Black Copper Maran vs. Blue Wheaten Ameraucana

[shelleyb1969]

Okay folks...I've been in a mental and emotional dilemma all summer. I simply cannot make up my mind as to which breed I want to begin a breeding flock of. Right now I have both breeds (BCM and BWA), but I just don't have the room to keep both through the upcoming winter. I'm going to keep my pullets/hens of both breeds and house them all together...so I'm only needing to choose 1 rooster to keep and the other must go. Whichever one I do not keep, I may end up getting another of next year when I'm better equipped...so the "loser" of this poll may still have a future with me. But this decision is truly making me crazy. So I'd like some help from my fellow poultry addicts. Please take the poll and post to tell me both the pros and cons of your personal breed of choice.

 

[pinkchick]

WoW! I can see why you are struggling with that decision. Both beautiful birds.
For me the decision would be Marans, I can't get enough of them, I'm hooked on their dispositions, their egg color and their overall beauty.
Here' s a thought......Can you keep a couple of hens from the breed that you don't decide on.....that way you could make some beautiful olive eggers later on for fun if you wanted to and you would also get to keep some gals from that breed and get their pretty eggs too, whilst workiing on the breed that you decided on. Did that make sense, cause I think I just confused myself.

If and when you are able to expand all you would have to do is get another roo for the breed that you didn't decide on.....half the battle is over.

 

[shelleyb1969]

Hi pinkchick!

I do have a separate Olive Egger project going on as well.

I should've put in my original post that I only plan on getting rid of the rooster of the chosen breed...not the entire flock. I'm going to edit my post to clarify a bit more.

Both breeds lay beautiful eggs, that's for sure.

 

[saxet]

Which population is easier to re-stock (with quality animals?)

That's the population that I would decide to let go for now.

 

[shelleyb1969]

Quote:
My BWA birds were much harder for me to acquire. I bought shipped hatching eggs from a private (non-BYC) breeder. My Marans came from a fellow BYC breeder, so getting more of them would be somewhat easier.

 

[cpartist]

Shelly- I raise both and my vote is for the Ameraucanas. Both breeds need dedicated people working on them and have challenges that can make
raising them frustrating but very rewarding when you make the right breeding decisions and start seeing some improvement. However, I think the
number of people working on the BCM's is far greater than those working on the W/BW Ameraucanas, so perhaps you could more contribute to advancing
the development of this variety, should this be one of your goals.

Both breeds are beautiful, and lay beautiful eggs, but the Ameraucanas (at least mine) have the most interesting personalities. The Marans are sweet and
docile, but my Ameraucanas just crack me up! The adults even, still fly up to sit on my back, sometimes trying to knock off each other. My whole little flock
of pullets went broody this spring, and co-parented a batch of chicks...when one hen seemed to get tired of motherhood, an "Auntie" would step in to take over.
Now that the chicks are coming of age, it's like Junior High at times...lots of drama, BFF one day, spats the next. I have one girl who spends most of her day
"trash talkin'" to the birds in the pens on either side...chattering, head bobbing,...until they get mad enough to start lunging at the fence....then she happily
walks away. The best "chicken TV" ever

. They are just so flippin funny!

Only you can totally evaluate your flock and it's potential, and what they mean to you emotionally. Would you be better served bringing in new stock on one
breed or the other? Are you sure you won't be able to house both roo's together? Sometimes they can establish an order without killing each other, sometimes
not.

Good luck with this decision, I'm glad you are keeping hens of both, so you are keeping your options open. I've found it's pretty easy to hatch roo's

.

 

[saxet]

Wouldn't that solve your dillemma?
They both sound like too good to give up, but if you have to..........

(let go of what you can start back up again later?)

 

[Chickanmanfromarkansas]

Blue Wheaten Ameraucana: I love the blue eggs. Also I'd love to have some Ameraucana's but in Brown Red. Maybe one day.

 

[kathyinmo]

I voted, but I don't have a reason. I voted against the Marans, simply because I (personally) am sick of trying to work on them! LOL I love the dark eggs, but can not get quality stock AND dark eggs. I give up on them.

The beautiful blue egg .... now that may be a challenge, too! But, I think it is less elusive. I vote Ameraucana! The blue wheaton are gorgeous birds, as well..... the girls are prettier than the BCM girls, in my eyes.

Good luck on your choice!

 

[Mahonri]

I have both... and you know my answer.

Blue Wheaten Ameraucanas.