Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[MandyFitch]

Hey guys,

Let me chime in on the thank you for the help you give newbies here. I am not trying to breed my birds but do like to know all I can about them. I really appreciate the time you take to respond.

I've just been advised by a local that there is no such thing as a Blue Copper Marans and that mine have lacing in their feathers which suggests they are something else. Is that right? They're only nine weeks old. Does /can feathering change after a molt?

Thanks again.

 

[gilavina]

Hey guys,

Let me chime in on the thank you for the help you give newbies here. I am not trying to breed my birds but do like to know all I can about them. I really appreciate the time you take to respond.

I've just been advised by a local that there is no such thing as a Blue Copper Marans and that mine have lacing in their feathers which suggests they are something else. Is that right? They're only nine weeks old. Does /can feathering change after a molt?

Thanks again.

There are such things as blue copper marans. As far as the 'lacing', on blue birds there can be a darker edging of blue, which, I aim to have in all my blue breeds. It is not necessarily an indicator of something else. There is a big difference between actual lacing on a blue, like on andalusians and edging.

 

[Broad St Farm]

Hey guys, Let me chime in on the thank you for the help you give newbies here. I am not trying to breed my birds but do like to know all I can about them. I really appreciate the time you take to respond. I've just been advised by a local that there is no such thing as a Blue Copper Marans and that mine have lacing in their feathers which suggests they are something else. Is that right? They're only nine weeks old. Does /can feathering change after a molt? Thanks again.

Well your local is wrong! There is such a thing as Blue Copper Marans, and there are a lot of other Varities than that. They haven't been recognized by the APA but that is a proper name for them. Your look like Marans, what quality they turn out like or if they would be worth breeding, only time will tell. My thoughts are if you got them from someone that doesn't have a clue, I would be Leary on using them. God know what lurks in there genes.

 

[KsKingBee]

Thanks Broad St Farm, I will look for that thread and order the SOP, I understand it is a bit pricey but it should be worth it. I have a whole library of bee books, guess I will start a chicken library too!

 

[Broad St Farm]

The APA SOP book doesn't have the Marans in it. But it has info on cutting for defects in it. You can find the BCM SOP on the Marans chicken club website. And there ar diagrams for type somewhere. I'm on my phone so I can't cut and paste.

 

[MandyFitch]

Well your local is wrong! There is such a thing as Blue Copper Marans, and there are a lot of other Varities than that. They haven't been recognized by the APA but that is a proper name for them. Your look like Marans, what quality they turn out like or if they would be worth breeding, only time will tell. My thoughts are if you got them from someone that doesn't have a clue, I would be Leary on using them. God know what lurks in there genes.

Thanks. The person I got them from knows what they are and told me they are from Greenfire lines. Someone else told me, based on the same photos I've posted here, that they are not Marans.

So there's nothing to her comment about the "lacing?"

 

[MandyFitch]

Actually I found and forwarded this article from Backyard Poultry Magazine which mentions the lacing as desirable but "difficult to get right."

http://www.backyardpoultrymag.com/5-3/marans_chickens_layers_of_chocolate_brown_eggs/

 

[gilavina]

Thanks. The person I got them from knows what they are and told me they are from Greenfire lines. Someone else told me, based on the same photos I've posted here, that they are not Marans.

So there's nothing to her comment about the "lacing?"

honestly, I would not worry about what the person said. If they do not know that there are Blue Copper Marans, then I would question how much they can actually tell you about what they should and should not have. Blues can have edging to them, but should not be confused with the genetic term lacing, because there are different factors as play when it is actual lacing. Edging in blues is indeed difficult to get right. I was raised on all types of blue breeds, and getting the tone of blue and edging to the feathers is difficult, but not impossible. Here is a couple of examples of my Blue Coppers with edging.

 

[Nashonii]

Quote: Good quote! Thank you for even more good advice. I am on the look out for a wheaten female. I've decided I like their diffirent colors more than I would a solid black BCM. so I'm happy. Thanks to all for being here for us uninformed rookies.

 

[snowbird]

Hey Don, did you see the pics of the couple cockerels I posted? How do you think they are filling out? Feedback seems a bit slim these days here.

Vicki, I really like the picture you have posted lately. Seems as though you have a gold mine with the Marans. Very hard to comment on Marans here unless you want an argument. I have mostly been quiet.