Marans - SOP discussion thread

[gilavina]

I do agree that maybe it should be clarified in the SOP.

But my thoughts are that since the outlines for an SOP is to have a true representation of a variety and breed. In the APA they state its to promote good type and health. Maybe they felt that tufts don't represent a huge issue to focus or it may have gotten overlooked. The only thing I remember about tufts was at a genetic a breeding stand point. My understanding was having black tufts wasn't a big deal unless you wanted to have a better color balance for the offspring. Then you would for sure want the copper tufts. Who knows.

I'm of a similar mindset, but I've seen the discussion on tuft color come up on a consistent basis, on threads, people emailing me, at the show I had a couple ask me and its hard when they have a standard in hand and it doesn't clarify. It seems to leave a place of ambiguity that I'm not sure was intended.

 

[marquisella]

Quote: Yes it does, of course, if one is breeding for the standard, and wants their birds to have correct color, and who doesn't, then knowing about the ear tuffs color, is important. I never looked at the ear tuffs until I read about it..Now, its one of the first things I see, well,, the 2nd actually, after I notice that a bird is very black, or has mahogany colored feathers. I look at the tuffs, and if they are black, oh well.

I guess since melanization has always been an issue for me, I'm of the old school, and want my roos to have a black breast, it will always haunt me.

 

[gilavina]

Yes it does, of course, if one is breeding for the standard, and wants their birds to have correct color, and who doesn't, then knowing about the ear tuffs color, is important. I never looked at the ear tuffs until I read about it..Now, its one of the first things I see, well,, the 2nd actually, after I notice that a bird is very black, or has mahogany colored feathers. I look at the tuffs, and if they are black, oh well.

I guess since melanization has always been an issue for me, I'm of the old school, and want my roos to have a black breast, it will always haunt me.

I've done pretty well with black on the breast of the males. I have one I held back with a bit of color to do some work on the copper collar of the hens and notice in breeding back those hens with the good copper collar to a cock with a black breast, I do not get hardly any overcolored offspring, male or female. There is still a long way to go, but slowly, think the variances are reducing and the consistency is increasing. Looking forward to seeing how another 5 years goes.

 

[math ace]

If memory serves me correctly, AGES ago we were told by snowbird that the ear tuft color should match the hackle color.
This was a couple of years ago when we use to look at BCM carefully and point out all the right and wrong of the birds.
It was back when the SOP for marans was being proposed..

We had this big discussion back then about ear tufts in general, not just the appropriate color.

 

[Wynette]

we use to look at BCM carefully and point out all the right and wrong of the birds.

Yup, yup - I recall that. Remember when we discussed - at length - toenail color?

 

[math ace]

From 5/22/11 posting from Snowbird...

Good Morning All, Lately I see some talking about a Ear Covert, what is a Ear Covert ? In the SOP it say Ear Tuft small Tuft of stiff feather like plumage. Is this what is being called Ear Coverts.


From 2/24/11 posting from Snowbird..

I never heard the Ear coverts until I came on BYC. I believe the correct word should be Ear Down. Don
.

and same day on wheaten thread...

Randy, will try and combine everything we talked about on the Marans thread. The ear feathers on chicks would be called ear Down and the older fowl would be called Ear-Tuft. It should be at least a off colored white if it is white. The lighter the undercolor , the ear-Tuft will be lighter also or at least it should. Don


It was during this time frame that on one of the many marans threads we had a discussion about what color the ear tufts should be.

I tried and wasn't able to find the exact posting, but I will keep trying..

 

[math ace]

Marans thread post 1620.... I've got to go back to that period of time and read. I KNOW we, Don and I, talked about it on the SS thread, BUT I was pretty sure we discussed it here too.
Don has provided us with so much good instruction over the last few years that it is hard to locate the exact quote.

 

[Wynette]

Rooster 2 appears on the surface to be overmelanised… He also looks a little roach backed..the tail marriage..not as desirable He is losing color though I can see this by looking at the quality of copper and the ear coverts.. so he may turn out better in the end than expected.. If the back isn’t curved as it appears in the picture than he would be worth watching..He is younger than the other one so the comparison really isn’t in his favor.. I would still watch him mature…Some times I get surprised.. His comb is kinda funky… but the eye color and beak horn and leg color indicates a good balance that has not show up yet.. In the end he may be a breeding quality fellow…It just doesn’t appear that way now… If this is all I had…I would use it… I really would.. It isn’t terrible… You just have a better looking one above him currently.. that could change with time and maturity.. 

Here's an old post by geebs, who doesn't post here any longer. This post was made in 2010. She was SO fussy about things like the color of ear coverts & has an excellent knowledge of genetics; particularly of Marans. Here's a link to the post above, and you can scroll up to see the picture of the bird theyr'e discussing.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ussion-pictures-are-welcome/8070#post_5294902

 

[gilavina]

I do remember the conversation you are referring to, and it kind of some what started me to thinking about it. I think its since the standard came out I've often wondered why the desired color is not specifically listed on the ear tufts and why in the faults section for instance on the BCMs why it doesn't state something like any other color than brown.

 

[math ace]

I do remember the conversation you are referring to, and it kind of some what started me to thinking about it. I think its since the standard came out I've often wondered why the desired color is not specifically listed on the ear tufts and why in the faults section for instance on the BCMs why it doesn't state something like any other color than brown.

Good Question ... I guess since Bev Davis popped in here the other day, she might be around to give an answer to this question since it was the club that did the proposing of the standard...

I don't think Walt and the APA write the standard, just approve what is proposed by the clubs... Of course, Walt could pop in and clarify this aspect of the procedure.

Do any of the other standards for the other breeds specify ear tuft color?