What would a Black Copper and Black Birchen Marans Cross look like?

[Thenino]

Hi Everyone!

I have some black copper marans, Lavender Marans and one black birchen marns roo. Would crossing any of those result in any interesting combinations or mostly just balckish birds?

I guess one of my main questions would be, is it worth keeping my one Black Birchen Roo? He is gorgeous but if he won't help me get any interesting colors maybe I should find him a new home?

Thanks!

 

[Amer]

Bred with black coppers you will get birchen hens and golden (so birchen but kind of goldish) birchen cockerels. Bred with lavender Marans, you’d get the same. Keep him if you want birchen Marans. If not, rehome him.

 

[kcrandall]

Crossing a Black Copper Marans (BCM) with a Black Silver (Birchen) Marans will create a genetic mess. While both varieties base color is black, BCM have a “gold” gene and Black Silvers have a “silver” gene. Gold and Silver do not play well together in the breeding pen. By the looks of the pictured cockerel he has BCM genetics in his background - his wing bow should be solid white but it appears to have a yellowish tint which tells me he is not a pure Black Silver. He could be used to create Olive Eggers.