Marans Thread for Posting Pics of Your Eggs, Chicks and Chickens

[onthespot]

You may want to take your time culling those roosters. I hatched out about fifty CBM this spring, wanting to get a few nice roosters. Out of all that hatching I ended up with one, maybe two, count 'em... TWO possible nice rooster prospects!!! I did wind up with a half dozen keeper pullets too. I am just being super picky these days. At first I kept everything that hatched, but after you get a few extra egg layers going and learn how to hatch the eggs, you can cull to your heart's content. Sometimes the roosters don't show their adult coloration for several months. What looks like a scrawny, off colored (yellow hackles) cockerel can end up being your best when he gets his full adult feathers.

 

[lostsoulhelpmejebus]

Quote:
You are right...when you get started and do not have many to chose from, the pickings are slim.

I have 6 cockerels, in my oldest brood, 2 I KNOW are culls...they are at about 4 months of age. Of the remaining 4, I see 2 I know I will keep, the other 2 are not showing any color other than black right now. This hatch produced 8, 6 cockerels and 2 pullets. Trying to explain to hubby, when we do chores together, what is good and what is not so good with the BCM we have. He still likes the cockerel who has copper all over, WAY too much all over...he gets what the faults are but still loves the little guy!

Is there any advantage of keeping an over colored roo to put over maybe a hen who lacks enough color? Or visa versa, keeping a hen who has too much copper to cross with a roo who has little copper?

This is all new to me, any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Quote:
I still giggle when collecting eggs I love it, it's like getting a present everyday.. Very nice looking eggs for you first eggs..

 

[onthespot]

Hey!!! I want an all black cockerel with feathered shanks and hatched from a dark egg!!!

 

[ILOVEFRIZZLES]

This is my splash marans roo want do you guys think. Came from a very dark egg.

 

[drom]

Quote:

Is there any advantage of keeping an over colored roo to put over maybe a hen who lacks enough color? Or visa versa, keeping a hen who has too much copper to cross with a roo who has little copper?

This is all new to me, any advice or guidance would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

That seems to be what many people believe; that having both black-breasted, as well as roos with some red on the breast are a good thing to help maintain the proper balance of copper color in your stock. But copper "all over" is different from too much color on the breast. The French site states that you don't ever want to use any roo that has brown or copper color on the wing triangle.
The French web site under variety information for the BCM has a lot of very good, specific information on this exact topic.

 

[Krys109uk]

The French site states that you don't ever want to use any roo that has brown or copper color on the wing triangle.

Absolutely.
The presence of copper in the wing would indicate the bird is not ER (correct for copper black)at the e-locus.​

 

[COChickens]

I just had to show the eggs I got today from my Blue Copper Marans hens! They are laying darker eggs than my Black Copper Marans.

First egg Picture taken with the flash on

Second egg picture taken wth no flash on and it has a neat purple color to it

 

[nivtup]

Good color

 

[hcammack]

WOW is all I can say about that color! I can't wait till my three new Marans give me my first eggs

If the wellsummer egg is any clue to whats in store I should have some amazing eggs soon