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That comment seems a little disingenuous and unnecessary. You and I both know I'm not an expert, and I would never claim to be.
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No, I don't expect to in the near future ... not even in photos on the web. There are so many variables when it comes to Black Copper Marans that I think the possibilities of a rooster meeting/exceeding the SOP anytime soon are exponentially small. You would have a better chance than many. You're paying way better attention to the birds than many others are.* Even a genetically proper bird can have too gold a hackle, so breeding with that bird, which is genetically a BCM and fine to use as a breeder, lessens the chances of a SOP bird coming out of any hatch. I think breeding BCMs is more difficult than breeding some other breeds because of the whole mahogany issue, not to mention melanizers that haven't been identified. Then on top of that all the mixing that has been done in France and on this continent. Nearly boggles the mind. Is nearly overwhelming.
It's interesting to see how like doesn't always produce like in Black Copper Marans at this point in the history of the breed in North America or at least I haven't found it to be so. The roosters don't recreate themselves when they breed -- at least mine haven't. A large meaty comb can produce a small Langshan style comb and a couple of long backed birds can produce compact birds. Two great looking birds can produce all very slow feathering birds, which is supposed to be bred out of the breed, though it's not mentioned in the standard the last time I read it. A dark hen and a black chested ER/ER rooster can spit out roosters that have just the right amount of lacing at the top of chest, a sight to behold. Two birds with great tail sets will shoot out a few birds that have 80 degree tails (yuck). I think that of those who are working with BCMs that share what they are doing (as we know many don't share what their breeding secrets, setbacks, etc.) a few of them are culling breeder birds before they even know what those birds could produce with a few years of work. So they just keep buying chicks or eggs and growing them out, then culling all of them because they don't meet the SOP and starting over again the next year. The genetics are in there with a few of the birds that don't meet the SOP perfectly and some serious hatching and selection could bring a lot of the proper features out. The breeder birds don't have to be perfect to make some perfect chicks if all of the genetic material lines up properly; the past 130 or so years of chicken breeding history should be enough to convince the naysayers.
You'd think that if anyone would be close to coming up with an SOP Black Copper Marans rooster anytime soon that it would be you.
The initial test matings took me two years because I didn't have enough isolation pens, wheaten based birds, nor the inclination to go more quickly. You were still breeding brown breasts this spring after 4 years (or similar). For me, the genetics route was less time and work intensive and, therefore, easier for me. Your method is easier for you, but took longer. Tomato tomato. Six of one, half dozen of the other.
For those listening in: I've said it before and I'll say it again. I will not be selling any BCM chicks or eggs ever. Subtext to other breeders=I'm not your competition. I don't have a pony in this race, just my little closed flock of pretty birds making pretty eggs for our family. Our goal? Being able to sustain this backyard flock (closed) of mild roosters and hens so that we can have the eggs always.