Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[math ace]

Quote:

What is feather shafting?

Sorry this is not a Marans but it will show you exactly what feather shafting is. This is one of my Wellie girls, look at her chest and see that nice bright creamy line going down the middle of the feathers, that is the feather shaft and when some one refers to feather shafting it means that the shaft itself is lighter in color or exemplified in some way and in Marans it should not be there, but can be seen in Marans birds that are overly red in the chest area.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/11170_example_of_shafting.jpg

GREAT JOB PINK - -- I got it FIRST Time out ! !

 

[math ace]

Once again, I borrowed this from another BYC member on the marans thread. FOR REFERENCE PURPOSES only !

For those interested in showing, here is the point system French Black Coppers will be judged on:

Symmetry 4
Weight or size 4
Condition & vigor 10
Comb 5
Beak 3
Skull & face 4
Eyes 4
Wattles 2
Earlobes 4
Neck 6
Back 12
Tail 8
Wings 8
Breast 10
Body & fluff 8
Legs & toes 8

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Don, if it was left out, I'm sure it was not intentional. To me, if something is not specifically called out, it is open for interpretation of the breeder - Walt, thoughts on this idea?

Hi Don

If you wanted some input on the standard you should have joined the club. All members were invited to comment on the proposed standard and that was announced on the yahoo group for which I know you were a member.

Bev

Bev, look at the membership list.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
Jan,you are mixing up what I stated. Never said side sprig signaled Pene, I said carnation comb signaled Pene, Carnation comb is not a side sprig., I did not say a lopped comb was Pene blood, I stated that a twisted blade part of the comb was an indicator of Pene blood. When the pene blood is added to Marans it will show up mostly in the young males as a carnation comb, I assume you know what a carnation comb is don't you.

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
This year I hatched and grew out over 600 Black Copper marans and will keep 47 females and 7 males. This should attest to how close they come to the proposed standard.

 

[math ace]

Quote:
First I want to make it clear that this is just me joking around........................LOL My birds are said to be Jeane Wade/Presley/Bev Davis..............I guess I am really raising Mutts.....LOL. I am learning a lot in my confusion & will continue to try to improve what I have.
Karen in Turlock California

This could be bad OR this could be good . . . . Maybe your birds got ALL the good from each breeder

OR or OR or

Your birds got ALL the bad from each breeder

 

[Debbi]

Don,

Just curious, have you tried bringing in another line to your flock? If I remember, you are primarily breeding from the Jeane line?

 

[geebs]

"Shafting" as the term is I believe to be another expression of the melaniser and another indicator of the quality of black that is intrinsic to the breed as it is a balancing of the red and black... The quality of the black is expressed in the absence and too much presence of the black melaniser... Please Bev jump in here if I am misinformed. That would certainly be an absence of the required amount of melaniser... Or (ink as I like to think of it)... This can be seen by watching over time, as the color goes down the feather, covering white feathers and mossy alike.

Is this a trait of Pene??? I simply don't know but it is an expression of marans as they have always been... a delicate balance... Could it be the any of the asiatic breeds that comprise the bird...? quite possibly. One can look at the Red Junglefowl as the founder bird and see the white undercoating in the breed that is said to be the foundation for this and all other breeds... if we look back to it's roots we can, in our minds, attribute many aspects of the bird before us... This is all speculation... as is identifying a single trait and labeling it as a causitive factor where many breeds have the same traits.


Again 2 more pennies.

Oh and yes Snowbird, I Do know what a Carnation comb is... Thanks for asking. My name is not Fran... (you must have me confused with someone else... I am Geebs)

Fnick I have kept 8 original birds and 4 juveniles and 4 birds from a hatch and my roosters. I have hatched over 400 marans this year.

 

[math ace]

Wow it looks like we have gone from famine to feast.
We've gone days with hardly anyone posting and NOW - - - there have been 7 pages or so covered today. . .

It is good to see everyone out and posting.
I have always appreciated how open the forum has been AND how respectful to regular participants have been to each other.

It is a good thing to see new members on here EVERYDAY. . . . There has been a lot of new blood on here lately.

I'd like to remind to NEW BLOOD - - that most of the regulars to this thread would love to answer any questions you might be to SHY to post openly on the thread. Just hit the pm button !

THANKS everyone for keeping this the MOST POSITIVE and INFORMATIVE thread on BYC.

I visit this and coffee's ready EVERYDAY no matter what. I've learned so much !

 

[fdnick]

Quote:
This year I hatched and grew out over 600 Black Copper marans and will keep 47 females and 7 males. This should attest to how close they come to the proposed standard.

Thanks Don..
I was afraid i was culling to hard, i started with 23, hatched and grew out 107 and will go into winter with 21.. I was afraid I was being to picky