International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[Chooks man]

When i get home i will check her legband number. I have 3 legbanded. Two are for fast/medium feathering and one is the only one to hatch from shipped eggs. Not related to the rest.
It may be that lone hatched chick.

Also....my flock is closed. No more birds coming in. I have 2 bcm lines to work with and my legbars. All are healthy and it will stay this way.

There is plenty to keep me busy with my bcm line.

she is different for sure . and nice one too . she is early feathering type .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

This is Judith and Maggie.
Same line and age.

View attachment 2294426View attachment 2294429View attachment 2294433

And all 6 of line #1, 9 weeks.
View attachment 2294445

both pullets are nice .well colored with a good head .
chooks man

 

[Punkybrewster]

...and now i wait to see how all will mature. This is the hardest part.
Being patient.

 

[Chooks man]

Example...

Line #1 is pure Bev Davis.
Line #2 is Elk Valley Farm

For now, i would like to keep these 2 lines separate, select roosters and hens from each line that will compliment each other and fix any faults. The offspring would create my own line (#3)

At the same time, i am keeping both original lines pure as i received them.

old way of thinking . that will need too many breeding pens . what a point keeping working pure with faulty lines .
best way to maintain line is to back crossing to the best subject .
best way to form any line is to mate a correct birds together regardless of they origin . if they are correct they are highly going to produce correct progeny except if there is recessive genes . mate a best cockerel from line #1 to a best pullet from line #2 . that will give you 1&2 F1.
mate cockerel from line #2 to pullet from line #1 . you will get progeny 2&1 F1 .
now you end up with 2 different cross . you can than back cross or move forward .just mating the best to the best .
test mating will help you a lot and will save you a lot time/work and money .

chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

I bought and hatched chicks from 2 separate breeders. I want to keep both lines ( groups) separated in different coops. When they start laying, i may breed some from each line together to better the marans breed and start my own line (which would be line #3) at the same time keeping my original line #1 and #2 pure.

Does that make any sense?

This is my plan but but of course anything can change in the future. This is how i am starting them out for now.

you can keep any line pure if it showing a major fault . out crossing to other line and than back cross to the original line will give a better result .
let say you big cockerel line#1 with a big comb . he will be mated to a best pullets from line #2 { they seem to have a better combs}= you will get 50%blood of each line . select the best pullets with a small great combs and mate them back to they sire to introduce a good comb gene to the original line .

focus on breeding a best looking chooks ,the most correct type .
chooks man

 

[Chooks man]

So I set 27 eggs about 19 days ago. Per the advise from you guys and gals I kept the humidity low. Average 30-40 range. At lock down I pulled 2 clear eggs. So 25 set to hatch. Not sure about the final hatch yet as I still have a few days to go but I will say I am very pleased. I guess the Marans do better with the lower humidity as you all said. Thank you for the advise!!

good luck
chooks man

 

[Punkybrewster]

Of course you are correct chooks man.
From reading everything on this thread i learned this.

This was all in my head but getting it from my head to written form i failed to explain very well.

And you are right about space. I dont have enough. When the time comes for breeding and culling, i will need everyones help. Thank you.

 

[Punkybrewster]

you can keep any line pure if it showing a major fault . out crossing to other line and than back cross to the original line will give a better result .
let say you big cockerel line#1 with a big comb . he will be mated to a best pullets from line #2 { they seem to have a better combs}= you will get 50%blood of each line . select the best pullets with a small great combs and mate them back to they sire to introduce a good comb gene to the original line .

focus on breeding a best looking chooks ,the most correct type .
chooks man

Yes.
So much great advice.

 

[Chooks man]

Of course you are correct chooks man.
From reading everything on this thread i learned this.

This was all in my head but getting it from my head to written form i failed to explain very well.

And you are right about space. I dont have enough. When the time comes for breeding and culling, i will need everyones help. Thank you.

you only need few correct looking chooks to start with 2 pairs will be great one of each line . if you end up having more than that ,than you are lucky person keep them all .

line#1 I can tell ,they have a heavy short and thick body type .
line #2 look like they have a better head/eyes/comb .

your future line should have body type .body color .good eyes .great comb . tail not sure yet till I see them fully grown .

you have most of the correct marans traits between your 2 lines .
chooks man

 

[Punkybrewster]

That is what i was hoping to hear.

They look different from each other but each line has good traits to compliment what the other is lacking.

I hope.
Only time will tell.