Cuckoo marans

[ldawntaylor]

Oh, the ideas can run wild. I just have to be very selective in following through on any of them. I have some young cockerels to deal with in my flock for one thing.

I bought six said to be pullets and the hatcheries evidently got it wrong. Either the one doing the sexing was wrong, or the one marking them got mixed up. Anyway, of the 18 birds I bought half seem to be cockerels. Only six were purchased as straight run. Of the other 12 I only bought 1 male intentionally and he is a Welsummer. I have three that I bought as pullets that actually seem to be although they are a little young to be positive on that.

Anyway, a way to have two breeding pairs or trios and my mixed flock would be my ideal set up. One group Welsummer, and the other Maran.

Now, I have some ideas on how to make that happen.

It took reading about chickens for several years and then being gifted with some hens a year ago to really start me on my journey. But, I must think of it as a journey.

 

[ldawntaylor]

I am curious, this bird has a different comb from the others. I'm just wondering would it be a breed flaw? Or just a variation?



It is kind of hard to see, but at the back of the comb there is one place where there are three bumps. With the rest of the comb being like the others.

By the types of questions I ask I know I am still in the early stages of learning about chickens in general and these birds in particular.

 

[Chooks man]

that bad news I can see what are you talking about, right on the back of the comb like a little rose , very hard to breed t out disqualify bird from the show.

chooks man

 

[ldawntaylor]

Thanks,

I guess it is a good thing I have another option. Until just yesterday I thought that bird's comb was just so big it was not holding a straight line. Then, I got to actually looking and realized the comb was different from the others.

I've really appreciated your willingness to answer my questions, even if they are pretty basic.

 

[Chooks man]

is not university here is just a chooks forum. we exchange ideas and techniques .

Breeding chooks is fun.plus will keep a freezer full ,eggs basket full .and they friendly ,they look good too.

have fun don t be too serious .

chooks man

 

[ldawntaylor]

I have been enjoying the birds. Over the last several days off I've spent quite a bit of time out with the birds just because I can. Plus, I always enjoy learning more about almost any subject.

 

[Chooks man]

what is your favorite variety or breed ?

chooks man

 

[ldawntaylor]

Asking that question is like asking what my favorite color is, or my favorite kind of animal, or my favorite song, or my favorite book and author.

I don't know that I have a favorite in any of these catagories.

 

[theuglychick]

I ordered 4 sexed chicks with my last 2 orders from different hatcheries. I ordered 3 pullets and 1 cockeral. They're almost 3 weeks old and the difference between the pullets and the cockeral is becoming very evident. The cockeral came as the only maran from one hatchery and had a spot where his down was messed up on his head (looks like due to vaccine needle or something slipped and gave him a comb over) so I've known which one he was since I took him out of the box.

I just wanted to share in case it helps with sexing straight run chicks.

You can see that compared to the others he has a LOT more white coming in and his down was a touch lighter. Interestingly, his white spot was no larger or smaller than the other chicks that are supposed to be pullets. His feather development is also not as far along as the pullets despite all being hatched the same day.

COCKERAL

PULLET

PULLET

PULLET

 

[northernbcgal]

One for sure cockerel, from Beau Peep Farms in Rosedale, BC.