Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[pinkchick]

Hey Hey Hey!

Poppin' by to say hello! Hope everyone is doing great!

Been wicked crazy busy 'round here the last couple weeks and that really bites into the BYC time I tell'ya.

How is everyone doing?

 

[pinkchick]

Hey Hey Hey!

Poppin' by to say hello! Hope everyone is doing great!

Been wicked crazy busy 'round here the last couple weeks and that really bites into the BYC time I tell'ya.

How is everyone doing?

 

[pinkchick]

Hey Hey Hey!

Poppin' by to say hello! Hope everyone is doing great!

Been wicked crazy busy 'round here the last couple weeks and that really bites into the BYC time I tell'ya.

How is everyone doing?

 

[pinkchick]

Guess I needed to say that 3x..lol!

 

[Ray from PA]

PINK,,,,

recently found your site link and checked it out,,,, have to say I wish you were closer. I'd love to get some of your "blue blood" on my property, nice stock you've got going on there, nicely done !

 

[gilavina]

Hey Hey Hey!

Poppin' by to say hello! Hope everyone is doing great!

Been wicked crazy busy 'round here the last couple weeks and that really bites into the BYC time I tell'ya.

How is everyone doing?

Well shoot. I missed you again! Was off making dinner. I missed Debbi on FB earlier too. Grr.

 

[OHmamma]

A couple of days ago I toe punched my first BCM hatchlings of the season. I used the little toe punch you can buy, not a leather punch which I also have. I removed the skin flap. The holes are scabbed over now. Should I push the scab out or leave it be?

Hi,

I would pop it out. I have had them heal over dab some miracle blue or iodine on it to help keep infection away. I use the miracle blue since it masks the red blood and keeps them from getting pecked.

 

[OHmamma]

The black coppers I have are French standard. A little background before I ask my question. I'm wanting to bring in another line of birds to improve my pens. I gent that I've dealt with, won't name for privacy, has black coppers that I like when I contacted him about buying eggs he told me about bring in a new line of english standard black coppers, and talked about how superior the egg color is.
My question, is there any other difference between French and English standard other than the leg feathering? I can't seem to find information about this online other than vague information. Are the standards for egg color different? Is there any big stop sign with possibly crossing of the two standards. Went on the MOAC site to see if they compared the two. Seen some beautiful eggs, and read and reread the standard, but in truth, is the "english" style of black copper just a sales pitch or is it valid?
Thanks

There is no difference other than clean legs. Egg color standard is also the same. If you cross them you will come out with both clean and feathered or poorly feathered. As a Marans breeder that keeps clean legged birds too, I would say that I prefer clean legs for mine especially in bad weather. I do get requests for clean legged chicks but not often, so if you are wanting to sell chicks or eggs eventually you might not want to go that way. My clean legged hens lay just as dark as my feather legged ones but people wanting Marans usually want the French Standard.

Your bigger problems will likely come from crossing lines, when a breeder establishes a line they have carefully selected for specific traits and bred out flaws, when you cross two totally unrelated lines you could end up with quite a mess that you would have to try to breed back out.

-Nicol

 

[pinkchick]

There is no difference other than clean legs. Egg color standard is also the same. If you cross them you will come out with both clean and feathered or poorly feathered. As a Marans breeder that keeps clean legged birds too, I would say that I prefer clean legs for mine especially in bad weather. I do get requests for clean legged chicks but not often, so if you are wanting to sell chicks or eggs eventually you might not want to go that way. My clean legged hens lay just as dark as my feather legged ones but people wanting Marans usually want the French Standard. 

Your bigger problems will likely come from crossing lines, when a breeder establishes a line they have carefully selected for specific traits and bred out flaws, when you cross two totally unrelated lines you could end up with quite a mess that you would have to try to breed back out. 

-Nicol

I agree with OH and also wanted to add that when crossing lines it is most likely that egg color will suffer as well, but just as OH stated above careful selections along with only setting the darkest eggs will help you regain egg color.

 

[welly]

Hi folks
I have 3 beautiful Blue copper Marans ROOS that are 4 weeks old that I can't have here I would love for them to go to a GOOD home FREE.They came from Sterling Sue.These would need to be pick up I am in Ma. Please let me know.