International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[MayBerg]

chicken's metabolism is much faster than dog's. I use double dog dose - if 1 dog's pill is for 10 kg weight I use it for 5 kg chicken weight. otherwise worms will become resistant. also I use different pills (fenbendazole, praziquantel, levamisole, etc.) each time as for dogs.

I don't think they sell those pills over the counter in usa.

 

[wrathsfarm]

3 of the 5 pullets are laying now.

 

[Tstraub]

I couple days ago I posted a picture of my boy Axl and asked questions about possible reasons he would be walking around with his head and tail down. I got some advice on what might have been causing it. I’m still not entirely sure what was going on. today I spent an hour or so outside observing them

He and all the girls look to be completely normal. He is once again strutting his stuff head held high. He is missing a couple more tail feathers but I believe it’s just early signs of molt.

I did look over a few of my friendliest girls for any signs of mites and didn’t find anything concerning so I didn’t go as far as to chase down all the flighty ones to look them over.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I couple days ago I posted a picture of my boy Axl and asked questions about possible reasons he would be walking around with his head and tail down. I got some advice on what might have been causing it. I’m still not entirely sure what was going on. today I spent an hour or so outside observing them

He and all the girls look to be completely normal. He is once again strutting his stuff head held high. He is missing a couple more tail feathers but I believe it’s just early signs of molt.

I did look over a few of my friendliest girls for any signs of mites and didn’t find anything concerning so I didn’t go as far as to chase down all the flighty ones to look them over.

View attachment 3917581

I've been noticing this also, somewhat. King yesterday just stood in one spot for roughly 1/2 hour puffed up and neck tucked back like he was cold, but it was pretty warm yesterday low 80s I believe. But perked right back up and is fine today.

Just wondering if there's a coincidence, with us being fairly close to each other.

But happy to hear Axl is back to his glorious self.

 

[Tstraub]

I've been noticing this also, somewhat. King yesterday just stood in one spot for roughly 1/2 hour puffed up and neck tucked back like he was cold, but it was pretty warm yesterday low 80s I believe. But perked right back up and is fine today.

Just wondering if there's a coincidence, with us being fairly close to each other.

But happy to hear Axl is back to his glorious self.

That’s an interesting thought. The temperature has been all over the place recently. The day he looked off to me was probably high seventies, overcast, and very windy. That’s certainly not cold weather but it is significantly cooler than low 90s with full sun a few days earlier.

 

[wrathsfarm]

That’s an interesting thought. The temperature has been all over the place recently. The day he looked off to me was probably high seventies, overcast, and very windy. That’s certainly not cold weather but it is significantly cooler than low 90s with full sun a few days earlier.

Here also... Altho I'm guessing our temps might have been just slightly cooler being north of you. But yes, we did have that cooler, overcast, windy couple days there and threw all the birds off.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

My two new Wellie cockerels (I promise this is related to marans!!!) introduced yesterday, one has much bolder, crisper silver. I know this is because their sire is S/s+, as he was bred from Thor (my original SDW cock, though by his previous owner) to a partridge Wellie. As a result of the cross between the two colours, the silvers in this line, which is the sibling line to mine, but with some different blood, carry high levels of autosomal red.

Does anyone who breeds silver birchen marans have any tips in breeding out autosomal red, other than just replacing each season with the cockerel with the least red?

See? I told you it was marans related (sort of)!

 

[chickengr]

View attachment 3918784View attachment 3918785View attachment 3918786View attachment 3918787My two new Wellie cockerels (I promise this is related to marans!!!) introduced yesterday, one has much bolder, crisper silver. I know this is because their sire is S/s+, as he was bred from Thor (my original SDW cock, though by his previous owner) to a partridge Wellie. As a result of the cross between the two colours, the silvers in this line, which is the sibling line to mine, but with some different blood, carry high levels of autosomal red.

Does anyone who breeds silver birchen marans have any tips in breeding out autosomal red, other than just replacing each season with the cockerel with the least red?

See? I told you it was marans related (sort of)!

we are chicken lovers, not executioners, lol.

 

[wrathsfarm]

These 8 newbies are from Ravens eggs....

One more Broody to go...

 

[Bantambird]

View attachment 3918784View attachment 3918785View attachment 3918786View attachment 3918787My two new Wellie cockerels (I promise this is related to marans!!!) introduced yesterday, one has much bolder, crisper silver. I know this is because their sire is S/s+, as he was bred from Thor (my original SDW cock, though by his previous owner) to a partridge Wellie. As a result of the cross between the two colours, the silvers in this line, which is the sibling line to mine, but with some different blood, carry high levels of autosomal red.

Does anyone who breeds silver birchen marans have any tips in breeding out autosomal red, other than just replacing each season with the cockerel with the least red?

See? I told you it was marans related (sort of)!

The best advice I can give is, it is hard to spot in the females. I carefully check the blue silver males every year, and every year, I get fewer instances of autosomal red. I have gotten it nearly eliminated from the black silvers. I keep all the girls who look correct, but I am sure that there are females carrying that I cannot see it in, due to the dark chest color covering up any female presentation of autosomal red. If you have females available that do not carry autosomal red, it would be super easy: use these cockerels, sell resultant females, cull the males that show autosomal red, it would disappear pretty fast, but you are likely in the same boat as I am, where you have a mixed boat and you aren't sure of which females may be carrying, so the males carry the brunt of the culls ( as is wont anyways, considering I only need a few of those). Eventually, if you aren't in a hurry, and you are able to do test breedings, you can get there the slow way. Just keep at it.