Black Copper Maran hatched out white

[DucksAndGardens]

So I had some black and blue copper maran eggs that set under some broody hens. I had 6 hatch out, 2 black, 3 blue, and one that was supposed to be black hatched out white! The person I got them from only had black and blue, there were no white birds in her flock. Is this normal? She doesn't seem to be albino. Maybe leucistic? Has anyone ever had this happen?

 

[Gray Farms]

Where they all together or separate? I mean blues in one pen and blacks in another? If the breeder had blue roosters over blue hens that will produce 25% splash chicks. Which I'm thinking is what you have there.

 

[ChocolateMouse]

I agree that it's likely a splash maran.

Basically the blue gene is like two light switches in a dark room.
Both of them are off and it's dark - black bird
One is on and it's dim - blue/grey bird
Both are on and it's bright - nearly white bird with grey splotches

If you have two that are blue breed they each have one switch ON and one off. And they must each give one at random to their offspring. Which means sometimes you get two that have both switches off (black), and sometimes one with both switches on (splash), and (most commonly) some will have one on and one off and be blue.

Splash bird are very pretty, and can be nice quality birds, but usually not show able in most breeds.

 

[DucksAndGardens]

The black and blue hens were covered by a black rooster.

 

[Hensndoes]

Does the breeder have a blue roo at all?

 

[Sneebsey]

If the chick does not grow up to be splash, it could also be recessive white; if both parents are carrying it unseen, it's plausible to hatch an unexpected white chick from a pen of non-white birds, particularly if only one hen and the rooster are carrying the gene.

 

[LilJoe]

It could be a sport marans (like legbars)

 

[Sneebsey]

Exactly; the white sports in Legbars are caused by each parent hiding a copy of Recessive White, which needs two in order to express.

 

[Brew Coop]

Yeah, It a Recessive Gene, White Marans. If it's a hen and you let her hatch she could have black and/or white chicks mixed.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

I see your problem! You have a duck!!

Ok, so really, I know nothing about genetics, and would have to nod politely, if incomprehensively to the answers above... I just thought it was cute there was a duckling in the mix.