# Cost of Black Copper Marans



## piglady (Sep 28, 2006)

I have an incubator and I love hatching eggs so I am starting to do a weekly hatch of my black cooper marans. I want to increase my flock but won't need that many so I was going to post a local add on Craig's list. How much should I ask for my hatched cooper marans straight run? You can't buy them yet from hatcheries so I have nothing to compare them to. They really do lay the darkest eggs and I've been pleased with their laying rate. Also, any ideas on how you can sex them at hatching (feathers, color patterns, etc.)?


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## rmrc (Aug 20, 2009)

No idea on cost, but what area are you in? I am interested in some chicks if you're near NW Ohio or SE Michigan.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

You will only catch the eye of people who are interested in Black Coppers.
Around here there are a few people that are trying to sell the chicks. They started out very high (as you would expect) and had no takers.
I watched the price plummet down to the same as every chicken breed. I was watching free BC roosters going on CL too.
I have some, but mine do not lay.
I am using the roos to breed other breeds, but will trash the hens soon.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

I really doubt that you'd get much on Craig's list. Most people just want a few chickens running around the place. I'd love some myself but haven't seen them around here. I wouldn't pay much for a chick, though, because all chicks are fragile.


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## Firefly (Dec 7, 2005)

Here are the recent listings for my area. About 3 months ago there was a guy near me selling started pullets for $15 or $20 if I remember right; they were supposed to be an excellent line. http://westernmass.craigslist.org/search/grd?query=marans&srchType=A&minAsk=&maxAsk=


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## onthespot (Oct 7, 2007)

The only way I get $ for mine is to grow them out and sell guaranteed pullets. They are $50 each, no matter what age. If they want fresh hatched chicks, and ask me to choose a pullet, I will do my very best to choose a girl, and guarantee if it grows up and crows they may exchange it FOR ANOTHER DAY OLD CHICK and try again. I get to eat the roos. I don't try to find homes or any such nonsense. If I get a truly exceptional roo (rarely happens) I will grow it out a while more, keep in reserve, and mostly end up eating those too because of feather faults that present later on. No worries. There is a reason that GOOD marans pullets continue to sell for $, just keep track of your costs and time, and see how many of the pullets end up without major faults, mossiness, white flight feathers, (or several on their toes) or wrong colored eyes, too much or too little foot feathering, stumpy outer toes, ugly comb, you name it. The other good thing about growing out the babies is you get to cherry pick first and really upgrade your stock. Most buyers don't want to breed, so most will not be as choosy about feather faults. I disclose them and try to educate, but mostly people just want to give me money and leave with a nice young bird that will lay a chocolate/rusty brown colored egg.


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## piglady (Sep 28, 2006)

Thanks, we are in southern Texas and we don't ship. Mine lay fine and I am going to cull for laying ability. I don't show and don't really care about such things though I would of course cull for an obvious fault. My whole goal is egg production because I love the eggs and my girls are laying great. maybe they just like the climate here, don't know.


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## copperhead46 (Jan 25, 2008)

I think you can check craigs list or e-bay, I've seen them there from time to time.
P.J.


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## Firefly (Dec 7, 2005)

Chickenista, what do you think is the reason yours don't lay? Piglady, how many do yours lay?


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

As for sexing chicks..I have had pretty good luck with "stance." Pass your hand over the chicks and note who ducks and who stands there upright or even challenges the hand. Those who duck are USUALLY pullets. You can usually be sure of sex in a mixed group by 2 to 3 weeks of age. The guys will have more comb, more leg bone and will be larger.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I have no idea.
I have about 100 hens and every other breed lays just fine. I have 5 or 6 year old Langshans that give me an egg a day almost..
I have tried everything on the stupid BC.. more light, less light, vinegar, liver, more protein, less protein, more greens, less greens, new rooster, no rooster, old rooster, different breed of hen in with them to show them how it is done.. nothing.
They are..um.. a year and a half I think.
I haven't seen an egg since early, early spring and then only a handful from 4 hens.
I quit, I give up.
I have never kept birds that won't/don't lay for this long, but the eggs would be so stunning if they were to ever lay one.
So, I breed the roos in with my Langshans and from the pics I have seen they seem to be nice looking birds.

