Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[snowbird]

Lisa, Patience my friend, You should anything worth having is worth waiting for. When you see the breakdown you will say it sure was worth waiting on, What I am putting together will give you clean eggs and save the eggs from being eat. Will drive 20 miles today for the material just for you.

 

[Debbi]

Kim and Barb, here is what I can say about breeding the Blue Copper and have done this in past years. Forget about the BBS formula.

The main thing about Blue Copper breeding is only use the BC when the color needs enriching. Always use a Blue Copper or splash male and use Blue copper and splash females. The best mating in my mind is use a Blue Copper male over the splash female. When making variety crosses always use a male in the color you would like most of the chicks to be. Keep in mind that most of the time you will need a mating for males and another for female with parti colored fowl.

If you use very much BC in this Blue Copper breeding the males will have over red shoulders and will be junk. Best thing in breeding the Blue Copper is forget that there is BC.

There is much more but have tried to make it simple. I bred Modern Games for years and this is what I did.

Of all the splash that I ever raised there were only considered as breeding fowl.

Don, Do I remember correctly in that, you don't use any of the BCMs for breeding more BCMs, when coming out of a Blue cross?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Kim and Barb, here is what I can say about breeding the Blue Copper and have done this in past years. Forget about the BBS formula.

The main thing about Blue Copper breeding is only use the BC when the color needs enriching. Always use a Blue Copper or splash male and use Blue copper and splash females. The best mating in my mind is use a Blue Copper male over the splash female. When making variety crosses always use a male in the color you would like most of the chicks to be. Keep in mind that most of the time you will need a mating for males and another for female with parti colored fowl.

If you use very much BC in this Blue Copper breeding the males will have over red shoulders and will be junk. Best thing in breeding the Blue Copper is forget that there is BC.

There is much more but have tried to make it simple. I bred Modern Games for years and this is what I did.

Of all the splash that I ever raised there were only considered as breeding fowl.

Thank you, Don! I've added this to my notebook.

 

[gilavina]

Type is type - anyone working on varieties not yet approved should work on type first, using the sketches that have been posted so many times on the Marans threads. Then, I guess I would use an approved standard for the color of another breed that's already been approved. At least in the interim.

That's what I've been telling everyone and I'm sure you know how it is, explaining all the details so they understand how it works. Then answering all the questions that come after that.

 

[snowbird]

Don, Do I remember correctly in that, you don't use any of the BCMs for breeding, when coming out of a Blue cross?

Yes, The only reason to do so would be if you did not have anything else to work with. If we are cautious and look for even a pair or two pair to start with then we can breed these for several generations without having to ad new, but we absolutely have to be able to cull very hard.

If you would like I can real simple like explain how I breed any of the fowl I am working with. I bred the Buff and Light Brahma over 30 years and have had RIR bantams over 35 years.

Will be off until later today, have to go for material for the trap nest.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

double ...

 

[snowbird]

That's what I've been telling everyone and I'm sure you know how it is, explaining all the details so they understand how it works. Then answering all the questions that come after that.

Just a quick comment here, Buy fowl with good type and breed shape when starting as most will never live long enough to get the big broad back and chest developed if you start with narrow unthrifty stock.

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I LOVE the genetics books - much the chagrin of many!!

I have Genetics of Chicken Colours by Sigrid Van Dort, David Hancox, & Friends, and I also have her latest release, Genetics of the Chicken Extremes that deals with how the birds are put together. (I also have her book on Silkies.) Sigrid's books are by far, the easiest to start with because she LOADS them with pictures from around the world and she explains at length. Her English isn't perfect but she seems to be able to make her points well enough.

It is like learning a new language so it's slow going and I have to refer back to the books constantly to refresh and check my memory. The pictures REALLY help. I believe the only way to get them is from Sigrid herself. http://www.chickencolours.com/

 

[gilavina]

Just a quick comment here, Buy fowl with good type and breed shape when starting as most will never live long enough to get the big broad back and chest developed if you start with narrow unthrifty stock.

very true

 

[Debbi]

very true

X2! Kind of like trying to make a guinea pig by breeding two ferrets!