Wrath's Marans

[wrathsfarm]

Oh I'm not getting rid of either. I don't have plan for breeding at any point yet because I have such a young mixed flock. In the future, though... maybe. It depends on the market and my amount of free time. Right now my flock is just for my enjoyment and a colorful egg basket.

That's perfectly ok...
I was just giving you some thoughts on the SOP factor and how their both unique and lovely in their own way.

I really need a few Blues in my Black mob.

 

[NanaK]

My Blue Copper Marans are looking healthy. Interesting how different they look. One is so much darker with only small feathers on her feet. They're hatchery quality so I imagine not SOP.
View attachment 4082132

Such cuties! I love them!

Currently the American Poultry Association only recognises Black, Black Copper, Wheaten, and White. There is no SOP for Blue or Blue Copper in the US. This is really only important if you intend to show. This could change in the future if enough breeders worked together to create a SOP and present it to the APA and have it accepted. There is a process to go through and I'm not sure of all the specifics.

France does recognize Blue Copper. Not sure about other countries. If interested you could look at the French standard.

 

[WingItRanch]

Such cuties! I love them!

Currently the American Poultry Association only recognises Black, Black Copper, Wheaten, and White. There is no SOP for Blue or Blue Copper in the US. This is really only important if you intend to show. This could change in the future if enough breeders worked together to create a SOP and present it to the APA and have it accepted. There is a process to go through and I'm not sure of all the specifics.

France does recognize Blue Copper. Not sure about other countries. If interested you could look at the French standard.

Oh I didn't know that! Interesting. I bet people in the US (regardless if they were planning on showing or not) would pay good money for a Blue that laid dark brown eggs. I imagine mine won't lay as dark as the Black CM but wonder if you breed the dark egg coloring into a blue.

 

[NanaK]

Oh I didn't know that! Interesting. I bet people in the US (regardless if they were planning on showing or not) would pay good money for a Blue that laid dark brown eggs. I imagine mine won't lay as dark as the Black CM but wonder if you breed the dark egg coloring into a blue.

I would think Blues would sell very well. I think they are more expensive at hatcheries. I have never seen any in local feed stores either. I would have bought some!

Research blue/black/splash genetics. You can breed Blue Copper to Black Copper. With careful selection and breeding I would think a darker egg could be achieved in Blues. It would take time because of selecting dark eggs in hens. You have to grow them out until they lay before selection.
This would be a fun project! Lot's of pretty marans running around!

 

[wrathsfarm]

I haven't looked at France's Standard for Blue Coppers. Is this much different than the Black Copper SOP? I would have assumed Blues would follow the same Standard as BCMs much like Black Silvers do here in the States. With just the iteration for the Blue or Silver feathering guidelines.

Here's the 2 BBS graphs I have. They're both the same, and there is others out there on the web. These are the 2 I like...

 

[wrathsfarm]

39 BCM and 17 EE/OE are going.

 

[wrathsfarm]

In coop news... With setting most all eggs I had on hand, Ravens daughter White/White has been sitting on 6 of Kong x Solo eggs for the past week. These were originally suppose to be temporary and Lil Black has been sitting on 4 golf balls. I decided to just let W/W keep them so now with the other broody on Solo eggs also, that ups them to 16 eggs. And put 8 eggs from Ravens White/Red under Lil Black, which are these.

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

39 BCM and 17 EE/OE are going.View attachment 4083781

I’m curious as to what humidity you strive for during incubation and lockdown. I though a lower humidity would lose water and make the shell more brittle and easier to externally pip.
My latest BBS Marans run had poor hatch rate among the darkest eggs. They could not externally pip.
My lighter Marans eggs in same run had 100% hatch rate without assist. I ran 30-35% RH and bumped to 55-65% at lockdown.

Any advice on better hatch rate with Marans is greatly appreciated, if you don’t mind.

 

[wrathsfarm]

I’m curious as to what humidity you strive for during incubation and lockdown. I though a lower humidity would lose water and make the shell more brittle and easier to externally pip.
My latest BBS Marans run had poor hatch rate among the darkest eggs. They could not externally pip.
My lighter Marans eggs in same run had 100% hatch rate without assist. I ran 30-35% RH and bumped to 55-65% at lockdown.

Any advice on better hatch rate with Marans is greatly appreciated, if you don’t mind.

With my eggs I'm fairly close to your markers. 25-30 and not over 50 at lockdown. With much darker eggs I've read that lower humidity than that is needed. The harder shells and darker pigment retains more moisture thereby not needing the higher humidity.
I've got 22 of my eggs in my NR360 around day 10 and I've put no water in it and hovering at 23%. I may test this run completely dry straight thru lockdown just to test the theory.

Alot of people swear by dry hatching Marans eggs.

 

[wrathsfarm]

For those not counting...
25 EE/OEs and 83 Marans eggs in total are now brewing.

Fuel up your vehicles folks, cuz if these don't sell I'm having a 'Fire Sale' !!