International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chooks man]

Chooks man, I asked my husband if I could hatch 1 more batch of chicks. He was ok with it so I am collecting eggs! Yay! I have 4 out of the 5 hens still laying. The same two Blcm and 2 BC are laying. This for sure will be the last hatch this year. I know he won't go for three hatches. I will need to try and cull a few as early as possible. I for sure do not want any Blcm roosters. They will be the first to go unless you think I need to keep them?

That is great news .
Yeah I m with you a BLCM are a cull only BC are a keep
We want BC pullets from him . I know your hens lay dark eggs and he is show quality rooster so I think his daughters will be great ones for sure .
Chooks man

 

[chickengr]

OK. You asked for it! I took 100 pics this morning. Here are a few of them.

These are looking at a cat I chased away. This one's showing a white wing feather, which I guess is not desirable?

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The only way I can tell them apart is that the dominant one has a small white bump on the top of his beak.

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at young age they mostly have a few white feathers that molt out later.

 

[Chooks man]

@Smokerbill
I like this guy bettr ,he is a better type ,look chunky with broad shoulder and better coloration .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I started a new thread just for the building of chooks town . I thought will be better in a separate thread Black possum chooks town
chooks man
.

 

[marchick]

That is great news .
Yeah I m with you a BLCM are a cull only BC are a keep
We want BC pullets from him . I know your hens lay dark eggs and he is show quality rooster so I think his daughters will be great ones for sure .
Chooks man

So my older Blcm hens I can cull also? Not the two I am hatching from now and there is a third in that pen but she isn't laying now. I have about 9 other blcm hens in the other pen. They very in ages. There is one other that lays a nice dark round egg but awful comb. She might be be useful. I caught her laying so I know it's her egg. Should I add her to the other pen?

 

[Chooks man]

So my older Blcm hens I can cull also? Not the two I am hatching from now and there is a third in that pen but she isn't laying now. I have about 9 other blcm hens in the other pen. They very in ages. There is one other that lays a nice dark round egg but awful comb. She might be be useful. I caught her laying so I know it's her egg. Should I add her to the other pen?

yes you can add her to the breeding pen if she is laying very nice dark eggs ,don t worry about the comb the rooster has a great one ,he will pass that to his progeny .
yes you can cull all the one you don t need now ,keep only the breeders so you can reduce the food bill .
you have selected stunning breeders now and you are hatching from them ,keep looking after them and get ready of the rest .quality better than quantity .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I start training my chooks to follow me around so when the day coe to move them to a new site will be easier for me .I don t have to catch them and move them . they will just fellow me to the site . it is 500m or yards .

Blue walker .White Orchid, Ravendale ,Fiona, Ginger and Rashad are the leaders .but Blue Walker and White orchid are always in a front . they are top hens . love them both
chooks man

 

[Punkybrewster]

It is so good to see all the activity and conversations here!
I was not getting alerts for some reason.

I still have 7 cockerels left.
1 of the tall ones has crooked knees I was hoping he would grow out of. #6 or #7. Not the one with a ton of white.

He will go and the guy with a pinched rear, very narrow.

I am keeping all the other cockerels you said to hold on to for now.

I am going through the hens to find a couple who are laying very light eggs #3.
I need to make room for the pullets growing out.
I will get photos of them when I can.

I will also be culling Mr. Good Comb if that is ok to do now.
Nice color, good comb (frost bit now) but white in high tail and short back, sparse leg feathering. He is sire to the grow out pullets.

 

[Chooks man]

I had a chat to Troy today ,he said ll the roosters finished they molt ,they are looking great v,ready to come up here .the young hens too ,they start laying all ready .
we are orgonizing for them a transport in the next couples of week if I finish they pens .
lot to do in a short time .
here are some photos sent by Troy s from the farm .

looking forward to see them up here .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

It is so good to see all the activity and conversations here!
I was not getting alerts for some reason.

I still have 7 cockerels left.
1 of the tall ones has crooked knees I was hoping he would grow out of. #6 or #7. Not the one with a ton of white.

He will go and the guy with a pinched rear, very narrow.

I am keeping all the other cockerels you said to hold on to for now.

I am going through the hens to find a couple who are laying very light eggs #3.
I need to make room for the pullets growing out.
I will get photos of them when I can.

I will also be culling Mr. Good Comb if that is ok to do now.
Nice color, good comb (frost bit now) but white in high tail and short back, sparse leg feathering. He is sire to the grow out pullets.View attachment 3541227
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agree with you nice comb can go now ,you have better quality cockerel to replace him and JR too .
it is a reason I don t like tall cockerels they tend to have problem with they legs so quick . we only keep the healthy ones .
love to see photos of the pullets when you have time that will be great .
chooks man