Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[cfd chickens]

Quote:
Math Ace,

I"m SURE they aren't all from Bev's lineage. They are from at least 2, possibly 3 pens. At a month old, 8 of them were twice the size of the remaining 4. It was mind-boggling! I was told the larger ones were Bev's. They are finally looking closer to the same size now. I THOUGHT I was getting all Bev chicks. My chickens run the gamut from UGLY to somewhat handsome. Oh well. I'll work with what I've got.

I plan on picking up some eggs from Wynette in April to hatch out. She's only 4 hours away. I need to find out where Don is in MI too. I'd love to check out other BCM set-ups.

Depending what mine look like at maturity, I may hatch some from my stock. I've got two roosters that look pretty good IMO. I plan on keeping my 5 hens.

I need to take more pics today or tomorrow.

Thanks, Brenda

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:

Do you have photos of the birds in question that you can share?? Can you see longer pointy feathers coming in around the saddle area? Are any of the long tail feathers starting to curve downward toward the top?

At last I went out and photo'd my GCMs this evening. I will post them in order - the one that I am sure is a pullet, one I am sure is a cockerel, and the one that looks like a cockerel in the head end and a pullet in the tail end! (I guess it is the tail end that is really the important one, isn't it!)

Please let me know what you think. The cockerel grew out long tail feathers, as you will see, along with pointy saddle feathers fairly early. The other two have vastly different combs and wattles, but both have short tail feathers and no pointy saddle feathers. My original question was about the tail feathers, but I am so curious about the one that seems to have both pullet and cockerel characteristics. When they were chicks, pasofinofarm (the breeder) and others thought I had 2 pullets and one cockerel; you can see the chick photos here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4169240#p4169240

I should add that they hatched May 7 or 8 - the day before Mother's Day.

Pullet:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0067.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0113.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0128.jpg

Cockerel: (Note the long tail feathers)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0091.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0110.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0111.jpg

Confusing one:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0153.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0126.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0152.jpg
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/22119_dsc_0159.jpg​

Hi Verlaj!
Boy o boy o boy......I'm cornfused on that one too. I've spent probably 30 minutes total sitting here scrolling up and down going over your photos and I can't come up with gender,

Now with that said, part of me really really really wants to say roo, but don't hold me too that lol!

 

[math ace]

Quote:
Math Ace,

I"m SURE they aren't all from Bev's lineage. They are from at least 2, possibly 3 pens. Thanks, Brenda

OK Brenda, with that in mind . . . . I think #2 is from a different pen than # 4. I think #4 is from the Bev Dacis pen. I say this because your #2 looks like the other one I got from Greenfire farm. He had a better tail than the one I kep, but there were a lot of other things that were worse. At 4 months, he still had BLACK EYES - - big DQ. I didn't know they could take up to 6 months to change I color, but I would of thought they would of lighten / changed a little by 4 months old.

I think you are going to have to wait a month or two more BEFORE you can decide on keepers or leavers. . ..

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Math Ace,

I"m SURE they aren't all from Bev's lineage. They are from at least 2, possibly 3 pens. At a month old, 8 of them were twice the size of the remaining 4. It was mind-boggling! I was told the larger ones were Bev's. They are finally looking closer to the same size now. I THOUGHT I was getting all Bev chicks. My chickens run the gamut from UGLY to somewhat handsome. Oh well. I'll work with what I've got.

I plan on picking up some eggs from Wynette in April to hatch out. She's only 4 hours away. I need to find out where Don is in MI too. I'd love to check out other BCM set-ups.

Depending what mine look like at maturity, I may hatch some from my stock. I've got two roosters that look pretty good IMO. I plan on keeping my 5 hens.

I need to take more pics today or tomorrow.

Thanks, Brenda

Brenda, I am about 20miles south of Ann Arbor 6 miles east of Milan. Don

 

[snowbird]

Anyone reading the Forum know of a Black Copper Marans line in the USA that does not produce a large number with white in Wings and Tail ? I would also included the white undercolor in this . If you know of something like this please post on the forum for everyone to see. I would be willing to buy eggs or adults from a flock that would produce fowl without all the white. Must be willing to backup with picture of young and adults. Lets hear from you.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
DON - - do I sense a little frustration ? ? ?

(Please take my comment in the humorous tone it was intended for )

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
DON - - do I sense a little frustration ? ? ?

(Please take my comment in the humorous tone it was intended for )

no the comment I made was for anyone that knows of any Black Copper Marans that do not have the white feathers.

The Black Copper Marans are the most frustrating chicken that I have ever owned. I find myself wondering why they are trying to get them accepted by the APA, I know of none that will breed true, some say they have them but have yet to see the proof. I do believe the Wheaten will be much easier to get accepted by the APA, they breed much more true to the proposed standard.

This year I have hatched out over 600 Black Copper and will only have a few males that I will keep. I demand that my Black Copper also have size and type to be able to eat my feed. Oh well only time will tell.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Quote:
Yes if there is any such thing I know so far if I think it's a good enough one I find the dreaded white feather.....shoot some I'm growing out look to have a tiny bit of a crossed beak.....that's a first...good thing I like chicken I'm going to have a freezer full of expensive chickens

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Yes if there is any such thing I know so far if I think it's a good enough one I find the dreaded white feather.....shoot some I'm growing out look to have a tiny bit of a crossed beak.....that's a first...good thing I like chicken I'm going to have a freezer full of expensive chickens

I am in the same boat as my freezer is full and I am the only one here to eat them. Well I am a good cook so will have to try cooking different ways.

 

[Debbi]

Don,

Does the white feathering/fluff coincide with any other traits that you have found? For example: white feathers and light colored eyes? Is this a recessive white gene?