Sexing 2 wk old BCM 🫠

[CrescenzoFam]

I’ve read through so many threads… and I get that it’s too soon be 100%. I have 18 BCM chicks that are just barely 2 wks old and a few have beautiful copper shoulders and wing tips. Would it be possible for me to assume those will definitely be my males? The color is so bright and shiny like a new penny! (greenfire farms line)

 

[wrathsfarm]

That's a pretty good indicator as females will should only show copper in their cape. Congrats on your BCM babies.
We have a very active Marans thread here..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-to-the-sop.1122465/page-2318#post-27424941

 

[CrescenzoFam]

That's a pretty good indicator as females will should only show copper in their cape. Congrats on your BCM babies.
We have a very active Marans thread here..
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-to-the-sop.1122465/page-2318#post-27424941

Thank you!!!! Checking out that thread rn!

 

[wrathsfarm]

Thank you!!!! Checking out that thread rn!

Your welcome...

 

[HappyClucker7]

BCMs are not autosexing, so that red really isn't an indicator of sex. You'll have to wait until they are 6-8 weeks old.

 

[NanaK]

I’ve read through so many threads… and I get that it’s too soon be 100%. I have 18 BCM chicks that are just barely 2 wks old and a few have beautiful copper shoulders and wing tips. Would it be possible for me to assume those will definitely be my males? The color is so bright and shiny like a new penny! (greenfire farms line)

What color are this chicks feet? They appear to be yellow. BCM do not have yellow feet/legs.
Could it be a hybrid or mix?

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

I had a Black Copper Marans from Sand Hill Preservation Center (so assumed pure at least) whose early feathering looked a lot like this. He did end up being a cockerel and had excess copper on him, particularly in his chest and wings. I don't think this is necessarily a sign that the ones with this coloring will all be cockerels; however, I would suspect it's a sign that they will have excess copper in their feathering, so wouldn't be the best candidates for breeding toward the standard if that was your goal.

I also agree with NanaK that those feet look rather yellowish... So being mixes is also a distinct possibility. You say they are out of Greenfire Farms' line, but are they directly from Greenfire or through another breeder who got their stock from Greenfire?

 

[CrescenzoFam]

I had a Black Copper Marans from Sand Hill Preservation Center (so assumed pure at least) whose early feathering looked a lot like this. He did end up being a cockerel and had excess copper on him, particularly in his chest and wings. I don't think this is necessarily a sign that the ones with this coloring will all be cockerels; however, I would suspect it's a sign that they will have excess copper in their feathering, so wouldn't be the best candidates for breeding toward the standard if that was your goal.

I also agree with NanaK that those feet look rather yellowish... So being mixes is also a distinct possibility. You say they are out of Greenfire Farms' line, but are they directly from Greenfire or through another breeder who got their stock from Greenfire?

Direct from Greenfire! Every picture I’ve seen online of a French Black Copper Marans chick of their age has yellow feet. Even show breeders in France have chicks with yellow feet. Is it an American standard that I need to follow vs French? Also not planning on breeding, thank goodness. Thats way out of my wheelhouse. Not sure I would be ok with the coefficient of inbreeding with my starter flock. But I do want to keep a rooster or two!

 

[CrescenzoFam]

Direct from Greenfire! Every picture I’ve seen online of a French Black Copper Marans chick of their age has yellow feet. Even show breeders in France have chicks with yellow feet. Is it an American standard that I need to follow vs French? Also not planning on breeding, thank goodness. Thats way out of my wheelhouse. Not sure I would be ok with the coefficient of inbreeding with my starter flock. But I do want to keep a rooster or two!

Nvm. I see it isn’t yellow, they’re whitish grey. Mine look actual yellow because I keep them in my greenhouse and at night I have a grow light as my light source! So in the pic they come out yellow! Because I see actual yellow leg chicks on Google.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Ah, okay! Sometimes chick feet have a yellowish tinge to them for a while after hatch as well, so it can be tough to tell, especially in pictures, what their leg coloring actually is. I would just keep an eye on the ones with extra copper to see how they turn out. I don't think that indicates that they'll be males, but they may end up with too much copper in their feathering as I mentioned before. If you aren't breeding them anyway, then that just means you'll end up with some birds that are more colorful than the others.