Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Wynette]

Actually, I've seen some gorgeous ones in the past....and some that are...well...not so much.

 

[fdnick]

I thought breeding a cuckoo to a bc gave you the option for true blacks??

Blue Cuckoo's now that would be cool

 

[chasehope]

I guess I need to get some more blue birds and get to work! I have 1 chick that is supposed to be a blue golden cuckoo, but she doesnt have enough feathers yet to tell what color she is! Right now she looks like the golden cuckoo chicks I have? I also have blue barred bantam cochins, but I bought them that way, so not really sure how many generations it took to get there!

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Very neat boy you have chasehope, so if I am guessing right FBCM stands for French Black Copper Marans? What is the difference if I may ask between a FBCM and a Black Copper Marans? Also does it matter which one is the hen and which one is the rooster in this cross to get a golden? Thanks for all the great info!

Great to see everyone again!

We're moving away from calling them "French" - the American [proposed] standard calls for feathered shanks, thus...they are American, and non-feather shanked Marans would be disqualified in a show pen. But, many folks, including myself, have called any Marans with feathered shanks a "French" variety.

That brings up a good point or rather question I've been meaning to ask. So what will all the folks with clean legged Marans now call their flock since clean legged will be disqualified as if they are no longer Marans?????

Or, in other words, what language will those of us with the former "French" variety (feathered legs) use to differentiate from the former "American" version (clean legged) and vice versa????

It seems like if everyone is now going to call them simply Black Copper Marans we will forever be having to say "feathered legged" or "clean legged". I guess over time, those with the clean legged, since they won't be able to show them, will just get rid of them. Seems a shame since there are some nice looking clean legged Marans out there.

And everyone - please know I'm just asking what, to me, seems an obvious question that I haven't seen addressed. I mean no harm, ill-will, and certainly don't want to cause trouble and I'm not directing this at anyone in particular - just putting it "out there" for discussion.

 

[geebs]

Breeding stock

 

[flgardengirl]

chasehope: love your GC rooboy. I have one darker colored golden cuckoo pullet with feathered shanks, stubs really, but I will take what I can get ~ its a start LOL! Glad you found a roo for your girls. Get the violins out, light some candles, and start the courtship lol

ETA : Happy Bday Math Ace

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
Yup.

 

[sewandgrow]

Quote:
Okay guys & gals..............I am confused now (as usual)....LOL Is that how you get a Golden Cuckoo, you cross a FBCM with the Cuckoo Marans?? I go to great length to keep all my colors separated so as NOT to mix things up. Am I missing something??? So very much to learn.......
Thanks
Karen in California

 

[Wynette]

Quote:
Okay guys & gals..............I am confused now (as usual)....LOL Is that how you get a Golden Cuckoo, you cross a FBCM with the Cuckoo Marans?? I go to great length to keep all my colors separated so as NOT to mix things up. Am I missing something??? So very much to learn.......
Thanks
Karen in California

Karen, what you're asking is actually a genetics question. When you want to breed a specific color or attribute, you need to know whether it is recessive or dominant to the color/attribute of both the breeders to know if it will show up as expressed or recessive and how to get it to "come out" so to speak. I am NOT a genetics expert, I'm learning and have been reading a book on it, but there are peeps in this thread that could tell help you with these questions! If you're wanting, though, to be able to make a different color in the future, or one with attributes such as cuckoo pattern to the feathers, you need to get learning about genetics. Frankly, I'm having a very hard time understanding it all, but it's VERY interesting!

 

[WoofMeowCluck]

The Marans thread has really been informative! I have three wheaten marans. From what I gather, they're the scrounge of the Marans world? I completely understand wanting to perfect the Standard (as I rarely breed dogs but the standard comes first). The marans I have are someone elses culls, they will never be bred, I just wanted some color variatrion in the egg basket. Also, I take it marans are not the most prolific layers

. Mine are not old enough to lay, they're about 5 months old now, but I still like them a lot! If suppose if I don't like the egg color or they only want to lay a couple times a month then I'll give these away and buy some day old buff comets for brown-ish eggs. I have a lot of EE'ers and want to add brown eggs. I know the work involved in breeding to a Standard and the frustration that comes with it.

Thank you all for a great thread!