Question about Marans genetics. Serious issue with pics.

[blackdotte]

White Marans can be Recessive White,Dominant White or both.
If he was bred to another recessive white Marans , yes yo would get 100% Whites, if bred to a
Dominant White Marans you could get a mix of white & coloured chicks dependent on what the white is masking.
David

 

[drom]

Quote:
Ah, OK thank you.

 

[AHappychick]

I just saw this post and since it was my eggs in question I will respond. I am unhappy that only 3 hatched that is not a good ratio but the PO sometimes does a real number on the eggs and it is really out of my control. The white feather is very common for MY STOCK but so far all have lost those white feathers when the get their real adult feathers. The cooper also shows a bit but will become more pronounced later as well. So far none of my Blues have had too much copper although a few have had very little and even some have had none, Those I sold them as blue Marans not Blue Copper Marans but explained the liniage to the buyers. I have a small flock but all girls have feathers legs as does Marty, the feathering just goes down one side and onto one toe. it is not like the foot feathering on a silkie witch covers the foot and leg, it is not supposed to be that covered on the Marans.

That being said this is still a project flock and not all birds will hatch out perfect but other than a mossie one here and there I have not yet hatched out anything unusual. I did do a lot of culling to get to my flock and although I picked the best I could there may be some hidden genes that are unknown and I will not feel secure in my flock until I have reached F4 generation or more. But I do think your blues will look good once they have their adult plumage and although a bit sparse on the girl the foot feathering is not bad either. So much can change as the bird ages I think you will be pleased in 4-6 months from now. I do think you may end up loving the roo as most of mine pick up on Marty's personality and are supper friendly. I just dropped one off to Frugal in VT last week and he looked just like yours but now is quiet handsome.

Good Luck and I am sorry it has been so stressful for you

Susan

 

[BlackBart]

Quote:
Thats what happened with mine. No trace of white now that they are mature. My #1 Rooster started to get his color quite late, around 5 months. Some of the hens had white wing feathers but after the first true molt, they are gone.

I have two 9 week old Roos that already have copper on their wings. Silly looking little dinosaurs.
I hope to keep them until they are fully mature to see what they look like.

 

[onthespot]

To me they are good looking birds so far. Different lines mature at different rates. My Bev Davis line blue rooster has QUITE A BIT of white leakage in his sickle feathers. Maybe a quarter of his hard tail feathers show the fault, and you can see it from fifty feet away. My CBM from bayhorsebonne, Wade Gene/Ron Presley lines, has one or two tail feathers that moult out with varying degrees of white streaks in them, differs from moult to moult. I get some little white feather tips on the feet too. If I get a stark white flight feather, they are outta here. The white streaking at the base of feathers, I am working with at the moment, breeding, growing out, selecting the best stock I can. Breeding marans, you have to grow out a lot of birds and cull a lot to get anywhere. You learn to eat BEAUTIFUL roosters, tame, large, gorgeous heads, perfect combs, wonderful in the flock and around people... because you have to grow out so many to get a better one. Just the way it is. And you won't know for MONTHS if they are going to grow out of their mossiness, or develop too much copper on their chests, or get white streaks in a few of their feathers. The feathers with white streaks, sometimes you can pluck them and they will grow back in darker the next time. Sometimes they grow in lighter. That one with the lightly feathered shanks, you can still use her if she lays nice big dark eggs. She does have "feathered shanks" and will produce feather shanked offspring, of varying degrees of feathering. If you like the more heavily feathered shanks, make sure you get a well feathered roo. If you go too far that direction you end up with feathers on the middle toe, which is another fault to battle. That lightly feathered hen could be your salvation if your flock ends up too heavily feathered in the shanks. Try not to "white knuckle it" with the breeding end of things. Just a lighter hold on the wheel, and enjoy the ride.

Good luck with your new breed. Do keep us posted, ask questions and show pics of how they develop. You got nothing to be ashamed of or stressed over from what I see so far. Hang in there.

 

[drom]

Quote:
Now that is just about one of the wisest things I have heard anyone say about breeding the BCMs.

 

[AmiableHen]

Wow...I just want to say I think you folks are Great! What lovely, friendly,

informative, reassuring answers....('

',%20'');

 

[drumstick diva]

Onthespot, the "white knuckle," comment goes way beyond breeding marans, it should be a mantra for life period.

 

[blackdotte]

My Grandfather used to say, "you need to have all the features of a perfect bird in your yard". The art is then getting all them into one bird. Which is why the perfect bird has never been bred, and we have a lifetime of enjoyment trying to do it.
David