BR or CM? (Is there a viewable Difference?)

[Winggedheart]

Hello, my family has quite the mix of birds, and I'm wondering: is there a way to tell the difference between a cuckoo maran and a barred rock just by looking at them? We have a bunch of hatchery-quality BRs and a few CMs, and I'd love to know who's who...I lost track about last year when they grew-up and we moved them into the lot.

They're all hens, and hatchery-stock.

Thanks!

 

[Winggedheart]

From what I've found, there really isn't much of a diff' except for egg-color, but even then, with hatchery stock: it's hard to tell.

 

[Katy]

BR should have yellow legs while Cuckoos have white. The barring on the cuckoos should also be "messier" looking but most hatchery BRs have not that great of barring either.

 

[Winggedheart]

Thank you!!!

 

[jennifersmith326]

Barred Rocks have yellow beaks and legs.

Cuckoo Marans have a greyish or black beak and greyish or black legs.

I have both Barred Rocks and Cuckoo Marans and this is how I tell the difference. If I can, I will post pics of each to show you but it will be later today or tomorrow.

 

[Winggedheart]

Okay thank you!

Is it possible for hatchery stock BR to have white legs?

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

Anything is possible at a hatchery. And mix ups can also occur at the feedstore (don't know if that's where you picked them up.) They often pull the wrong chicks. Or customers put the chicks back in the wrong boxes. White legs are more rare. So if the chick has white legs, I would say it is more likely a hatchery CM than a BR with the wrong color legs. Congrats. Hopefully its a girl and you're going to have pretty egg cartons in a few months.

 

[Winggedheart]

We got them from McMurray, and they're girls.

Full-grown, and laying. We have both BRs and CMs, and I'm just trying to tell who's who so I can perhaps get a CM rooster (breeder qual) and start fixing up my flock.

Thanks a bunch for the input!

 

[RedneckChikns]

I also have both and agree that the CM are "messier" and "wider" in the barring. Trying to get rid of all my BRs so I wont have the problem you are having. My Male CM are banded but then I got lazy and didnt do my pullets.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Quote:
Yes.