Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Glenbogel06]

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Do you ever check your pm's?

I put the 17 eggs in the bator and I have 1dozenand 1/2 to hatch around Thanksgiving.
We only need around 10 more if that many. Do you want some chicks instead of eggs?

Hey, Tanya. Randy told me about your pm's and offer for eggs. That's really nice! He and I will discuss chicks vs eggs, but again thanks for the offer! Since our Wheaton's aren't laying and we don't want to hatch just our silkie/EE mixes, I really miss having chickies around!

 

[n.smithurmond]

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So if a correctly colored BC can carry the recessive gene and an imperfectly colored bird can be without then in the long term culling on the basis of wheaten influence alone isn't enough. You would have to first know if it's carrying the gene at all, right? Or Debbi are you saying that it's impossible to have brown fluff (or any other remnant of outcrossing to another color) unless the gene is there 100% of the time? I'm open to the possibility, but I still need someone to convince me that using BCs without influence (but unproven in terms of the recessive gene) is far less risky to someone starting a breeding program with a bird who exhibits wheaten influence unless wheaten influence MEANS they carry the gene a majority of the time.
And Sewandgrow; I did read a little about the differences btw a wheaten and BC and it became clearer. At first glance though it's amazing how similar the roos are when I was expecting them to look like the wheaten hens!

It's always possible that the "normal" BCM may be carrying the gene. In MY opinion, it's more obvious if they are showing the influences. Either way you are going to take a chance, but why would you want to if the clues were already showing through? So, for me personally, I'll go with what I suspect and try to avoid continuing the potential problem. It would be like going outside to the garage. You have two cars in there. One has an obvious flat tire, the other one doesn't. Now, there's always the chance that that car's tire could go flat too, but in my eyes, that would be the obvious one to drive.

Forgive the analogy, I've only had one cup of coffee!

The analogy was fine!

But what I'm saying is that this all depends on wether or not the PHENOTYPE always indicates the GENOTYPE in this case or if wheaten influence is a set of characteristics left in the breed even after the actual recessive gene has been REMOVED. I'm asking IS IT A FACT that wheaten influence indicates a much greater possibility that the gene is present? To what degree is the chance of the gene being present increased if BCs can carry it and WIs may not? Yes, you can see one car has a flat tire and one does not. But you CAN'T see that one has a dead battery and one does not until you start both cars.

 

[Kerjack]

I am learning so much just by reading this thread, so thanks for everyone who is posting. It's funny I'll read a post and have a question but someone will have asked the same question a couple posts down. Love the concept haha.

But now I have a question, sorry if it's dumb I'm completely new to Maran's and breeding for specific traits.

If your BCMs are throwing wheaten chicks, would they be considered true wheaten? Or if you try to breed a wheaten roo with a wheaten pullet that were both thrown from BCMs will you just get a mess?
I really like the look of the wheaten hens(Thank you to everyone who posted pics of them), but not sure how to get them.

 

[pinkchick]

If I found the flat tire I would choose which car was more fun to drive and fix the flat if it was one on the fun car.

 

[pinkchick]

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No, Wheatens thrown from Black Coppers are not considered true Wheatens and they will not breed true if you breed a Wheaten roo and Wheaten female thrown from Black Coppers.

It's not a dumb question. Please don't ever feel that way. This is a place to learn so ask away!

 

[n.smithurmond]

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So this is probably taboo, but I'd love an honest survey in regard to how many breeders (breeding BCMs to the proposed APA standard) still have wheatens (OR wheaten influenced birds with or without the suspected gene) pop up?

 

[Dixiedoodle]

What we need is less disagreeing and MANY MORE pictures!!! Show us the 'money'!!! LOL I want to see your BCM hens--pullets at any age... Thanks Dixie

 

[n.smithurmond]

Yes, pics!

 

[Debbi]

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You funny girl! I don't have a second car, so I'd just take the tractor!

 

[pinkchick]

n.smith~

I am one of those persons working with the Blue Copper, Splash Copper and Black Copper and have never had a Wheaten pop up or Wheaten influences pop up in my birds that I have bred, hatched and grown out, but this has something to do with the line of birds that I work with. Now with that said, I did order some birds and had them shipped in and all three of the cockerels from those birds show those influences, none of the pullets do. I will not be using any of those boys but I will test mate the pullets to see what they throw, if they throw any indications or show any signs (influences) upon maturity I will not use them. I love the look of Wheatens but it is just something that I personally do not wish to work with or desire to have pop up in my birds.