White Copper Maran cockerel?

[Aklady318]

I have a 16 week old "snowbird". I was told this was a rare occurrence where a white one is hatched. I also purchased 6 french black copper marans and was given this one for free. He does not have fuzzy feet like the black marans. He's really pretty so it doesnt matter but I'd like to know if this is true?

 

[JustAChickenLoverOverHere]

That doesn't look like a BCM, but I don't know much about the species.

 

[Aklady318]

That doesn't look like a BCM, but I don't know much about the species.

Thank you. Unfortunately im very new to marans and...i tend to believe people so I'm here to ask the experts

 

[kcrandall]

I raise Black Copper Marans and I have heard of the occasional “sport” (white BCM) but I’ve never experienced it or seen one in person. Typically, as I understand the Sport BCM it is the result of both the Cock and Hen each carrying the recessive white gene, which is not dominant, so it takes 2 copies for it to be expressed. Therefore, a Sport BCM will be solid white with no copper leakage.

There are Splash Copper Marans that have a white base color. The Splash Copper Cocks will sometimes express a diluted Copper hackle, saddle, back and have a red wing bow. Splash Copper Hens are usually white with random black or dark gray spots.

The absence of feathered legs and copper leakage makes me question his heritage. Did you see pictures of the parent birds? If so, did they they have feathered legs? I would treat him as a mixed breed as far as breeding purposes go. Otherwise, he is a nice looking cockerel.

 

[Aklady318]

I raise Black Copper Marans and I have heard of the occasional “sport” (white BCM) but I’ve never experienced it or seen one in person. Typically, as I understand the Sport BCM it is the result of both the Cock and Hen each carrying the recessive white gene, which is not dominant, so it takes 2 copies for it to be expressed. Therefore, a Sport BCM will be solid white with no copper leakage.

There are Splash Copper Marans that have a white base color. The Splash Copper Cocks will sometimes express a diluted Copper hackle, saddle, back and have a red wing bow. Splash Copper Hens are usually white with random black or dark gray spots.

The absence of feathered legs and copper leakage makes me question his heritage. Did you see pictures of the parent birds? If so, did they they have feathered legs? I would treat him as a mixed breed as far as breeding purposes go. Otherwise, he is a nice looking cockerel.

Thank you for that explanation. I did not see his parents unfortunately but his "brothers and sisters" are my very first French Black Copper Marans. The ad stated she was a certified FBCM breeder..whatever that means? Here are some pics of the siblings

 

[Mamatomany123]

Thank you for that explanation. I did not see his parents unfortunately but his "brothers and sisters" are my very first French Black Copper Marans. The ad stated she was a certified FBCM breeder..whatever that means? Here are some pics of the siblingsView attachment 2545172View attachment 2545173View attachment 2545174View attachment 2545179

Wait, arent they supposed to have feathered legs if they're BCM? I'm so confused with this breed

 

[Aklady318]

Wait, arent they supposed to have feathered legs if they're BCM? I'm so confused with this breed

I guess the Black Copper Marans do not have feathered feet but the French BCM do.
The cockerel in question does not have feathered feet which confirms my suspicions about him not being a "sport" FBCM. He must've been a barnyard mix(probably why he was throen in free) sigh... but Perhaps he'll carry a dark brown egg gene? He is super sweet though

 

[Aklady318]

Wait, arent they supposed to have feathered legs if they're BCM? I'm so confused with this breed

And...i Just learned the "sport" term from @ kcrandall. The breeder called it a Hen and a Snowbird so she's battin Zero for Zero. I kind of question the purity of my FBCM. I'm brand-new though to the maran world so I've got much to learn

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I bred FBCM for a little while.. I had ONE chick pop up with NO feathers on the legs despite selecting HARD in my breeding stock.

The other stuff I see there.. the lack of the copper in one lady, the leakage in the wrong place, and so on.. I will admit that FBCM were a bit challenging.. and I hatched a LOT of chicks keeping VERY few.. in my experience only 1% of chicks hatched will grow into true breeding/show quality.. Most back yarders cannot hatch that much to improve their stock significantly.. Unfortunately I end up keeping probably more like 10% of what hatches each year.. the rest are eaten or sold as layers to non breeding flocks. What I'm saying ultimately.. is despite not liking everything I'm seeing there.. I FULLY recognize that challenges that arise, and those aren't the worst I've seen! Honestly, people mistake black sex links for Marans way too often when they are a dark bird with that rusty neck.. even then to the untrained eye.. I get it!

KC gave good info.. I had forgotten about sports, it's been a while since I worked with them. But I agree they don't appear to be splash either.. I SWEAR genetics might be what keeps chickens interesting! I have had escapes and accidental mating take place in my breeding flocks.. usually always discovered and dealt with.. but mentioning because things happen to best of us despite our best effort at times.

American Poultry Association can certify that 98% of breeding stock meet the standard of perfection, is what I think I saw previously Greenfire Farms claimed to have one of only few certified flocks, looks like it's changed a but since then.. but for reference to what they say NOW..

https://greenfirefarms.com/marans.html

Thanks for sharing a good mystery and happy chicken adventures!

 

[Aklady318]

I bred FBCM for a little while.. I had ONE chick pop up with NO feathers on the legs despite selecting HARD in my breeding stock.

The other stuff I see there.. the lack of the copper in one lady, the leakage in the wrong place, and so on.. I will admit that FBCM were a bit challenging.. and I hatched a LOT of chicks keeping VERY few.. in my experience only 1% of chicks hatched will grow into true breeding/show quality.. Most back yarders cannot hatch that much to improve their stock significantly.. Unfortunately I end up keeping probably more like 10% of what hatches each year.. the rest are eaten or sold as layers to non breeding flocks. What I'm saying ultimately.. is despite not liking everything I'm seeing there.. I FULLY recognize that challenges that arise, and those aren't the worst I've seen! Honestly, people mistake black sex links for Marans way too often when they are a dark bird with that rusty neck.. even then to the untrained eye.. I get it!

KC gave good info.. I had forgotten about sports, it's been a while since I worked with them. But I agree they don't appear to be splash either.. I SWEAR genetics might be what keeps chickens interesting! I have had escapes and accidental mating take place in my breeding flocks.. usually always discovered and dealt with.. but mentioning because things happen to best of us despite our best effort at times.

American Poultry Association can certify that 98% of breeding stock meet the standard of perfection, is what I think I saw previously Greenfire Farms claimed to have one of only few certified flocks, looks like it's changed a but since then.. but for reference to what they say NOW..

https://greenfirefarms.com/marans.html

Thanks for sharing a good mystery and happy chicken adventures!

Wow! Thank You. Very much appreciate your honest response. Honestly? I'm in it for the dark eggs and breeding olive eggers. I know Nothing about showing though I Am seeing more threads with intriguing information.
And Thank God I at least got the correct breed lol
Information here by folks like you is PRICELESS! Thank you