International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[wrathsfarm]

My ultimate goal here is my test mates and pick the absolute best of what I have and cull down by fall. So I want to be picky on who stays in the BCM flock, which includes replacing both Kong and King when the time comes.

Next seasons goal is getting the BBS Silver flock established and working with them mainly.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

I'll get pics of each individual of these 2 if you see anything that stands out, but I'm really seeing no reason to keep them. Their both over colored and I don't see it molting out. They were early over colored like Kong and his didn't molt out. Tails look like they're gonna be high to me also.

Both Kong x Joannie
View attachment 3910633View attachment 3910634
View attachment 3910635

If they could match Kong in quality then reasons to keep them would include furthering any of Joannie’s best traits (I can’t remember much about her). If she is a particularly good hen, then maybe keep her sons and line breed. If not, I agree there isn’t much reason to keep these boys.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

A couple questions... Why are we breeding mossy? To my understanding we cull cockerels but why keep pullets?

The 5 pullets are POL at 18 weeks. I'm waiting for egg colors....
2 of the 3 from Betty were mossy. I might have a one cockerel from that same age group from Angel that is mossy.

This same group.. Angels hatch of 5, 3 had web toes, 2 of those are boys. Do we use these as breeders or should we cull heavy for this? And if that's the rule, I'm assuming I could still breed from Angel but cull web toes?

I wasn’t part of the discussion about mossiness and don’t know much about it in practice. Loki was a mossy cockerel, now a perfectly coloured cock. I believe it is just a sign of autosomal red that goes away when the hackles and saddles develop.
I don’t see why it would make sense to keep it in one sex but not in the other, as it is autosomal anyway.

Someone else’s input would be appreciated to develop.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I wasn’t part of the discussion about mossiness and don’t know much about it in practice. Loki was a mossy cockerel, now a perfectly coloured cock. I believe it is just a sign of autosomal red that goes away when the hackles and saddles develop.
I don’t see why it would make sense to keep it in one sex but not in the other, as it is autosomal anyway.

Someone else’s input would be appreciated to develop.

I'll get better overall pictures of the 2 cockerels and the 1 confirmed pullet I have from Joannie and we'll start there. I lost her other one a few weeks back. I've always thought Angel was hers also, but that's not confirmed.

My overall thinking is she's producing over colored boys and very pretty pullets. But I'm really looking thru blinders in regards with the chests on the boys and not seeing anything else.

Here's Joannie.
Last winter...

Her hatch this year...

This is her pullet yesterday in the nest box but no egg yet. I'll get some better pics of her.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

I'll get better overall pictures of the 2 cockerels and the 1 confirmed pullet I have from Joannie and we'll start there. I lost her other one a few weeks back. I've always thought Angel was hers also, but that's not confirmed.

My overall thinking is she's producing over colored boys and very pretty pullets. But I'm really looking thru blinders in regards with the chests on the boys and not seeing anything else.

Here's Joannie.
Last winter...View attachment 3910732View attachment 3910735View attachment 3910736

Her hatch this year...View attachment 3910734

This is her pullet yesterday in the nest box but no egg yet. I'll get some better pics of her.View attachment 3910733View attachment 3910737

So she has limited copper. If you want to fix the over coloured boys, perhaps breed the best of her sons to her or another restricted colour hen. I’d say only do this if they matched Kong in all aspects, do not compromise type for example for the sake of fixing this.

 

[wrathsfarm]

So she has limited copper. If you want to fix the over coloured boys, perhaps breed the best of her sons to her or another restricted colour hen. I’d say only do this if they matched Kong in all aspects, do not compromise type for example for the sake of fixing this.

Ok thanks....I'll get pics posted asap, issues going on here that warrant my attention.

(Broodys killing chicks)

 

[wrathsfarm]

Not sure if I've posted this here yet, need some help with broodys killing chicks at hatch.
Not a typo...broodys (plural).

