What quality are my MARANS - - BE GENTLE.

[math ace]

First, I want to establish that I am new at this and want to become good at it - - - so I am looking for adivice.

Please be kind and truthful.

Below are a few pictures of my marans pullets. I am posting 1 Black Copper Marans and 2 Blue Copper Marans. I would like to know what is good and bad about them. I want to learn what I should be looking for when I pick future breeders.

First the Black Copper Marans - - -

Next is a Blue Copper Marans ( #1) - - - -
She does not have as much copper as the second blue copper maran. She does have a fantastic personality and loves to talk to us

Last is another Blue Copper Marans (#2) - - - -
The Marans up front is the same as the previous one. This picture gives you a better view of her copper. The marans in the background is #2. She has a lot more copper.

Thanks in advance for being GENTLE with your critiqueing. I do want to hear from the pros

I am looking for what the birds have right and what they are lacking in.

 

[Illia]

I think you already got the "lack of copper" part down on the blue copper.

The black copper is still young, but otherwise the only thing I find wrong with her is her body - It's not really all that fluffy and "deep." But she is indeed young.

Otherwise they look fine to me! - And I love your Easter Egger cockerel in the background - looks like my roo when he was young. I know, it's a common EE color, but still.

 

[math ace]

These girls were born early Dec 2009, so they are almost 5 months old.
So, I want to see a BIGGER bird. Should they be BIGGER by now or will that come as they get older?
Is that all genetics or does their diet contribute to that?

I was concerned that BLUE COPPER MARANs #2 would have too much copper - - - what do you think?

 

[Happy Chooks]

I don't know, I'm still new to this too, but I'll be following your thread.

I too would like to know what to look for.

 

[kathyinmo]

Does this help? .....
*note here *in discussions I see the word parsimonious described as sparse (frugal, sparing restrained).
Black Copper and Blue Copper would have the same standard (you know they can be bred together)...
Here is the Black Copper standard from http://www.maransofamericaclub.com/Black-Copper.php

Black Copper Brown Red Marans Cock & Hen


Cock : Black-breasted red, with parsimonious red spotting on the breast. Having a black wing triangle. The red markings are not to be yellow or mahogany. Copper colored lancets in the neck hackle & the back. Deep red shoulders.

Hen : Black with red hackle markings but without the typical Birchen breast lacing. Very slight red breast marking is acceptable. Green sheen is not required.

General Appearance:

Cock:
Body : strong, fairly long and wide especially near the shoulders which are held high.
Neck : long, fairly strong, tending to curve in on top towards the skull; the hackles are made of many long and abundant feathers covering the shoulders well
Back : long, flat, slightly concave towards the rear
Saddle : large, slightly raised but not rounded, covered with many lancets

Breast : strong and large

Abdomen : well developed

Wings : short , kept close to the body

Tail : strong at its base, quite short, fairly up without going over 45 °

Head : average size, slightly flat and long

Comb : simple, of an average size, with a fairly rough texture. Sharp edges. The lobe not touching the nape

Wattles : average size, red with a fine texture

Ear-lobes : average size, red and long

Face : red colored with or without down

Eyes : bright, with a orangey-red iris

Beak : Quite strong, slightly hooked and horn-colored

Shanks : big, without vulture hocks

Tarsi : average size, with some feathers white or lightly pink colored for all the varieties except for the BLACK, BROWN-RED and BIRCHEN Marans were gray or dark gray is permitted, although not preferred, for both sexes. Four long and well separated toes with the outer one sparsely feathered. The claws are white or horn- colored.

 

[math ace]

I have seen the below before. However, the descriptions can be vague if you do not have anything to compare it to . . . For example

Quote:
Shanks are big - - - how big is big?
Breast is large - - - how large is large?
Back is slightly concave - - - how slightly?

I did go look at some Marans that a breeder had was immediately impressed by how big his Roo's were. I did not pay much attention to the hens because the roo was so impressive

The last chicken show I went to, did not have any marans at it

When do chickens stop GROWING ? ? These girls are almost 5 months old. Are they about as big as they are going to get or will they continue to grow?

Are my marans smallish because of their age or their genetics?

 

[Happy Chooks]

I think they will fill out more. My hens seemed to fill out up to a year.(not marans, they're still young 12 weeks) My welsummer rooster is 6 months old and really getting his size now.

 

[pinkchick]

Do you know whose lines/stock your birds originated from?

 

[math ace]

My hens are Bev Davis and Ron Presley lines.

 

[pinkchick]

Davis line birds are known to to mature a little slower. I don't know anything about Presley birds, sorry.

So far they look good. I would definitely use them in a breeding program.....fixing the lack of copper is easier then fixing egg color.

I like their size for their age, I have some pullets that I hatched out on 12-15-09 and they are not nearly as filled out as your gals. The Davis line is a larger bodied bird compared to others.