International Black Copper Marans Thread - Breeding to the SOP

[BlueTheBrahma]

I posted it on my thread but I’ve set under a silkie six English dark cuckoo marans and two French blue coppers.
The blue coppers are from my F0 hen Chanel, and F0 cock Loki. These will be the last eggs aired by Loki until I switch him out for Napoleon. Hoping for plenty of hens!

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

@Joemarans I recall you having a blue tail Columbian boy you were growing out at the end of 2023, any news with him?
Sorry to keep asking questions on your return, we’re all just glad you’re back.
Thanks

 

[Kytera]

Is there any reliable way to sex BCMchicks before 6 weeks? Of my 2, one is behaving very Roo-ish lol. I am hoping I got lucky enough to get one of each! It also has adorable cream colored "eyebrows." I am not seeing that in any breed pics. Is it unusual to have lighter facial markings? i will try to get a better picture tomorrow, this was almost a week ago now.

 

[KF0002]

Is there any reliable way to sex BCMchicks before 6 weeks? Of my 2, one is behaving very Roo-ish lol. I am hoping I got lucky enough to get one of each! It also has adorable cream colored "eyebrows." I am not seeing that in any breed pics. Is it unusual to have lighter facial markings? i will try to get a better picture tomorrow, this was almost a week ago now. View attachment 4100835
View attachment 4100834

My Marans pullet chicks kept a darker blackish comb for longer, and the males combs started turning yellow after they were a week or so old, then the males start having more comb and wattle development. The males combs and wattles will start turning pink while the pullets’ combs stay darker. That was always how I was able to tell them apart. Males will have bigger feet and thicker legs also. I was always able to tell pretty reliably by 2 weeks old.

Sorry just lurking. I don’t raise Marans anymore but I raised them for several years.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

Is there any reliable way to sex BCMchicks before 6 weeks? Of my 2, one is behaving very Roo-ish lol. I am hoping I got lucky enough to get one of each! It also has adorable cream colored "eyebrows." I am not seeing that in any breed pics. Is it unusual to have lighter facial markings? i will try to get a better picture tomorrow, this was almost a week ago now. View attachment 4100835
View attachment 4100834

They’re too young to tell yet, if you show us photos of them in a weeks time we might start seeing those differences, though three or four week would be more reliable.

Keep an eye on the colour of their legs and feet. They should be pink/white with a bit of grey on the front, but the second one looks like it might grow entirely slate grey legs. That would be a fault for showing it.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I don't have a Black Copper Maran, but I do have a Cuckoo Maran named Opal and she is my sweetest girl! She is about 6wks old and is such a snuggle bug. Every time I sit in the run with the chickens, she's right there with me, sitting on my lap.
I have some questions, will she keep this docile temperament or is this a chick thing that she will grow out of? Also, are Cuckoo Marans the same breed as BCM's, or are they totally different? Will she lay dark eggs or is that just a BCM thing?

Here are pictures of my sweet girl:

 

[Kytera]

They are just 2wks old today. Both do have mostly slate legs and both have yellow combs (but I don't think they were very dark to start? ETA I went back to hatch day pics and they were dark! They have been this lighter color this past week though). And the very tiny outer toes. They are super sweet and inquisitive

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

I don't have a Black Copper Maran, but I do have a Cuckoo Maran named Opal and she is my sweetest girl! She is about 6wks old and is such a snuggle bug. Every time I sit in the run with the chickens, she's right there with me, sitting on my lap.
I have some questions, will she keep this docile temperament or is this a chick thing that she will grow out of? Also, are Cuckoo Marans the same breed as BCM's, or are they totally different? Will she lay dark eggs or is that just a BCM thing?

Here are pictures of my sweet girl:
View attachment 4101100View attachment 4101162

This thread has become a marans thread in general, so you and your Opal are very welcome here. I have coppers but am moving over to cuckoos, I have some hatching in two weeks.

Keep up the interaction and she should be just as sweet as an adult.

They are the same breed, just different varieties, like black and buff Orpingtons or white and lavender leghorns. Cuckoos are often English type, which are a bit different, but you have a French type, making her of the same heritage as coppers.

In theory cuckoos should lay eggs as dark as BCMs as they are the same breed but often the darkest strains exist only in BCMs. They will still be darker than all other breeds, as long as she’s been bred well be the breeder.

Feel free to ask any more questions or get me to elaborate.

 

[BlueTheBrahma]

They are just 2wks old today. Both do have mostly slate legs and both have yellow combs (but I don't think they were very dark to start? ETA I went back to hatch day pics and they were dark! They have been this lighter color this past week though). And the very tiny outer toes. They are super sweet and inquisitive View attachment 4101124

They look like they’re the same sex to me, but I can’t say certainly which one. I could be wrong, I’m afraid we’ll have to wait another week or two. Is the one with ‘eyebrows’ a blue copper (it didn’t look it in the last post but does in this)?

 

[Kytera]

They look like they’re the same sex to me, but I can’t say certainly which one. I could be wrong, I’m afraid we’ll have to wait another week or two. Is the one with ‘eyebrows’ a blue copper (it didn’t look it in the last post but does in this)?

When I bought the eggs, I was told it was a black copper flock.