Oh!! I do have 1 new BC hen in the juvenile pen. I got an egg this spring and got it to hatch.. yeah me!! Not.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

oh chickenista I am so sorry you haven't able to get them started. I know you were looking forward to having some eggs. those are the hens that you hatched right? We still haven't decided what we are going to do about the Marans. I think we are going to keep on with the breed. if I have any chicks in spring I will give you some.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Sure thing Joy.
Your Splash boy is in with the Cuckoos now and is a very attentive man.
We will clutching eggs starting Sunday and I will be shipping some off as well.
If the Aaarrgghhhhhh! BC would lay I would breed him in for some Lemon Blue Marans. I want some so bad I could scream!! I mean I really, realy want to hatch some Lemon Blue Marans... really, really, really wanna.


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## tailwagging (Jan 6, 2005)

is it only a splash over a b/c that makes those?


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## piglady (Sep 28, 2006)

On average, they don't lay every day but more than every other day. I got the eggs on ebay from 6 different people so have a variety of genetics I hope. I hatched then in January and got more roosters than hens and kept the 3 best boys. I kept all the hens for now so I can hatch out a lot. I have a book from ALBC that tells how to cull for layers based on body confirmation so I intend to cull hard all those I hatch. I have 100% cooper marans but I'm culling for my use and that's eggs so will not be worrying about feather color unless something is just way not right. My main purpose is to get them laying really well because I love the dark eggs and even think the quality of the egg itself is better (I mean who eats the shell). So, I'll be working on a line of great layers while every one else is working on feathers!


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## Jennifer L. (May 10, 2002)

I've had the Cuckoo variety before and thought they laid decently. This is the first year I've hatched the BCs from purchased eggs and no eggs yet (birds are still young) but, holy cow! those roosters look like they'll be REALLY good meat birds! So with that in mind I don't expect the hens to be terrific layers. I really only got them for a few "decorative" eggs in the mix, though, so that's ok with me. If I really want eggs I turn to the Leghorns. 

I've seen BC Marans chicks on Craigslist from someone in Central NYS this spring and they were selling them for $5 each. Which sounds reasonable to me, considering that you can't get them from a hatchery.

Jennifer


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## piglady (Sep 28, 2006)

In France the Marans are considered meat birds. We put 17 roosters in the freezer and they were great for casseroles etc. but once you've raised Cornish cross, everything else looks scrawny!


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## oberhaslikid (May 13, 2002)

piglady said:


> I have an incubator and I love hatching eggs so I am starting to do a weekly hatch of my black cooper marans. I want to increase my flock but won't need that many so I was going to post a local add on Craig's list. How much should I ask for my hatched cooper marans straight run? You can't buy them yet from hatcheries so I have nothing to compare them to. They really do lay the darkest eggs and I've been pleased with their laying rate. Also, any ideas on how you can sex them at hatching (feathers, color patterns, etc.)?


I sell mine for $5 each.


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

I've seen them as chicks for $5


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## bee (May 12, 2002)

Chickenista..I hate to say it but your girls may be egg eaters..mine are. Nothing will stop them, I only get eggs when I put them in layer cages. I tried the stone eggs, I tried supplements, I tried clipping the tip off their beaks and I tried the eggs blown out and filled with yellow mustard. It cost me over 60 dollars each for double wire layer cages but it was the only way I could get eggs. I even had to cover the front trough where the eggs end up as the loose birds would fly up and eat them. If you upend your hens and check their vents and they are large and moist then it is likely they are laying and eating them. While you have the birds up check over their heads; yolk in the nostrils or the sheen of white dried on the face will give them away. You could even try rolling an egg in front of them and watch what happens. Keep us posted. I, for one, certainly understand your frustration.......


