International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Bantambird]

I like the hardiness of the Marans. They don't seem to loose their combs in the harsh winter cold as badly as some breeds do. They make good all around chickens, the cockerels make good chicken dinners, although they aren't the best for it, they certainly aren't the worst. I have not had many reproductive issues from them, as compared to more heavy egg laying breeds, although I would certainly not complain if they laid more consistently, I can deal with that if it means they will live longer and more healthy lives. They aren't particularly vocal, they are curious without being obnoxious. I LOVE the egg color. The slightly lower humidity during incubation is better for my environment, since I live in what might be considered semi arid conditions. I have seen my marans catch and eat mice. I haven't had many mean roosters.

I just hope they go back to laying, this spring molt is murdering my spring hatching and egg collecting. Stop being bums, ladies!
they had better not be harboring an egg eater.

 

[wrathsfarm]

They aren't particularly vocal, they are curious without being obnoxious.

I find this true for the most part. Betty is my vocal one only when she wants to lay. She lets everyone know before and after.
But they are a laid back breed from my view point.
I have a sound bar sitting on my workbench and Jett religiously comes in early to roost on that sound bar every night about an hour early. I think she would roost their all night if I let her. I normally wait til everyone else is on the roost and then carry her back. Next night, same thing...once in awhile there's a second girl there with her but mostly it's just her, hunkered down and puffy....

I LOVE the egg color.

Even the ones that aren't dark. So much variation, blooms, and speckles.

I haven't had many mean roosters.

This coming from a breeder is a huge one. I haven't had the experience only having 6 roosters so far (3 BCM, 3 Meat) so I haven't had that pleasure yet. It could be why I'm so fond of my boys tho is because of that demeanor. Kong being the poster child, if I can produce more progeny like him, he's like the class clown of roosters.

I just hope they go back to laying, this spring molt is murdering my spring hatching and egg collecting. Stop being bums, ladies!
they had better not be harboring an egg eater.

I've been reading a few threads around the board of similar. One caught my eye in particular. Isa Browns, 1 yr old production layers, haven't laid since October and haven't started up yet....look healthy, fed right, plenty of space and light. Very odd.

Can I ask, how many Marans do you have in general as your breeders? I'm sure it's an open ended question with grow outs and culls waiting.
One last question, do you see just as dark of egg color as the Black Copper. Everything always points to the BCM as the darkest of eggs, I'm just wondering how close the Black Silvers are in relation...

 

[Bantambird]

I find this true for the most part. Betty is my vocal one only when she wants to lay. She lets everyone know before and after.
But they are a laid back breed from my view point.
I have a sound bar sitting on my workbench and Jett religiously comes in early to roost on that sound bar every night about an hour early. I think she would roost their all night if I let her. I normally wait til everyone else is on the roost and then carry her back. Next night, same thing...once in awhile there's a second girl there with her but mostly it's just her, hunkered down and puffy....

Even the ones that aren't dark. So much variation, blooms, and speckles.

This coming from a breeder is a huge one. I haven't had the experience only having 6 roosters so far (3 BCM, 3 Meat) so I haven't had that pleasure yet. It could be why I'm so fond of my boys tho is because of that demeanor. Kong being the poster child, if I can produce more progeny like him, he's like the class clown of roosters.

I've been reading a few threads around the board of similar. One caught my eye in particular. Isa Browns, 1 yr old production layers, haven't laid since October and haven't started up yet....look healthy, fed right, plenty of space and light. Very odd.

Can I ask, how many Marans do you have in general as your breeders? I'm sure it's an open ended question with grow outs and culls waiting.
One last question, do you see just as dark of egg color as the Black Copper. Everything always points to the BCM as the darkest of eggs, I'm just wondering how close the Black Silvers are in relation...

Egg color is a guessing game. While I try hatching from the darkest color, it has been said before that even selecting for dark eggs doesn't guarantee dark eggs. That said, I feel like I have been pretty lucky in keeping pretty dark eggs. I should get a color card, but I have been a bum and not done it, but I get, I dunno, a consistent 5 or 6 most of the time, lots of spotty ones that have good dark spots, occasionally one with the pinkish bloom. Right now, I think I have around 20 hens of various ages, a few are probably aging out. Overall, I bet they aren't quite as dark consistently, but they are still dark enough to be marans.

 

[Tstraub]

How much feather damage is considered to be normal breeding wear vs overbreeding damage? I have one nine month old cockerel over 15 pullets and hens. A couple of the pullets are looking pretty bare backed. The older girls don’t show any damage but their eggs are fertilized so I know they are getting breed. I’m not sure if the pullets have softer feathers compared to hens that have been through there first year molt.
Anyway here is a picture of Betty she has the most damage she doesn’t act like it bothers her and she submits to Axl even while he is on top of her she doesn’t seem to be in any distress or act like she is in any sort of pain

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

How much feather damage is considered to be normal breeding wear vs overbreeding damage? I have one nine month old cockerel over 15 pullets and hens. A couple of the pullets are looking pretty bare backed. The older girls don’t show any damage but their eggs are fertilized so I know they are getting breed. I’m not sure if the pullets have softer feathers compared to hens that have been through there first year molt.
Anyway here is a picture of Betty she has the most damage she doesn’t act like it bothers her and she submits to Axl even while he is on top of her she doesn’t seem to be in any distress or act like she is in any sort of pain View attachment 3802043
View attachment 3802044

I’d say this is normal, an apron/saddle might help as a precaution but it doesn’t look too sore yet. 15 hens to one cock is a sensible and safe ratio, so I can’t imagine that it will become too much. They will grow back when she moults next.

It’s a downside of roosters but necessary for breeding them. Nice looking birds with a perfect set of new feathers can soon become a bit ragged looking, but it’s just part of keeping chickens.

 

[Bantambird]

Finally found these stashed with the turkey nests. Next, I'll have to get them back to their own nests. If there's an egg eater, I'll have to send out dinner invitations, if I find the culprit.

 

[wrathsfarm]

View attachment 3802171
Finally found these stashed with the turkey nests. Next, I'll have to get them back to their own nests. If there's an egg eater, I'll have to send out dinner invitations, if I find the culprit.

Oh those are beautiful...

 

[TexasBlues]

I got a nice speckled one today similar to yours.

 

[Mblack4]

Hey all!!

Hoping someone can help me out I bought 3 BCM from Meyers Hatchery on March 25th, they seem to have a lot of white splashes on the chest and 2 have non black beaks…. Hoping the white is fluff and gets pruned out when new feathers come in but I’m curious if anyone has any pics of BCM from meyers hatchary that are 3 weeks so I can compare.

Here is the sus BCM…. Supposed to be a pullet…. Can BCM have a beak that’s not all black and still meet SOP? How about those white spots?

I have 3 additional BCM from a private breeder that are a year old and I don’t remember them having so much white. Here is my BCM roo Harry, just for fun

Thank you

 

[wrathsfarm]

My original 5 were from Meyers 4 years ago. I still have all 5, 1 was a accidental roo.