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

[geebs]

I don't know if hers have the copper.... but I can tell you this about Pinkchick... If she is hatching it.....

It is DARK!!!!

I know she has the Blue birds and what they produce... Nice Bev Davis stock!!!!

 

[Illia]

Okay so here I go. . . Curious question that may make me sound like an idiot.

About the Black Copper color: I've always heard it originates from Birchen. Now, I've been thinking - How old is this color, and how did they create it from Birchen? According to things like the chicken calculator, if you take Wheaten and Birchen and cross them, you get what looks like Black Copper. It seems to make sense too, with a lot of Black Coppers giving random Wheatens. But I've been embarrassingly told that's wrong twice now, so, could anyone point to me or tell me the history and genetics of the Black Copper color?

Also, if I get a Wheaten from Black Coppers, is it okay at all to introduce it to the true Wheaten breeding pen? What genetically is the difference?

 

[amazondoc]

Quote:
It's not that it was "created" from birchen. The black copper pattern is based on what is called the "birchen" gene -- notated as ER. "Birchen" is just the label that is attached to that gene.

The main difference between what we think of as "birchen" birds and what we think of as "black copper" birds is the silver gene vs. the gold gene. In addition the black copper also has the mahogany gene, which the birchen should not. But both have the same "E" allele, which is ER.

Wheaten is based on the "wheaten" gene, notated as EWh. Wheaten birds also have the gold gene (unless they are silver wheatens, which you don't often have to worry about) -- so if you cross a wheaten bird with a birchen bird, you'll get a birchen bird that is carrying gold. And that "mixed" bird does indeed look kind of like a black copper. However, it isn't a "real" black copper because it will usually not have any mahogany (some wheatens do have mahogany, but really good wheatens won't), and it will only have one copy of the gold gene. These two things together -- only one gold gene and no mahogany -- will make the bird look much paler an more washed out than a "real" black copper.

Also, if I get a Wheaten from Black Coppers, is it okay at all to introduce it to the true Wheaten breeding pen? What genetically is the difference?

See above. Wheatens that come from black coppers are likely to have mahogany, and also to have extra melanizing genes that the black coppers need but the wheatens shouldn't have. You CAN introduce them to a breeding program -- in fact, I'm doing that right now -- but you'll have to breed out the unwanted genes.​

 

[cook_kaka_ook]

To all Marans expert,. I am new to Marans breed All I know is that they lay dark brown eggs (love the color). Can you help me identify this newly hatched baby chicks' future plumage color when they are fully developed? They are 4 days old.

Blue? Pullet or Roo?

Blue or black CM? Pullet or Roo? This was the guy I helped out during the hatch. He/she was upside down on the egg carton crate wheww!

BCM's both Roo?

 

[geebs]

Best guesss..... First baby.... I have no idea of sex... Blue.... could get copper later but it is blue... Second bird... Black or black copper.... Possible roo (never decide till they lay and egg or crow unless it is totally obvious).... 3 and 4.... They will be copper headed, probably overly copper.... (usually has nice egg color when they have the mossy look that number 4 is showing... Possible two hens but could go either way at this age.

 

[Illia]

The last ones aren't BCMs. I don't think you can sex them at that age though. Cute chicks!

Oh and amazondoc - Thanks. I love genetics, so I just want to get things clear before I feel too much like an idiot. I really do want to become more of an expert on these, as I plan to completely specialize in Marans.

 

[geebs]

They are copper headed blue??? I have had bcm's that looked like that

 

[Illia]

Maybe they are BCMs, I've just never seen any that look like that. They look blue with copper heads, but I don't know what blue coppers look like as chicks.

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Quote:
Good luck on your next hatch..

You will master the incubator I thought I was the worst hatcher even have a thread but seems to be going ok for me but it took a lot of hatches for me to get it right... But I think the broody works GREAT!!!

 

[Freckle Face Farm]

Quote:
You know why, don't you? Cuz you sent me all the female eggs !