cackle hatchery ------ black copper maran , cuckoo maran, and barnvelder chicks

[Buckhunter]

anyone bought black copper maran , cuckoo maran, and barnvelder chicks from cackle .? How is the quality of the chicks and the egg color ?

 

[popsicle]

I'm not sure anybody can tell you about the Black Copper Marans eggs yet--this is the first year they've offered them. I got 5 of them this week. All survived, all healthy, all feather shanked. They're big, but not as big as the White Chantecler chicks.

I have Cackle Cuckoo Marans from last year. They lay noticeably dark eggs--though I don't know if they would even pass as a 4.

 

[jc12551]

I have cm from Cackle and they are great birds. Good foragers, free range great, and the rooster is my favorite. But the eggs are disappointing in color. This is the third year and I can't tell them apart anymore except by size.

 

[blueberry1]

Any updates on the cackle stock quality? We just bought 5 cuckoo marans from them along with some other chicks.

 

[popsicle]

Last year my Cackle Black Copper Marans (only had one, sold the other four) had noticeably darker eggs than the cuckoo, who had noticeably darker eggs than other brown layers. Now, most days I'm not always certain which dark egg came from which bird but I do know it's a Marans' egg.

The photo below has the Cuckoo Marans second from the right, the dark one next to it was from a Black Sex Link. The BCM eggs are darker. I can't find any photos of the BCM eggs at the moment.



ETA: I was happy enough with the BCM eggs that I bought five more this year. They are about 20-weeks right now, so I'll try to remember to post some images once they start laying, however one ended up as a cockerel. Next year I will probably order the cheaper Cuckoo Marans.

 

[blueberry1]

Thank you for the information! I'll report back as well once mine start laying. I look forward to hearing other reviews.

 

[corewassen87]

Thank you for the information! I'll report back as well once mine start laying. I look forward to hearing other reviews.

Did they lay for you yet?