International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[LaFleche]

Those eggs are phenomenal. Like...darkest ones I think I've seen yet. Your eggs must cost a small fortune.

They don't. I am not the kind of person to take advantage of fellow breeders or chicken enthusiasts.

You're eggs are gorgeous The greens are so vibrant!

Thank you. It took me decades and I am quite pleased with the outcome.

 

[bigsurfwaves]

Yes, it’s my favourite aspect of my welsummers’ eggs. Only one hen (that’s alive) lays these speckled eggs, the rest are the more correct matte russet eggs, though my best hen has black speckles on hers.

I think I’d like to keep these speckles in the welsummers, and I’m glad my Marans can focus on the darkest eggs.View attachment 4089399View attachment 4089400these are the most speckled eggs from Natasha, still way darker than the welsummer eggs above, as Marans should be. Unlike the speckled welsummers, the speckled are an addition to the dark egg, rather than a different way of distributing the same pigment like seen in the welsummers.

A longwinded way of saying I love the variety.

This is why I love my Wheaten Marans. They lay speckles too. Almost identical color to Wellies, but big speckles. My first Welsummer may be my darkest layer but lots of tiny speckles. I went to a LOT of trouble and drove a couple hours to a breeder for first pick from the hatches of BCMs from the darkest eggs ever, and ended up with 3/4 roosters with major comb defects. They ate a ton and people didn't want to buy them. I got about 20 eggs from one hen and they were my darkest by far. I went out of town for 3 days and came back to find her dead in the yard from a dog attack. Along with the only other expensive chicken I had - a Splash Ameraucana. IT was not a good Christmas. She was the only BCM hen I had, but I had one rooster left from that line. I also had a Golden Cuckoo and some olive eggers to cross him with so I kept him a while longer. Then I got to noticing how much better my Wheaten rooster looked and how much better the eggs were.. so I got rid of that Roo and set up pens for the Wheaten instead. About 3 weeks into the breeding - I posted eggs available. Same day I noticed a problem with my Wheaten roo... 4 more days my Wheaten Roo was dead. Both programs are gone. That's chickens I guess...

 

[TexasBlues]

Here’s some of my recent eggs. You can see I have 2 marans that lay a light colored speckled egg. One is about 2 years old and the other is her daughter at about a year old.
My eggs are nowhere near the minimum weight. My largest are only around 60g.
What % protein do y’all feed them as chicks?

 

[Tstraub]

Here’s some of my recent eggs. You can see I have 2 marans that lay a light colored speckled egg. One is about 2 years old and the other is her daughter at about a year old.
My eggs are nowhere near the minimum weight. My largest are only around 60g.
What do % protein do y’all feed them as chicks?
View attachment 4089974View attachment 4089975View attachment 4089976View attachment 4089977

My chicks are olive Eggers not pure Marans. I prefer to let broody hens raise chicks so my chicks eat the same as the adults. Everyone gets Kalmbach flock maker 20% crumbles. Sometimes I switch to Kalmbach layer crumbles during winter when I don’t have any chicks. The Kalmbach layer feed has extra carotenoids to keep the yolks bright orange during times of the year that we don’t have dandelions and marigolds growing for the birds to eat. I don’t know if Kalmbach is the best there is but it’s the best that’s on the shelf at my local feed store.

 

[SweetieChicken234]

They don't. I am not the kind of person to take advantage of fellow breeders or chicken enthusiasts.

Thank you. It took me decades and I am quite pleased with the outcome.

They don't cost a small fortune?? I might have to have a conversation with you depending on the outcome of my hatches. I set my BCM eggs last night. One is cracked and I tried to seal it with wax. We will see what happens.

 

[LaFleche]

Here’s some of my recent eggs. You can see I have 2 marans that lay a light colored speckled egg. One is about 2 years old and the other is her daughter at about a year old.
My eggs are nowhere near the minimum weight. My largest are only around 60g.
What % protein do y’all feed them as chicks?
View attachment 4089974View attachment 4089975View attachment 4089976View attachment 4089977

Beautiful vibrant blue eggs!

 

[LaFleche]

They don't cost a small fortune?? I might have to have a conversation with you depending on the outcome of my hatches. I set my BCM eggs last night. One is cracked and I tried to seal it with wax. We will see what happens.

In case you didn't notice: I am in Germany.

Fingers crossed for a successful hatch

 

[SweetieChicken234]

In case you didn't notice: I am in Germany.

Fingers crossed for a successful hatch

Of course you are in Germany. That's where all the best things are. Maybe I need to make a trip over there LOL!! If only ..

 

[Auntiejessi3]

One is cracked and I tried to seal it with wax. We will see what happens

Keep a close eye on this egg, if it begins to seep or smells off in the least bit discard it immediately. If bacteria forms it could contaminate your entire hatch.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

so guys, Marshmallow the silkie has gone broody…
Who thinks I should hatch some marans?