Marans - SOP discussion thread

[Debbi]

YES!!!!

 

[ChicksterJo]

Out of 3 chicks that I got from onthespot, I had one pullet (black copper) that had virtually no leg/feet feathering, and 1 roo (black copper) and 1 pullet (blue copper) that had heavy feathering. This pic isn't a closeup but it shows the amount of feathering she has...unfortunately she also has a couple small feathers on each middle toe.

 

[Mrs. Cannon]

I hope this picture posts, I'm using my phone right now.
When I think of the marans toe feathering I think of it like this. I would like to ge an APA judges opinion of it but this is what i'm breeding for. I would also like his tail feathering to be shorter like my other roos but all in all I absolulty love his look. He came out
of a very dark egg and I'm hoping that to pass on to his offspring.

 

[Arielle]

I double clicked on the photo above hoping to increase the size to see the legs better! LOL
Double click doesn't make the photo bigger, nor remove the shadow on the legs . . .

Thank you for posting a beautiful boy (and girl)!

Wynette--great photos, thanks for posting. THis is just how my chicks look , smaller leg, smaller feathers (3 weeks old).

Are we allowed to ask how true this breeds? Can I ask how to get the perfect feathering and then how to keep it?

 

[Mrs. Cannon]

Quote:
Crapola! Lol. I'll post better once I get on a real computer

.
I've hatched one batch out of this breeding group so far and have about 25 more on the way. Out of the ones I've already hatched out all have good feathering although about 25% or so do get lighter on the toe. The roo is with girls who have quite a bit of foot feathering that carries through the toe

When the others hatch I will post my findings. I'm very intrested myself how the chicks will look

 

[edgarmongold]

Quote:
Nice amount of feathering, better on the first picture than the second. mho

No carry over feathers to middle toe which is as described in the SOP!

 

[Arielle]

Skin color on legs: I noticed the leg coloring on the 2 examples wynette posted. Is this correct coloring? One is paler, a slate(?), and the other looks black. THe SOP listed the hens as having a darker leg. Would the second bird be a hen??

Sorry still trying to learn the names of the body parts and what the colors really are.

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
Nice amount of feathering, better on the first picture than the second. mho

No carry over feathers to middle toe which is as described in the SOP!

Thank you, edgarmongold, for weighing in. To me, this is sort of a "medium" amount of feathering. Another follow-up question (sorry - should have asked this when I posted the pics) - what would the point deduction be for feathering much heavier, or much lighter than those pictured? I realize middle toe feathering would be a DQ, but - if it's TOO sparse or TOO thick - would that be something like a 5 point deduction? Or, more likely just a comment on the cage card without point deductions?

Arielle - I am not even completely sure that those pictures I posted are Marans - they are not my birds, the pics were sent to me & I was asked to post them so we'd have something close-up to look at.

As far as breeding for the proper leg feathering, I think it's mostly a matter of using a heavier feathered mate if featheirng is too light on offspring, or vice versa if too thick. Still, you can get some clean-shanked birds now & then. Two years ago, my flock's shank feathering was really good, and "mostly" consistent, but every now & again, I'd get a small percentage that were completely clean shanked. Just don't use what you don't want to see in the future.

 

[geebs]

Edgar: Do you have a toenail preference on the females... (I like the black legs with WHITE toenails) There seems to be an array of difference from female to female in my pen. Which is most desirable?

 

[edgarmongold]

Quote:
The second leg color is too black for Black Copper or Black according to the MCCUSA's standards.