BCM or "Egger" cockerel?

[Airyaman]

So I hatched some supposed BCM eggs earlier this year. Only 2/12 hatched, and I got male and one female. The female is some type of egger because while she has some BCM markings, as well as lightly feather covered legs, she also has a crest.

All of the eggs were very dark brown.

Now here is the cockerel, 17 weeks old:

So does this look like (close to) a "full blooded" BCM, or is he an "egger"?

Thanks!

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Looks like a full BCM. They can have quite a bit of copper coloring. He has the right body style. Light feathers outside legs. Copper eye. Came out of a dark brown egg. Yeah, I can believe that's a BCM.

 

[Airyaman]

Looks like a full BCM. They can have quite a bit of copper coloring. He has the right body style. Light feathers outside legs. Copper eye. Came out of a dark brown egg. Yeah, I can believe that's a BCM.

Thanks.

He's such a big wimp. He eats all day, doesn't crow, and hasn't even begun to show an interest in his ladies. But then he was raised only around them as the only male, so he's probably just going to take awhile for the natural instincts to kick in.

He does hear a bunch of the other cockerels crow, even the BAs that are younger than him, yet he hasn't even tried (to my knowledge).

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Nothing socializes a young teen rooster better than a flock of matrons to keep him in line. I broody raise my chicks, and momma introduces them to the flock, protects them until they are fledged. Then when the boys come of age, it is soooo funny to watch the matrons tell them where they can stand and what they can do and when they can do it. The worse situation for raising a rooster is when he is the only roo (or group) with young teen siblings. That gets pretty raucous on the roos part as the teen girls don't know how to tell them off.

Likely he'll warm up to his duties in time once he convinces the old gals with his charm.

LofMc

 

[Airyaman]

Nothing socializes a young teen rooster better than a flock of matrons to keep him in line. I broody raise my chicks, and momma introduces them to the flock, protects them until they are fledged. Then when the boys come of age, it is soooo funny to watch the matrons tell them where they can stand and what they can do and when they can do it. The worse situation for raising a rooster is when he is the only roo (or group) with young teen siblings. That gets pretty raucous on the roos part as the teen girls don't know how to tell them off.

Likely he'll warm up to his duties in time once he convinces the old gals with his charm.

LofMc

It was funny earlier. Sometimes I will leave one or two of the oldest flock out. It's always my CCL cockerel with the weird toes, and either an SS or CCL pullet. Well, the CCL pullet was out, and the BCM cockerel finally wanted to show some toughness so he puffed out his feathers and approached her. She then backed his rear-end up and he took off like another pullet.

He's not used to confrontation, they are the calmest flock of the bunch.

 

[-chook-]

Looks like a full BCM. They can have quite a bit of copper coloring. He has the right body style. Light feathers outside legs. Copper eye. Came out of a dark brown egg. Yeah, I can believe that's a BCM.

Can you possibly tell me if this is pure or mixed breed?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Can you possibly tell me if this is pure or mixed breed?

It doesn't look pure to me. It looks more Cochin in body style from the front photo angle, though totally wrong tail for Cochin.. Hackle coloring is off too. Also maybe a bit heavy foot feathered more like a Cochin.

Though heavy bodied, Marans should still stand somewhat tall and proud. In the pics it appears squatty and too light bodied. It could be camera angle.

Maybe get a really good profile and put on the Marans breed board? I've had good quality Marans from a breeder but am not an expert.

 

[-chook-]

It doesn't look pure to me. It looks more Cochin in body style from the front photo angle, though totally wrong tail for Cochin.. Hackle coloring is off too. Also maybe a bit heavy foot feathered more like a Cochin.

Though heavy bodied, Marans should still stand somewhat tall and proud. In the pics it appears squatty and too light bodied. It could be camera angle.

Maybe get a really good profile and put on the Marans breed board? I've had good quality Marans from a breeder but am not an expert.

She laid her first egg the day after I posted this. It looks like a BCM egg. Does that mean anything? Or can it still be mixed?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

She laid her first egg the day after I posted this. It looks like a BCM egg. Does that mean anything? Or can it still be mixed?

Totally could be mixed. Egg color follows specific genetics not a singular breed. I've started with Marans and Welsunmers and have cross bred to Cream Legbar for dark olive....then cross bred back out. I have mixed breeds that lay darker eggs. I also have some feed store Black Sexlinks that are amusingly laying fairly dark brown eggs, the terra cotta color. So you don't need full Marans to get dark brown eggs if you breed mixed breeds along darker brown lines. You just need to keep enough of the 13 genes for brown.

If it is truly dark, dark brown, it's a good sign that Marans is in the lineage. Leg feathers also indicates closer link. That tends to breed out pretty fast.

Your bird could fully be Marans but not show quality as not standard hackle colors or body type from what I can construe from those photo angles.

I like egg color and health so I don't worry about show quality breed. I just follow the egg genetics and health of my breeding stock, and of course temperament.

The nice thing about carefully controlled purebreds is you do usually know what you are getting. But ditto with controlled mix breeds once you get into the 3rd or 4th generation.

Have fun with her. If you are looking to show or breed show quality, go to the Marans thread.

 

[-chook-]

Totally could be mixed. Egg color follows specific genetics not a singular breed. I've started with Marans and Welsunmers and have cross bred to Cream Legbar for dark olive....then cross bred back out. I have mixed breeds that lay darker eggs. I also have some feed store Black Sexlinks that are amusingly laying fairly dark brown eggs, the terra cotta color. So you don't need full Marans to get dark brown eggs if you breed mixed breeds along darker brown lines. You just need to keep enough of the 13 genes for brown.

If it is truly dark, dark brown, it's a good sign that Marans is in the lineage. Leg feathers also indicates closer link. That tends to breed out pretty fast.

Your bird could fully be Marans but not show quality as not standard hackle colors or body type from what I can construe from those photo angles.

I like egg color and health so I don't worry about show quality breed. I just follow the egg genetics and health of my breeding stock, and of course temperament.

The nice thing about carefully controlled purebreds is you do usually know what you are getting. But ditto with controlled mix breeds once you get into the 3rd or 4th generation.

Have fun with her. If you are looking to show or breed show quality, go to the Marans thread.

I do not show chickens.. just love the eggs and company. Thank you!