I have some Cuckoo marans coming... and as you guys know I'm planning on hatching some chicks this summer as well. Trying to decide what kind I'm going to hatch, and while researching the cuckoo Marans, I started reading about the Blue Copper Marans, the Black Copper Marans, Wheaton Marans, etc. When reading about the Blue Coppers, it said that half of the hatch will be blue, 25% will be Copper, and 25% Blue Copper Splash.
Are they all an offshoot of the Cuckoo maran? Can someone enlighten me please?
Copper Marans
Hello Melissa! Good to see you. I am not sure about the genetics of these chickens. I just love the way they look. I will leave that to the ones who are good at it. I just wanted to say hello. Great Uncle Haystack has Marans. And a few others here are great with the genetics. Have a great day. Jeanmarie
Hi Melissa. They are all different color phases of the Marans breed. Cuckoo is just a very popular one and famous for its particularly dark eggs. The different colors of Marans are still a work in progress and I think some (like white) are approved in Europe but not the USA. I don't think there is an accepted standard here yet.
The Black Copper Marans are now in high demand and are reputed to have the darkest eggs--but I have had some Cuckoo that seem very dark. The Blue Coppers are a dilute of the Black Copper and so you get the variation of colors which happens in some of the other blues. There are breeders working to get the color of the eggs darker in the Blue Copper--which are lighter than the very dark Black Copper--but still dark brown.
There are two strains of Marans, the British and the French--the latter have feathered shanks. The clean-legged British strain is more common in the States--but some people have the feathered and some have crossed the two so sometimes you get some feathered legged and some clean when you hatch.
When I hatched some "Blue Marans" eggs I got 3 Black and one Blue--no Splash, although you can see some lovely Blue Splash on eBay.
Thanks Catscan. I've been reading about the different breeds, and saw all the ones that the French Recognize that we don't.... I also ran across an auction for Golden Cuckoo Marans, and they were really pretty as well! So many gorgeous birds out there! I want them all! LOL
BUT..... I should have stayed away from the auctions.... because I got some Blue Maran eggs for a steal.... then the same seller had some Wellsummer and Cuckoo eggs for 5.00 a dozen so, I guess I will be hatching, or attempting to hatch next weekend. I guess this will be a good trial run for me.... gulp. I just hate the idea of killing chicks... but on the other hand, if it works, I may have to cancel my hatchery order and just buy eggs instead. ;) The difference in price between 60 chicks and 60 eggs is astounding.
Thats the expert I was thinkin' of! Great info. :)
:) I appreciate all the advice. I really do. I can't wait to see what happens when/if they hatch.
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