Wheaten and Blue wheaten Marans Discussion Thread - Page 198

Can someone help me figure out the distinguishing characteristics between a Wheaten cock and a Gold-Salmon cock? I think some chicks I got last year came from someone who'd used a Gold-Salmon cock instead of a Wheaten. The chicks had that sort of chipmunk look, though more muted than what's on the French Marans site. I have two pullets that have more of a Gold-Salmon look and I'm wondering if they're half and half. As a test, I put a cockerel over them that I know had Wheaten down as a chick, and the resulting chicks came out with faint chipmunk-like markings on them. Obviously I won't use the pullets any further for crosses with Wheaten, but the lingering question remains- how to spot the difference in the adult males? The main difference I see is in the hackle coloring.

http://marans.eu/saum.htm#saum

Thanks for your help!

It may also have been that this was a recessive gene that the birds carry. I know my blues and blacks were never breed to a salmon although I did get salmon chicks from them. Marans have several genes that are recessive and if you mix 2 parents that both carry that same recessive gene that gene pops out and wala you get some chicks that no were near resemble there parents.

As for how to tell them apart on the male. I only ever raised out 1 salmon roo. For the longest time he really resembled more like a black copper in marking then a wheaten to me and even when I sold him he really looked like a black copper. I would say look at the hackle color and like randy said wing color/traingle does it look like the wheatens or more like the black coppers.

You are correct salmons look almost like a chipmunk as babys and normally the lighter down chicks with light chipmuck down end up being silver salmons and darker down end up as golden salmons. Just my own experience with them but only have little over a year with them. Wish I could have been more help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by berkeleysprings 


it might have something to do with the line you have i have only had one in almost 5 years go brody. the hen went to full term

It may have then.  That is interesting to me!  Well, I will have to get pics when they hatch the babies and let you guys evaluate their color.  These are out of the badly colored bunch, but if the coloring on these isn't too bad, I'd love to keep them and try to breed in a little broodiness. I definitely prefer to let them raise their own-it's much much easier and it's great to see them running around the yard! :)  

Mornin' Randy

  Mine are due to hatch on the 20th! Can't wait to see what pops out! Going to mark the X chicks that hatch and let you know how they turn out too.

Ooooo, you enabler, you!    Thanks!

That reminds me, it's Morel season here. May just go out and scout up some good eatin' mushrooms! Marans and Morel omelets!!