Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Broad St Farm]

I'm new and find many differing opinions about the Marans.  With the BCM and BBS, my understanding is "French" is describing a bird, or a line of birds, that are bred to the French standard of feathered shanks.  Most people I've talked with say using the word "French" is unnecessary and imply that Americans are breeding to French standard and that doesn't seem to be true.  How is a person to talk about their birds?  It would seem helpful to use the word "French" if breeding feather-shanked BCM, or to say BCM bred to French standards.  I do have a question about the blue copper and blue Marans...since neither are "approved" colors, are the blue coppers bred from crossing blues with BCM or are the blue Marans simply a poorly colored blue copper Marans?

There is a French Standard and an American Standard. Before the Black Coppers became popular in the US and when we didn't have an SOP to go off of for breeding many people refered to the French standard to breed from. Now that's not the case. The BCM has been approved as a variety so we now have an American standard to go off of. That said as these were fairly new and that they originated in France people began calling them French Black Coppers. That is not necessary. Our standard calls for leg feathers. That isn't the basis whether to call them French. They are Black Copper Marans. A good example of this is: If you came from France, and became a citizen of the US you are an American now. You have a French past but you now reside here.

Blue Copper, is a color variety. Yes you can use the Black Copper in breeding. The APA hasn't excepted them, there is no SOP for them. People try and use a lot of basics in the SOP and apply it to varieties that do not have a standard. Marans normally are not chosen to get a bunch of eggs from. If you go through the posts you will find discussions on everything. I have read every single post on all the Marans threads. I would direct you to do it to. Any new question new people ask is in here. And normally all new people ask the same questions.

 

[DMRippy]

a lot of people say FRENCH BCM and are strictly referring to the feathered legs. the ENGLISH BCM have NO feathered legs. now there is a sstandard here and we just call them BCM WITHOUT the FRENCH

You find posts all the time FBCM (meaning with feathered legs) that was my understanding.

 

[Ihilani Coffee]

There is a French Standard and an American Standard. Before the Black Coppers became popular in the US and when we didn't have an SOP to go off of for breeding many people refered to the French standard to breed from. Now that's not the case. The BCM has been approved as a variety so we now have an American standard to go off of. That said as these were fairly new and that they originated in France people began calling them French Black Coppers. That is not necessary. Our standard calls for leg feathers. That isn't the basis whether to call them French. They are Black Copper Marans. A good example of this is: If you came from France, and became a citizen of the US you are an American now. You have a French past but you now reside here.

Blue Copper, is a color variety. Yes you can use the Black Copper in breeding. The APA hasn't excepted them, there is no SOP for them. People try and use a lot of basics in the SOP and apply it to varieties that do not have a standard. Marans normally are not chosen to get a bunch of eggs from. If you go through the posts you will find discussions on everything. I have read every single post on all the Marans threads. I would direct you to do it to. Any new question new people ask is in here. And normally all new people ask the same questions.

Thank you. I run 7 businesses and the chickens are a hobby, so my time is limited. I do read archives as I have time.

 

[math ace]

Thank you. I run 7 businesses and the chickens are a hobby, so my time is limited. I do read archives as I have time.

Ask away... Although there is a TON of good info in this thread, it is hidden in pages and pages of posts.
If there is something you specifically want to know - A S K ...

No one is expected to read ALL the prior posts. . . . .

 

[ladycat]

You find posts all the time FBCM (meaning with feathered legs) that was my understanding.

My understanding is:

French = feathered legs
English = clean legs

Just saying "Marans" without specifying can refer to either or both.

Maybe my understanding is wrong.

The breed is still new, so it will take a while to clear up people's confusion and settle on a universal vernacular.

 

[maryhysong]

No one is expected to read ALL the prior posts. . . . .

No, but if you do you will get quite an education about Marans! I did when I started; reading the daily posts first, then I had the thread open in another tab where I was reading the whole thing from the beginning. I also had a Word file open where I cut and pasted interesting and important info so I could refer back to it later.

 

[chrissyr]

I've read on a few sites that diet can effect egg color. It sounds like grass/free range is mostly what they're talking about. Has anyone heard of this?

 

[Anfan]

I've read on a few sites that diet can effect egg color. It sounds like grass/free range is mostly what they're talking about. Has anyone heard of this?

There are studies at Texas A&M in progress trying to find a correlation between diet and egg coloration. Nothing conclusive has been released. But preliminary research finds a correlation between high carbohydrate levels and egg color, ie darker color eggs in Marans as well and darker blue/green eggs in Americanas.

 

[chrissyr]

There are studies at Texas A&M in progress trying to find a correlation between diet and egg coloration. Nothing conclusive has been released. But preliminary research finds a correlation between high carbohydrate levels and egg color, ie darker color eggs in Marans as well and darker blue/green eggs in Americanas.

thank you Anfan Interesting to hear about

 

[midnight2157]

Love your appy!