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## Natural Beauty Farm (Feb 17, 2003)

Prices should start coming down fast for those that just want some to have some. The hatcheries are selling BCM now, advertising out of Wade Jean and Bev Davis stock lines. Sold out though for this year, taking reservations for March shipping. Chicks were $4 each on one site with shipping, limit of 10 BCM and you had to buy 15 more of another breed for warmth. I just want a roo so I'm going to keep my eye out for one this fall.


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## piglady (Sep 28, 2006)

Egg prices have already come down. There for awhile they were crazy priced on ebay. Like anything, once the odity of it wears off, people loose interest. At that point, the bird better have something to offer or else folks will stop raising it. I like mine but am sure they need some work since no one has been culling them. Since I can hatch all I want, I intend to cull pretty hard so I only keep the best layers. You can breed for egg color but color changes from day to day from the same bird. The more eggs they lay, the less color they have to put on the egg but will still be very dark. So, if you only hatch the very darkest eggs, chances are you are getting them from the hen that only lays every few days instead of the girl that works daily.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

bee said:


> Chickenista..I hate to say it but your girls may be egg eaters..mine are. Nothing will stop them, I only get eggs when I put them in layer cages. I tried the stone eggs, I tried supplements, I tried clipping the tip off their beaks and I tried the eggs blown out and filled with yellow mustard. It cost me over 60 dollars each for double wire layer cages but it was the only way I could get eggs. I even had to cover the front trough where the eggs end up as the loose birds would fly up and eat them. If you upend your hens and check their vents and they are large and moist then it is likely they are laying and eating them. While you have the birds up check over their heads; yolk in the nostrils or the sheen of white dried on the face will give them away. You could even try rolling an egg in front of them and watch what happens. Keep us posted. I, for one, certainly understand your frustration.......




Nope. Not egg eaters.
And not snakes either. I do have that problem from time to time in other pens.
Plenty of eggs and then none.


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

chickenista said:


> Nope. Not egg eaters.
> And not snakes either. I do have that problem from time to time in other pens.
> Plenty of eggs and then none.


For my ducks this spring plenty of eggs and then none = a raven stealing them all! I don't have 100 though, he was taking about 12-13 big old duck eggs a day until I got some netting over the top! 

Now it seems no one is laying at all this fall. They did all just molt, and I think one baby started laying, but no eggs for a few days again now. I moved the most likely to lay girls into my Ft Knox pen, but no action. I think I need more animal protein again. I really think the commercial feeds are just NOT doing the job - when I add cooked liver to them my birds start to lay, otherwise I get very little from them. I noticed a definite change in egg quality about the time there was a corn shortage a couple of years ago and I've not gotten great eggs since (with two or three brands of feed). It's expensive to feed birds and get nothing, except in the spring!


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## ettasmama (Feb 4, 2008)

I got my 2 BCM from mypetchicken and am really pleased with their laying so far. They only started laying about two weeks ago and they are each laying at least every other day which is pretty good since they are just getting warmed up. They are keeping up with my Barred Rocks, Ameraucanas, and Columbian Wyandotte.


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## pawtraitart (Sep 30, 2010)

piglady said:


> I have an incubator and I love hatching eggs so I am starting to do a weekly hatch of my black cooper marans. I want to increase my flock but won't need that many so I was going to post a local add on Craig's list. How much should I ask for my hatched cooper marans straight run? You can't buy them yet from hatcheries so I have nothing to compare them to. They really do lay the darkest eggs and I've been pleased with their laying rate. Also, any ideas on how you can sex them at hatching (feathers, color patterns, etc.)?


I don't have any problem selling chicks on craigslist. I sell my straight run chicks for 8.00 each. The best time to sell them is in the early spring. In my experience, once the local feed stores have chicks it's more difficult to sell specialty breeds so things slow down for me at that point and I switch to hatching chicks I want to grow out for the following year and turkeys. I have good luck selling my pullet culls out of my grow out pens in the fall. The cockeral culls go in the freezer. I guess you just have to take a look at your local market and adapt accordingly.


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