Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Arielle]

Quote:
I pray your dad gets better.

WHen does the purple or green sheen show up? I don't see it in chicks, and then one day many molts later, the sheen is there

 

[BarnGoddess01]

Quote:
I believe I read (going from memory - which ain't what it used to be!) that green sheen (which IS desirable) means a pure black genetic base. Purple sheen can mean there is some red hiding. Black isn't quite as black with purple sheen. I'll have to see if I can find it. It is quite obvious here on the birds I know come from better breeders. One of my Black Ameraucana cockerels from Jean Ribbeck, for example, has a CRAZY beetle green sheen. And my better bred Black Copper Marans from pure black copper (i.e. no blue involved) also shine very green compared to some of my other birds. Interesting to note, however, that they are also WAY over-melanized.

 

[gilavina]

I pray your dad gets better.

WHen does the purple or green sheen show up? I don't see it in chicks, and then one day many molts later, the sheen is there

I don't really worry about sheen til they start getting to teenager stage and beyond

 

[gilavina]

I believe I read (going from memory - which ain't what it used to be!) that green sheen (which IS desirable) means a pure black genetic base. Purple sheen can mean there is some red hiding. Black isn't quite as black with purple sheen. I'll have to see if I can find it. It is quite obvious here on the birds I know come from better breeders. One of my Black Ameraucana cockerels from Jean Ribbeck, for example, has a CRAZY beetle green sheen. And my better bred Black Copper Marans from pure black copper (i.e. no blue involved) also shine very green compared to some of my other birds. Interesting to note, however, that they are also WAY over-melanized.

haha...my memory lately has been pretty crappy with everything going on. You are right about the coloring, I just posted the link so I wouldn't have to try to sort out the wording myself...especially since I hadn't had coffee yet haha!

I have both birds that are both overmelanized and colored well that have the green sheen. I'm working on finding a good balance right down the middle and seem to be doing alright so far. Especially in the coloring on the boys, I think I've got the color just about right where I want it for the copper. On the girlies, unfortunately haven't hatched nearly as many black copper girls as I have blue copper and silver and black birchen. I have some in a younger batch, but they need some more time to grow out and I think I only ended up with 3 perhaps. Then I've got the youngest batch still to sort, so there's still time haha

 

[Arielle]

Quote: If the sun comes out today, I'll be tracking the marans to look! LOL

IF the over melanized marans have much purple, would you think that the highly colored marans would have less purple and more green ? We need a survey ! LOL THose with over melanized to chime in and those with perhaps too much, what, breast coloring , to chime in. If any one is willing to share.

Oops see your answer, anyone else?

 

[pinkchick]

The green and the purple sheen that we see on Black birds or on any birds for that matter, is only seen because of how the feather reflects light.
It is not a color that is actually on the bird or that we are waiting for to show up on them.
It is simply only a reflection of light.
Either color (purple or green sheen) does not indicate other genetics in a bird.
Purple and Green sheen do not have anything to do with melanization , over melanization or lack of.
I agree with Vicki about nutrition being a factor for the sheen......we ususally see it and lots of it when a bird is in prime condition.

 

[gilavina]

If the sun comes out today, I'll be tracking the marans to look! LOL

IF the over melanized marans have much purple, would you think that the highly colored marans would have less purple and more green ? We need a survey ! LOL THose with over melanized to chime in and those with perhaps too much, what, breast coloring , to chime in. If any one is willing to share.

Oops see your answer, anyone else?

I won't have time til later today or tomorrow depending on when I get off work and if my truck is out of the shop when they said it would be. But I'll see what I can observe in my birds. Just to add a note...I wouldn't count girls that have been broody for a while as nutrition or lack of when they are setting can affect whether a sheen will show up. I have 4 girls that just finally broke up being broody and they look terrible right now because of they weren't eating like they normally would.

 

[Arielle]

The green and the purple sheen that we see on Black birds or on any birds for that matter, is only seen because of how the feather reflects light.
It is not a color that is actually on the bird or that we are waiting for to show up on them.
It is simply only a reflection of light.
Either color (purple or green sheen) does not indicate other genetics in a bird.
Purple and Green sheen do not have anything to do with melanization , over melanization or lack of.

PINK-- do you think there could be other genetic components that modify the black? I have a hen that shows both purple and green, as I rotated her from side to side. THe color seems to be dependent on the angle of the sunshine. Othewise I have a black muscovy. Purple around the neck, think wide necklace, and then green sheen for the remainder of his huge duck body. Perhaps it's the anges of the neck feathers that are verticle and body feathers are horizontal to the sunlight.

 

[gilavina]

The green and the purple sheen that we see on Black birds or on any birds for that matter, is only seen because of how the feather reflects light.
It is not a color that is actually on the bird or that we are waiting for to show up on them.
It is simply only a reflection of light.
Either color (purple or green sheen) does not indicate other genetics in a bird.
Purple and Green sheen do not have anything to do with melanization , over melanization or lack of.
I agree with Vicki about nutrition being a factor for the sheen......we ususally see it and lots of it when a bird is in prime condition.

There are two schools of thought....some people believe in both that it is an indicator of the quality of black and that nutrition affects it. I am one of those people. I realize I was raised by an old school breeder, and that some dismiss the discussion on sheen color, but having raised B/B/S Wyandottes for years and years, following the green sheen really does go a long way to keeping the rust out of the blues. I probably will always select my birds this way as it is something I've grown up working with and more often than not have had trouble with birds that have purple sheen, when used in a blue cross that allow for coloring undesirable in the blues. All this being said, I'm working on blues mainly, so I do watch these things closer than most probably would. Also, the birds with a nice green sheen used in a cross to develop a blue most often give me blues with the nicest lacing. Yes, I probably sound like a nutter right now, but I'm ok with that. I go with what works for me.

 

[pinkchick]

There are components that modify black and change black and or its effects.....but the "sheen" is not one of them.

Think of the feather as a diamond.......when you are out in the sun and you turn your diamond from side to side, as you are turning it, you are capturing every bit of light that it can capture and reflect back to you in the form of pretty sparkles. Same with your hen.

Feather quality is of utmost importance and breeding for good feather quality is very important. Poor feathers and poor quality interrupts the sheen and our ability to see it.


I have no clue about ducks.