What Breed is this Hen?

[donrae]

Cuckoo Marans do look similar to Black Australorps to an untrained eye. That's probably where the mistake accrued, unless he already knew. Anyways, both are good layers.

I'd think any person breeding cuckoo birds would know they have a white spot on top of the head. It's kind of the defining characteristic of the chicks. But, as you said, they're both nice backyard birds.

I'm curious, does she lay a darker colored egg? Marans as a rule do, but the cuckoos don't seem to be as dark as the other varieties.

 

[malberu]

I have one that looks a lot like her, I think she's a Barred Rock mix.

 

[orpington13]

I have one that looks a lot like her, I think she's a Barred Rock mix.

No, she was definitely a Cuckoo Maran. She had all the traits of a Cuckoo Maran. Small comb, black with a few white spots, and so on. She looked nothing like our Barred Rock.

 

[malberu]

Here are my Barred Rocks, and here is my Gwen. She wandered into my yard a few months ago and decided to join the flock, so I don't know what breed she is.

 

[Mr Beaks]

OP's hen is definitely a Cuckoo Marans. I have a couple myself and they lay fairly dark eggs but not those deep, dark chocolate eggs you hear about. Ours lay consistently and both were excellent broodies.

 

[malberu]

My friend has two Cuckoo Marans and they look just like Gwen, so I guess that's what she is! She does lay dark eggs but not chocolate. Here is what McMurray says:
"We carry the CUCKOO variety of Maran which resembles the Barred Rock in color by displaying feathers which are all crossed throughout with irregular dark and light slate colored bars."

 

[Mr Beaks]

Just wanted to post a sample of our Marans eggs compared to leghorn and EE. Not deep chocolate but still nice .

 

[malberu]

Mine, with EE's on the right.

 

[Mr Beaks]

Nice!