photos of the hens in question. Thank you @Chooks man .

You have done great.
We have 3 hens laying dark eggs . Judith#2 , LoveSong and Bella Luna. We are keeping that enough number to breed from next breeding season with a young cockerels you are growing now .
Nice you kept chicks from dark eggs ( pullets line)
There is any hen who lay lighter eggs but has a stunning body type .
From all your hens witch one have a correct body type . We only need one or 2 hens that all even if they don t lay dark egg .
Are Judith . LS and BL cockerels dam s or pullets?
Chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Judith #2, lovesong and Bella Luna
are kept for their dark eggs.

This year, from the pullet line pen, I only kept chicks from the darkest eggs and a couple for their egg shape. I think there are maybe 20 chicks in the brooder. I will count them tomorrow.

Once they are sexed, I will know my total numbers of pullets.

Because not all hens are laying dark, I do not have progeny from all of them. Is this a problem?
Should I do another hatch?

I will be sure to take photos of the hens in question. Thank you @Chooks man .

No it is not a problem if you did not hatch eggs from all your hens.
I just want to make sure there is not a hen there with a great body type but she doesn’t t lay dark eggs maybe you must . That all .
In my breeding programs I always know the mothers of all my chicks . It is very hard to do but very important and efficient .
Maybe you noticed by now . Each time I post photos of my chooks I always mention they name/ name of they sire and name of they mothers. They are pedigree chooks . I make sure they stay that way .
Chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I know a few Marans breeders around the world they practice group breeding . They only know the chicks by they sire only . They dismissed the dams . Now after 12 to 15 years of breeding they lines they run in inbreeding depression ( loose of fertility . Low hatch rate . Dying chicks just before hatching and a lot mutation )
I told those guys to give importance to the chicks dam s . They thought it is very hard to do . They preferred to select just from the eggs much simpler . They mark the eggs from the oen they come from and who is a rooster . Very bad practice for a long run.
This guy I know he been breeding for 13 years . Managed to breed great line but know he can t continue he is looking to introduce new blood to fix his problem .
This thing will never happen in my farm with my breeding programs .
I m not having a go at any body just sharing my knowledge .
Chooks man