Let's talk Cuckoo and WHITE marans... breeding strategies... - Page 84

well looks like i need to finally get off my a$s and get a good start of them then... that's only about 4 hours from me and i would love to see Bev and Dick again... maby ill show my blacks and whites and my project Lav's at that show as well...

anyone want to donate Cuckoo eggs im broke right now...

Quote:

Originally Posted by fowlman01 

It appears that the Cuckoo Marans will have an APA qualifying meet at Shawnee, OK in 2013. The description will be the same as the ABA color description for Cuckoo.

 

Walt

where did you get your Blacks from???

Quote:

Originally Posted by flgardengirl 

I have a pure black Marans roo from a very dark egg. I don't like his comb because he has a double serration but I like everything else about him. I might use him on some cuckoo projects to darken up egg color if needed. I did find some good looking silver cuckoos to purchase who are feather shanked too :)  I already have golden cukoo projects going and starting on the lemon cuckoos now that my new breeding pens are finished. 

Here is my black Marans boy. Like I said, I hate his huge comb (too many points, a double serration, but clean with no sprigs lol) His body is just huge now. He was pretty young in this pic.  I have one pure black Marans hen as well with heavy feathered shanks who lays a 7-8 depending on her laying cycle.

I have blues from a 3 different sources and finally hatched out some blacks from them. I don't know if I believe that 25% black thing when it comes to Marans. It took me forever to get  black hen then a year later to get a black male. I've hatched lots of blues and lots of splash males. Kinda strange.  It seems with all the blues people have they would be hatching out more blacks but you just don't see it for some reason. I am going to be mating my 2 blacks together to get a black flock going. I've had my female in a different project for awhile. I will try and get some pics of her. She has been trying to go broody on some eggs that aren't all hers and a few started smelling bad. I made her get off of them lol.

Heres some of the blue babies I hatched last year. I lost my good blue male roo to a hawk late last summer after I hatched the black male roo. I am just sick about that. I have one other blue male that looks okay but he is sooo nasty to both people and the hens I am not letting him near my girls. So now will need to use this black male instead for further breeding, at least he is nicer..he doesn't like to be picked up but not nasty at all and the girls like him.

Some blue chicks

Nasty blue boy when he was younger

Quote:

Originally Posted by flgardengirl 

I have blues from a 3 different sources and finally hatched out some blacks from them. I don't know if I believe that 25% black thing when it comes to Marans. It took me forever to get  black hen then a year later to get a black male. I've hatched lots of blues and lots of splash males. Kinda strange.  It seems with all the blues people have they would be hatching out more blacks but you just don't see it for some reason. I am going to be mating my 2 blacks together to get a black flock going. I've had my female in a different project for awhile. I will try and get some pics of her. She has been trying to go broody on some eggs that aren't all hers and a few started smelling bad. I made her get off of them lol.

 

Heres some of the blue babies I hatched last year. I lost my good blue male roo to a hawk late last summer after I hatched the black male roo. I am just sick about that. I have one other blue male that looks okay but he is sooo nasty to both people and the hens I am not letting him near my girls. So now will need to use this black male instead for further breeding, at least he is nicer..he doesn't like to be picked up but not nasty at all and the girls like him.

 

Some blue chicks

 

 

Nasty blue boy when he was younger

I'm sure we've been over this before, but are those solid blues? If so...I might be coming after you for some eggies! I am so tired of ordering solid blues and getting crap color coppers. Its depressing

So far no coppering on the males: none on the nasty one or the sweet blue roo that got taken by the hawk. The black male is all black and my black female is all black not a copper hair on their hides lol  :D   I really need to do more breeding but they are supposed to be all true blues.  I had a blue line earlier that had some coppering show up on a male but I am really thinking it was from the sun now because he got the dirty brown tint on his saddles like even my pure blue ameraucanas get after running around in the FL sun all summer long. After this particular guy molted, he was all nice solid blue again sooooo... I didn't use him for breeding though because he also has middle toe feathers and they are too much trouble to try to breed out. I've had too many projects and things going on (not chickens lol) and haven't had much time all throughout last fall and winter to work on my chicken projects so hopefully, I can do some this spring and summer.

Like you, I would not want someone to sell me the wrong varieties by accident or worse yet, intentionally. I will not sell eggs from the blues or blacks until I know for sure:  

a) they don't have any coppering, b) combs look good (no serrations like on the black male) c) egg color is superior d) shanks are feathered correctly, good tail set,  etc. This could take awhile LOL! Once you think you have something down, something else pops up. I had thought, Wow! I got a black male I like his shanks and tail set and build....hmmm maybe I'll show him...then his comb got that double serration haha good joke on me.

There are some flocks around...
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by flgardengirl 

I bet there aren't that many silver cuckoos with feathered shanks around in the U.S. ......

care to recommend some ???

Quote:

Originally Posted by Myabcs3 

There are some flocks around...
 

 

Might try Lynnrae Troples in PA. paintedbones on the Net.

 Best,

 Karen

Quote:

Originally Posted by heritagehabitatfarms 

care to recommend some ???

 

Here. try here. http://www.sweeth2o.us/Sweetwatermarans.html

This is a quality breeder of good reputation. her feather-legged Cuckkos come from top and/or vintage lines.

 Tell her you would like to cross with Russ Youngs' Cuckoo Marans. and she will help you select the right birds

for that, if that's what youw ant to do.

thanks i sent her an email...

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3riverschick 

Might try Lynnrae Troples in PA. paintedbones on the Net.

 Best,

 Karen

Here. try here. http://www.sweeth2o.us/Sweetwatermarans.html

This is a quality breeder of good reputation. her feather-legged Cuckkos come from top and/or vintage lines.

 Tell her you would like to cross with Russ Youngs' Cuckoo Marans. and she will help you select the right birds

for that, if that's what youw ant to do.