Week Old Black Copper Marans Chicks - Sexing by Feather color? Pictures added!

[BriarwoodsFarm]

We lost #1 to a bear when he (?) was 7.5 weeks old (and much bigger than the others, all black & white and most assertive). The others who developed a lot of copper in their neck feathers are now 9 weeks old - number 2 with the thicker legs and more feathers on her (?) legs has now grown to be 1.5 times the size of number 3 (who I think picks her feet feathers) and is just a little more flighty though both are easily handled and will sit on the palm of your hand to be petted. Maybe a little red in the tissue around the nares, but none really on wattles (barely any development there) and no red on combs (again, very small combs). DH is convinced we have 2 roosters though.

 

[Lomasi]

Yesterday Sept 3 was mine and my sons birthday. And the birthday of 6 baby chicks, my first ever to hatch. I didn't do it, but a month ago my buff orp went broody so I decided to let her hatch some eggs. I have a small flock of 8 hens and 2 roos, each one a different breed. So the eggs she hatched are sillie crosses, copper maran and cuckoo maran. So far I have 4 black, 2 of which are silkies bc of the 5 toes and one has yellow splotches, so it must be a maran of some sort. 2 are yellow, one being lighter with darker yellow racing stripes down its back, and the other is dark yellow with brown on top its head and brown racing stripes. Another yellow just hatched out this morning and was still wet when I saw it. My roos are RIR and cuckoo maran. They both breed all the hens evenly So who knows what the heck we will end up with. I'm just the proud chicken Nana!

 

[dreamerD]

[/IMG]

6 week old black copper maran. Pullet or cockerel?

 

[Lomasi]

I had a black copper hatch last fall who turned out to be male. i noticed big feet and prominant comb fairly early. He was bigger than others as well and acted dominant.

 

[CaradineCousins]

Me too I have 3 3 week old 2 have tail feathers and larger than the one that does not I was hoping for 2 pullets 1 roo

 

[Charlie0928]

I keep finding outdated threads, but in case anyone finds this, just wanted to say that I am 2/2 so far with feather sexing of my BCMs. I have 10 in the incubator, so will see on the next batch. My first was an extra BCM sent from the hatchery (Cackle). His wing feathers started becoming coppery on day 5 (or maybe that was just when I noticed!). They are now almost 4 weeks and he is definitely a cockerel. None of the others (pullets) had the copper on the wings.
On day 2 of my own hatch, one of the chicks started with copper on the wings. I guessed (rightly), that he was a cockerel too. It is now day 7 and his comb is pointier, taller and pinker. I can almost guarantee that he is a cockerel.
Anxious to see if my suspicions are right in the next batch, due in 2 weeks. I am leaning very strongly (95%) that feather sexing appears to be quite easy with the BCMs. Granted, they must be of good parentage, as questionable breeding may result in lots of copper leakage. However, copper leakage on wing feathers seems to point directly to cockerels.
Just my opinion. Wish someone above had actually posted their results.

do you recall how old were your bcm chicks when you started noticing coppery color on the boys' wings?

 

[NuggetTheChick]

Any ideas about his/her gender?

 

[hugene]

Reviving this thread to ask the experienced BCM owners. We bought a two week old BCM yesterday and was wondering if you guys can sex this one. If it’s a cockerel, I can return it to the breeder we bought from.

 

[Painted Calls]

Reviving this thread to ask the experienced BCM owners. We bought a two week old BCM yesterday and was wondering if you guys can sex this one. If it’s a cockerel, I can return it to the breeder we bought from.

View attachment 2610583

Too young. Need to wait until at least 6 weeks.

 

[hugene]

Too young. Need to wait until at least 6 weeks.

I figured so. A little bit concerned with its slightly bigger feet and tendency to protect other chicks but really hoping we don’t have to give it back to the breeder!