International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[BlueTheBrahma]

Blue (my namesake Brahma rooster) was blue as a chick, pale blue for a Brahma but blue (hence the name). He is actually splash, but the splash parts didn’t show until about 8-10 weeks. He is a darker splash than all my splash hens (unrelated to him). Splash is quite a varied phenotype, it seems yours is similar to his, quite dark, the base being medium grey rather than white/light grey.

Also, a lot of splash chicks are often white/yellow with light grey down their backs as day old chicks, rather than all yellow like a white chick.

 

[wrathsfarm]

5 am temp check. All is well...

 

[bigsurfwaves]

Blue (my namesake Brahma rooster) was blue as a chick, pale blue for a Brahma but blue (hence the name). He is actually splash, but the splash parts didn’t show until about 8-10 weeks. He is a darker splash than all my splash hens (unrelated to him). Splash is quite a varied phenotype, it seems yours is similar to his, quite dark, the base being medium grey rather than white/light grey.

Does that determine what breeding program the darker splash came from and whether it would breed well with black copper?

It's kind of like the mossy butt on my golden cuckoo.. I feel like she needs to be put with black to improve the contrast. I probably know just enough to be dangerous.

 

[bigsurfwaves]

Also, a lot of splash chicks are often white/yellow with light grey down their backs as day old chicks, rather than all yellow like a white chick.

I just picked out 4 Ameraucana splash or blue chicks for a friend based on that theory. I have read when people breed splash to splash it washes out the flecks.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Does that determine what breeding program the darker splash came from and whether it would breed well with black copper?

It's kind of like the mossy butt on my golden cuckoo.. I feel like she needs to be put with black to improve the contrast. I probably know just enough to be dangerous.

Not really, it only affects the shade of blue and splash you get, at least from what I can tell. The mossiness in GCMs can be fused by breeding to BCMs with little excess copper.

 

[bigsurfwaves]

Not really, it only affects the shade of blue and splash you get, at least from what I can tell. The mossiness in GCMs can be fused by breeding to BCMs with little excess copper.

Perfect. I just bought my first breeder stock. 4 BCM straight run chicks that hatched from #8 eggs. Their dad is a rooster with plenty of copper - not excessive tho- and from #9 egg line. I got 2 with bigger combs and 2 with smaller. The wings were also distinctly different. Hoping to get both sexes but who knows.

They are are 6 days old. They all have feathered shanks. 2 of them seem to be getting the wing feathers faster than the other 2, but all are feathering more rapidly than the 2 Meyer pullets I got. One of the Meyer birds doesn't have feathered legs! Boo.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Perfect. I just bought my first breeder stock. 4 BCM straight run chicks that hatched from #8 eggs. Their dad is a rooster with plenty of copper - not excessive tho- and from #9 egg line. I got 2 with bigger combs and 2 with smaller. The wings were also distinctly different. Hoping to get both sexes but who knows.

They are are 6 days old. They all have feathered shanks. 2 of them seem to be getting the wing feathers faster than the other 2, but all are feathering more rapidly than the 2 Meyer pullets I got. One of the Meyer birds doesn't have feathered legs! Boo.

My original 5 are from Meyers also.

 

[bigsurfwaves]

My original 5 are from Meyers also.

I remember. And yours look nice. That's why I tried them.

 

[marchick]

Hi everyone! I have to say, sometimes I hate roosters but then I love them again! Lol I do not know how it happened but the one pen of cockerels got in with the main pen. So everyone looks so scruffy. I have 2 blcm and 4 bc cockerels. I am going to put leg bands on them tonight. Then hopefully get some pictures tomorrow. Would you all help me decide which to keep? I am pretty sure the 2 blcm can go. I think tonight might narrow it down more when I can get my hands on them. I do want to keep the least white underfluff or white in tail. I am trying to breed that out.

 

[marchick]

Aww, thank you.

To me the most difficult part of taking egg photos is lighting. It can be hard to get the true egg colors to show in photos. I find using natural, indirect light seems to take the best egg photos.

Of course I take several and try to choose the best shots. At least the eggs don't constantly move around like the chickens!

I'm going to check out that site you posted later today. Looks interesting!

I would much rather take pictures of the eggs! I took 50 pictures of the cockerels this evening and not one good picture.