French Black Copper Marans
Posted: Tue Jan 12, 2016 2:47 pm
Ok thought I would start a thread on this breed because I have a small flock and well want to try breeding some of them this spring. I only have one rooster to choose from (hatched in June 2015) so hopefully he is up to the task. I have 10 hens to choose from. I am wondering what the best number of hens to put with him to help ensure fertility would be, I was thinking 4 (?) Please let me know if I am off track here.
I think the Rooster is a handsome enough guy I was told from the woman I bought him off of that he was from a breeding of a hen that consistently layed 7's on the Marans scale (I can only take her at her word). From images I have looked at all over the internet the majority of my hens lay around a 5 with the odd 6...I just need to figure out who is laying which eggs and then include or exclude them from my plan based on how true to type they are. I would love to get darker eggs but I also want to work toward great looking birds!
I think the Rooster is a handsome enough guy I was told from the woman I bought him off of that he was from a breeding of a hen that consistently layed 7's on the Marans scale (I can only take her at her word). From images I have looked at all over the internet the majority of my hens lay around a 5 with the odd 6...I just need to figure out who is laying which eggs and then include or exclude them from my plan based on how true to type they are. I would love to get darker eggs but I also want to work toward great looking birds!
