International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chooks man]

Here are my pullet eggs. I think from at least 2 of my 3 maran pullets. One is squatting for me, the blind one. My daughter has named her Cyclucks. What do you think? Any point breeding them?

I do like the shape of the eggs .true marans .they just need more color that all .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I found a guy ( craigslist) lives 20 minutes away who has marans. He is selling chicks they came from these eggs. Wasn't sure if these counted as dark enough. What do you guys think? He didn't have photos of the parents but his 5 month old pullets don't have much copper on them.

good shape no bad color too .
pullets without copper hackle no good .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

View attachment 2359159View attachment 2359160View attachment 2359161View attachment 2359163so here's another potential keeper, he's been marked to save from the pot, and a second feller. This first one suffered a wee bit of comb damage early on.
View attachment 2359166View attachment 2359170View attachment 2359172

they are both high quality .
cockerel one has no white on his feet .
cockerels 2 has a stunning tail and comb .

love they body type and body pattern .great silver too .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I can ask

always ask .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

This is a hen from Queen and Duke I didn't pen up because she has some white spots in both wings that came back after the molt. She is about 18 months old now and just finished molting. I really like her eye color and am thinking I may use her as a breeder in the spring to try and remedy eye color in my line. She does have some parasitic white so chicks from that single mating would be culled through hard for white. Her comb is ugly, but she has nice copper in her hackle. Its just an idea I've been thinking about. Thoughts?

View attachment 2359207
View attachment 2359208View attachment 2359210

I will breed her back to her sire Duke long time ago . you can not correct all the fault in one year .you have to select what fault are you trying to remove first ,other wise your breeding program will be confusing .

you chooks has to be single mated and single bred . only way out of trouble quick .

breed her back to Duke only keeping the progeny with a good copper and good eyes .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

If I am trying to purchase day olds- is there a way to tell pullet from cockerel? Im sure Chooks man has a way... He wants $14 a chick, but with my luck I will pick 5 chicken dinners for $70. I thought I recall something about shape of head. ?

pick the chicks with small dark comb and feet . pullets tend to have darker feet and toes than cockerels .
cockerels tend to have lighter comb and pinkish toes .
if the line carry extra melanin ,than all the chicks will be same looking .hard to tell .

photos of few chicks will help to see what that line is throwing.

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

Clover is 9 weeks old tomorrow. So far I'm liking what I'm seeing. I just wish more of the eggs had hatched. She's also getting friendlier to me now that her surrogate mother has decided her 2 chicks are old enough that she doesn't have to try and beat me up for just looking at them.
View attachment 2360400
View attachment 2360402
View attachment 2360403
View attachment 2360406
View attachment 2360409
View attachment 2360411
View attachment 2360412

she is very nice .long type with great head .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

This is a hen from Queen and Duke I didn't pen up because she has some white spots in both wings that came back after the molt. She is about 18 months old now and just finished molting. I really like her eye color and am thinking I may use her as a breeder in the spring to try and remedy eye color in my line. She does have some parasitic white so chicks from that single mating would be culled through hard for white. Her comb is ugly, but she has nice copper in her hackle. Its just an idea I've been thinking about. Thoughts?

View attachment 2359207
View attachment 2359208View attachment 2359210

second option and I think it is a best one .
pair her to Dark Angel .
both have a similar correct copper . she has the eyes color .
sibling or half sibling chooks mating is good practice . will bring out the hidden stuff .

she has 2 thing you really need .
1- quality copper .
2- gorgeous correct eyes .

who care about the white .
work with a white with different line . but you have to make sure you are not missing in the thing you really need .

chooks man

 

[kfelton0002]

second option and I think it is a best one .
pair her to Dark Angel .
both have a similar correct copper . she has the eyes color .
sibling or half sibling chooks mating is good practice . will bring out the hidden stuff .

she has 2 thing you really need .
1- quality copper .
2- gorgeous correct eyes .

who care about the white .
work with a white with different line . but you have to make sure you are not missing in the thing you really need .

chooks man

That was my thinking too. I will get her penned up soon. It may be spring before I get any chicks from her because most of the Marans have quit laying. She has the nicest eye color of any female I have and I dont want to let that go to waste. And the white in her wings are small spots, not entire feathers.

 

[snowbird]

Clover is 9 weeks old tomorrow. So far I'm liking what I'm seeing. I just wish more of the eggs had hatched. She's also getting friendlier to me now that her surrogate mother has decided her 2 chicks are old enough that she doesn't have to try and beat me up for just looking at them.
View attachment 2360400
View attachment 2360402
View attachment 2360403
View attachment 2360406
View attachment 2360409
View attachment 2360411
View attachment 2360412

What breed is the Dark one.