Blue Orpington or Blue English Marans?

[Stephoney]

I’ve been trying to figure out my hen’s breed for months, but can’t seem to come to a conclusion. To me, she looks like a Blue English Marans or a Blue Orpington. I get hung up on the copper feathering around her neck area. I haven’t seen any Orpingtons like that. When she stands next to my Buff, she looks similar in size, but still not quite the same. The woman I purchased her from said she bought her as a chick for her specific breed. She seemed disappointed, like she’d received a dud or something. This had led me to wonder if she’s a Blue English Marans that lays tan eggs instead of the coveted dark brown ones. We call her Blue (not very creative, I admit) and she’s very sweet. She’s around 1 1/2 years old and lays the largest eggs in my mixed flock (one Australorp, one Russian Orloff, two Black Americaunas, one Speckled Sussex (not laying), two Welsummers, one Buff Orpington, one Salmon Faverolles, and one Wheaten Easter Egger). For size comparison, Blue’s egg is on the right next to a Welsummer egg and an Amerucauna egg. It’s not a big deal, but it would be great to know what kind of hen she is. At least it would put my late night Googling tendencies to rest! I figured that someone with a lot more experience might know and put my mind at ease.

What do you think?

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

She's a Blue Copper Marans

 

[JedJackson]

Maybe Blue Copper Marans, but I think she looks a lot like a production blue.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Maybe Blue Copper Marans, but I think she looks a lot like a production blue.

That's an excellent point. That makes the egg color make much more sense!

 

[Stephoney]

I would agree but she has blue legs and production blue’s have yellow legs as far as I can find.

 

[Stephoney]

Never mind, I did find some with blue legs, too. I’m not convinced though. Her colors are a bit darker. I don’t see anything with the brown copper feathers that Blue has. If she’s true to a breed, I would think that it would be found on other hens in that breed, too.

 

[salemacresohio]

I think she looks exactly like a Blue Copper Marans. My sister has one that’s identical except for the copper feathers around the neck. It’s possible the rooster that produced her had a split trait with something that threw the trait wonky. Hens can only pass one gene but roosters pass 2, so maybe that’s why the woman you got her from was disappointed. Probably purchased from an accidental backyard mix that sneaked in at some point. But definitely a Blue Copper Marans, my guess. Strangely enough, I used to have Mystic Marans, (Barred Rock x with Black Copper Marans) and the necks did that barred copper feathering mainly up near their beak and ears. Maybe a barred rock rooster mounted the blue copper when he wasn’t supposed to.