Wanted: Show Quality Black Copper Marans

[Lopi1234]

I am looking for show quality Black Copper Marans from dark eggs. I understand they fade as they progress into their lay cycle.

 

[One Chick Two]

Unfortunately, Black Copper Marans do not work like other breeds. They are currently a work in progress- they are in their infancy... have only been in the APA since 2011.

The breed is still young in the US, and really fabulous BCM are not common and easy to find. When they are made available, SQ BCM adults that lay dark eggs can run in the $$$. Really good males are rarer still.

Also, one can run the risk of bringing in a disease, so you have to quarantine adults for a few weeks. If you plan on breeding them, after that you should test mate all birds to be used in your breeding program to a Wheaten based bird (such as a RIR) so you can see if you have any split for Wheaten in the flock.

My opinion would be to find some excellent hatching eggs, and get at least a few dozen- if not more. Good hatching eggs may run about $60. a dz. Or, get started chicks. You will have to cull or give away those not good enough to keep.

Best of luck!

 

[PoultryQueen101]

That is interesting, do you know if blue coppers are supposed to lighten? Because mine have gotten darker.

Omg! I made a mistake then, based on the above answer! I sold my young black copper maran pullet! I didnt know they were hard to find! They were show quality.... *face... meet palm*
Paid $25 for a dozen of possibly blue copper, cuckoo, and black copper! Sold a pair o blues and a black for $45... ugh, learning process.

 

[One Chick Two]

That is interesting, do you know if blue coppers are supposed to lighten? Because mine have gotten darker.

Omg! I made a mistake then, based on the above answer! I sold my young black copper maran pullet! I didnt know they were hard to find! They were show quality.... *face... meet palm*
Paid $25 for a dozen of possibly blue copper, cuckoo, and black copper! Sold a pair o blues and a black for $45... ugh, learning process.

Not sure if you are referring to eggs or the birds, lol.

If you are referring to eggs, BCM are overall considered as a generality to lay darker, but, every Marans hen's eggs cycles in color during laying season. Could be from light to dark, or, dark to light- just depends on genetics at play, and the bird. A friend has a bird who lays a seriously dark Maran scale 9, but that hen will go all the way to a 3 during her light periods. Knowing that, it's easy to see that egg color can shift dramatically, but still be considered dark. Hens should lay at least a Marans scale 4 at some point in their laying cycle, or they are not considered Marans. The majority don't lay dark every single time.

Price can be subjective- quality/ market/ how many are available in your area, age of birds (pullets are considerably less than laying hens.). Price on a healthy, full grown hen will usually reflect how much the hens has to offer a genetic line (how little work you have to do to upgrade). Are they from a top line? Are they mixed with a few lines? Has the flock been tested carefully for Wheaten, extended black and duckwing?

Very large, solid hens with great 'type' and low tail angles, excellent/ correct coloring, great shank and feet feathering, correct skin tone, featherless faces, eyes that are not dark (no DQ's) good combs, and produce a dark egg constantly are well worth a hefty price at market. It is extremely difficult to win the genetic lottery on all bases. Small, light hens, darkish eyes, with wonky combs, sparse leg feathering, and little/ to no hackle, and lay a light egg will bring considerably less- even if her type is generally sound, or, she could be shown. She will likely never produce larger progeny, dark eyes in hens are hard to breed out, shank feathering can take a few generations to work out, head may be a crowhead... depends on issues involved- and nearly all have some...so you can see, price can be subjective.

If you are speaking about feather color, much can change from the juvie molts to adult feathers, and there can be big feather changes from year one, to year two. So, unfortunately sometimes, what can seem SQ at 5 months can sometimes not look that way at one year, and even more different by year two. Tail angle can rise from 45-60 degrees to a squirrel tail overnight (around 6-9 months). Females can grow in a thick saddle cushion quickly that throws their topline (or bottom line) type completely off, or grow to have a non-rounded chest/ no width, or their rear end is pinched, or tail feathers too long. Feathers can even be too loose, or be purple, etc.

Chicks and juvies under 3 months old should only be culled for sickness/ genetic DQ's, such as Comb sprigs, white earlobe, Brachydactyly toe mutation, webbed feet, or wing mossiness on chicks (showing the presence of Wheaten being in the flock.). Some will cull for lack of feet feathers, or too much such as middle toe stubs (can be a DQ at a show.). (Personally, I think it's best to do averages, and mate the feet feather over-abundants with the under-abundance. lol) You should never double up on a fault.

Dark "gypsy face," high tail angle, unbalanced coloring or incorrect coloring such as straw coloring or brassy halo, split wing, adult white fluff and white feathers and others will often show up later, at maturity. Often the same for hens. That's why it is good to know to hold on to these guys for longer than you normally might with other breeds.

However, sometimes you can be surprised- the one you thought was great early on devoloped white fluff and feathers at two years old, or, the one who took a long time to lay was a more consistent layer than the one who laid early, and became nice and wide. A hen with a thick, but too-light hackle molted out half her hackle during her first adult molt then, grew in a white tail feather. One day, a pullet's comb became wavy and flopped over.

Patience is the key with this breed. They are definitely a work in progress. lol

 

[Lopi1234]

This is posted under hatching eggs...So far no one has any!:/ I am willing to pay for them if they are quality birds without compromising egg color. I do not want chicks.

 

[Charm1704]

I have show quality BC Marans...

...It's been hot here in Tx. but they should start laying good again real soon...here is my website" http://indianoaksfancyfeathers.webs.com/

my birds have won, you can see pictures and pictures of their eggs.......

.......check out the website....~Charm1704

 

[Lopi1234]

Thank you Charm! Please let me know when you have optimal shipping and egg laying conditions and we can take it from there!

 

[Charm1704]

I will.......and the part about the eggs fading in color as the season progresses...

.. I do not see much of that from my birds, the color stays about the same. Thank You, for your interest in my birds.....

......~Charm

 

[ayamcemani]

I am trying to create a listing for some of my rare chicken eggs for sale. Do you know how i can do that? I am a new member. I posted over 20 posts that is required, and it still won't let me post a new listing for my hatching eggs for sale.