International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chooks man]

Her lobes aren’t white, her hackles are paler than her sister’s though. I’d also say her legs are a tad too dark (they look fully slate in the photo but are white with lots of shading).

She also has a very full hackle, unusual from her family. I’ve said before, but she really doesn’t look like the rest of her family.

I think she’d be better used in the golden cuckoo line than the black coppers.

I do like her type, and her tiny comb will hep reduce the messy combs my French line often throws. Her back is long and flat, that’s what I like about her.
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guess breeding her to a golden cuckoo is a great move becuase the lighter hackle doesn t matter the barring gene will affect the copper any way ,
chooks man

 

[AusHen]

Hi all. I'm starting back up with black copper after moving along all my old birds (minus a splash copper hen) thanks to them all carrying wheaten
Now I'm wondering if you had to choose between two faults to work with would you tackle chest leakage or straw hackles? it seems all the cockerels/roosters around me have one, the other or both issues. from my very limited experience I have a feeling chest leakage would be better so I have purchased a cockerel with better hackle/saddle feathers but does have some chest leakage. I'm still yet to get pullets/hens so I can look for ones to compliment him

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Hi all. I'm starting back up with black copper after moving along all my old birds (minus a splash copper hen) thanks to them all carrying wheaten
Now I'm wondering if you had to choose between two faults to work with would you tackle chest leakage or straw hackles? it seems all the cockerels/roosters around me have one, the other or both issues. from my very limited experience I have a feeling chest leakage would be better so I have purchased a cockerel with better hackle/saddle feathers but does have some chest leakage. I'm still yet to get pullets/hens so I can look for ones to compliment him

These are both issues I’d fix only after I’ve fixed things like high tails and short backs, plus major faults.

That being said, I’d personally remove bad hackle colour before I moved on to the extent of copper. Breeding hens with little hackle markings often helps balance out cockerels with too much copper leakage.

 

[AusHen]

Oh yes I'll definitely be making sure I pay attention to body type and other faults, it's just Marans become pretty trendy around here so many breeders are opting for quantity over quality. I did find I was making colour sacrifices to avoid things like short backs and squirrel tail. Other than a Blue copper I lost, this is probably one of the better boys I had who as you can see has both colour issues plus was carrying both recessive white and as I later found out wheaten.
I will try sourcing some eggs from out of state though and try my luck with multiple boys and work from there

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Oh yes I'll definitely be making sure I pay attention to body type and other faults, it's just Marans become pretty trendy around here so many breeders are opting for quantity over quality. I did find I was making colour sacrifices to avoid things like short backs and squirrel tail. Other than a Blue copper I lost, this is probably one of the better boys I had who as you can see has both colour issues plus was carrying both recessive white and as I later found out wheaten.
I will try sourcing some eggs from out of state though and try my luck with multiple boys and work from there

Good luck to you. I’m sure there’s some American followers of this thread who can point you in the right direction.

 

[Chooks man]

Hi all. I'm starting back up with black copper after moving along all my old birds (minus a splash copper hen) thanks to them all carrying wheaten
Now I'm wondering if you had to choose between two faults to work with would you tackle chest leakage or straw hackles? it seems all the cockerels/roosters around me have one, the other or both issues. from my very limited experience I have a feeling chest leakage would be better so I have purchased a cockerel with better hackle/saddle feathers but does have some chest leakage. I'm still yet to get pullets/hens so I can look for ones to compliment him

chest leakage is not a fault as long doesn t go all the way down to to the thigh ,there is miss understanding about the marked chest and green sheen on the black copper caused by the show judges . the standard call for No sheen is required and chest should have some copper marking but the judges prefer the green sheen and black chest ,Wrong , we have to follow the SOP not the peoples who judges and most of them doen t know much about marans ,except in France they have a proper one .
so to go back to your question ,avoid the hackle straw colored hackle that is a genetic fault not accepted by the SOP ,
all this peoples talk about chest leakage but they fell to explain why there is so much black pullets in BC population because it is caused by the Black chest rooster ,what I m talking about is fact not opinion ,
to have pullets with correct hackle marking we need a sire to have chest marking ( I will not call it leakage proper term is chest marking ).
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

These are both issues I’d fix only after I’ve fixed things like high tails and short backs, plus major faults.

That being said, I’d personally remove bad hackle colour before I moved on to the extent of copper. Breeding hens with little hackle markings often helps balance out cockerels with too much copper leakage.

like I explained it chest marking is not an issue it is accepted by the SOP for the rooster to have black or marked chest ,as long as the marling doesn t go all the way down to the thigh .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Oh yes I'll definitely be making sure I pay attention to body type and other faults, it's just Marans become pretty trendy around here so many breeders are opting for quantity over quality. I did find I was making colour sacrifices to avoid things like short backs and squirrel tail. Other than a Blue copper I lost, this is probably one of the better boys I had who as you can see has both colour issues plus was carrying both recessive white and as I later found out wheaten.
I will try sourcing some eggs from out of state though and try my luck with multiple boys and work from there

I m in NSW Central coast , I can help you with some fertile eggs or young bird this coming breeding season , I m hatching now from 3 different foundation pens so in the spring time I should spare you a trio of Blue or BC .
Blessing
Chooks man

 

[AusHen]

@Chooks man I always thought straw hackles was the bigger issue and didn’t mind some chest markings (I’ll call it that from now on, not leakage). sadly a lot of people told me it was no good which had me questioning myself but glad to see it’s acceptable and even beneficial… I’ll definitely take you up on the offer this coming season