If I could add my input (I breed several SOP flocks).
What is the heritage of the maran? Just a balanced bird? Like perfectly proportional?
And in dog world they say (I don’t know who they are-the men in black I guess) a mutt/mixed breed is the better dog. Genetically speaking, the best of different breeds are used to make a well rounded healthy pooch. But in chicken world, that doesn’t seem to be the case. People that breed to SOP are looking for a pure breed of X. I’m using dog as a comparison because that’s what I have. I have dogs and chickens and I know nothing about nothing. I’m just curious.
I originally with getting just a mixed flock with hens for eggs. I didn't know anything about anything. Then I wanted to add more and started looking at breeds and reading them. I spotted the Black Coppers and what stood out was the rich deep copper against the black in the hens hackles, but the roo is much more (yard candy). 2 of my favorite colors, Black and Mahogany, close to the Copper. And I dove into the worm hole I started learning their deep history and how they lay the darkest egg of any other breed and it's actually scored. This got me hooked on the Marans and I wanted to build a flock.
Well said... Great explanation !!
So..they’re purdy? All you have to say is pretty and rabbit hole. Got it. And agreed, the boys are beautiful. When I bought my little polish chickens, I went to the hatchery and was talking to the owner. I said I’m just looking for an ornamental chicken, but nothing as big as a BCM. The guy looks at me like I’m from Jupiter and says BCMs aren’t ornamental chickens! I said are you kidding?? Have you seen a BCM rooster? They’re gorgeous lol.I originally with getting just a mixed flock with hens for eggs. I didn't know anything about anything. Then I wanted to add more and started looking at breeds and reading them. I spotted the Black Coppers and what stood out was the rich deep copper against the black in the hens hackles, but the roo is much more (yard candy). 2 of my favorite colors, Black and Mahogany, close to the Copper. And I dove into the worm hole I started learning their deep history and how they lay the darkest egg of any other breed and it's actually scored. This got me hooked on the Marans and I wanted to build a flock.
Having the BCMs and a mixed flock is kind of the best of both worlds, I have my flock I can work towards SOP and then the mixed flock to play with egg colors to darken Olives mainly.
As I continually learn more with help it just keeps getting that much more fascinating to improve my birds, learn what works and what don't thru balance breeding and strive for that perfection and darker eggs.
With getting the BBS Silvers they're not a recognized variety thru the American Poultry Association, but they follow the same SOP as the Black Coppers. 2 varieties I now have, same SOP.
Well said... Great explanation !!
I’d say they are not ornamental because they are a utility breed before a show breed. Polish and silkies are show, they don’t have much utility. Marans can be meat birds, layers, broodies, diggers, so ornamental doesn’t quite do them justice.
I guess with the balance I mean, for example, with Brahmas, you breed for the biggest weights possible and smallest combs. Leghorns are slender with long tails and big combs. So it gets to a point where you can’t go further and so you get consistency.