Backup... Angels hatch date was 8/4. 1st chick hatched 8/3 and she attacked it. Cleaned it up and put it under the BA that just hatched but it died. I left her 2 remaining eggs under her because they were pipped and watched very closely wondering if it was maybe just a one-off or sick chick. Benefit of the doubt.

Night fall came and they still hadn't hatched, so I made the decision to pull them out. Jett had just hatched 2 out of 4 of hers and I had just candled the other 2 and they were quitters so I leg banded her 2, and shoved the other 2 under her.

Ok, all is well.. Jett has 4 now. Her 2 chicks I leg banded and now Angels 2 chicks. (unbanded yet).

Today...Black is sitting on her 2 eggs from Joannie before the cockerel tagged her. 1 hatched, she immediately killed it. The last remaining egg hasn't pipped. I'm thinking it's not viable but will candle at dark.

What is going on with my broodys suddenly wanting to kill their chicks?

Too much stress? All the new additional birds? Both new broodys? All of the above and probably more?
Angel is 1 yr., Black is 2 yrs.old. and now I can't trust 2 of my hens with eggs now and gotta break them. I've got Angel in the broody breaker and I'll throw a couple mixed eggs under her til Angel breaks and then break her.

If Blacks remaining egg is viable, I don't think Jett will accept it being off the nest now. Or I can see what Black does if it hatches. At least it'll confirm.

Anyone had multi-chick killers? I thought it would be mostly rare hence the reason I didn't post about Angel yet, but now 2 is not so good for me...
Sorry this was long-winded.

''End Rant''

 

[wrathsfarm]

Not sure if I've posted this here yet, need some help with broodys killing chicks at hatch.
Not a typo...broodys (plural).

Backup... Angels hatch date was 8/4. 1st chick hatched 8/3 and she attacked it. Cleaned it up and put it under the BA that just hatched but it died. I left her 2 remaining eggs under her because they were pipped and watched very closely wondering if it was maybe just a one-off or sick chick. Benefit of the doubt.

Night fall came and they still hadn't hatched, so I made the decision to pull them out. Jett had just hatched 2 out of 4 of hers and I had just candled the other 2 and they were quitters so I leg banded her 2, and shoved the other 2 under her.

Ok, all is well.. Jett has 4 now. Her 2 chicks I leg banded and now Angels 2 chicks. (unbanded yet).

Today...Black is sitting on her 2 eggs from Joannie before the cockerel tagged her. 1 hatched, she immediately killed it. The last remaining egg hasn't pipped. I'm thinking it's not viable but will candle at dark.

What is going on with my broodys suddenly wanting to kill their chicks?

Too much stress? All the new additional birds? Both new broodys? All of the above and probably more?
Angel is 1 yr., Black is 2 yrs.old. and now I can't trust 2 of my hens with eggs now and gotta break them. I've got Angel in the broody breaker and I'll throw a couple mixed eggs under her til Angel breaks and then break her.

If Blacks remaining egg is viable, I don't think Jett will accept it being off the nest now. Or I can see what Black does if it hatches. At least it'll confirm.

Anyone had multi-chick killers? I thought it would be mostly rare hence the reason I didn't post about Angel yet, but now 2 is not so good for me...
Sorry this was long-winded.

''End Rant''

Follow up question.... Has anyone broke 2 broodys in the same cage at the same time?

Not sure if this would even work just thought I'd ask.

 

[chickengr]

Ok thanks....I'll get pics posted asap, issues going on here that warrant my attention.

(Broodys killing chicks)

they started laying again? some broodies don't want chicks when they start laying (about a month after hatching).

 

[wrathsfarm]

they started laying again? some broodies don't want chicks when they start laying (about a month after hatching).

No,....both of these broodys were sitting on eggs and both killed the first chick hatched in 2 separate nest box not near each other.
I still have 2 other broodys besides them, all 9 Marans hens went broody.