Breeding Marans

[jh1013]

Im new to the world of marans & dark egg layers. I purchased 5 cuckoo marans pullets from an individual (i believe she purchased them from a hatchery). I would like to buy 5 more pullets and a roo for incubating their eggs and selling the offspring next spring/summer. I want the chicks to be nice color in plumage and lay decently dark eggs. From my research the Black copper marans lay the darkest eggs..i was thinking of buying 5 BCM pullets & roo to ensure dark eggs, and incubate any cuckoo eggs that end up dark in color. (Marans & EE sell for a small fortune in my neck of the woods).
Q: What kind of chick do you end up with with BCM roo and Cuckoo hen?
Q: Can u still sex the chick right after hatching with that mating combination?
Q: Will BCM Roo genes produce offsping that lay darker eggs even if hen is laying lighter egg because she is of production quality?
Thanks for any help

 

[3riverschick]

Quote:

A mutt chicken. Breed one color or the other.
Q: Can u still sex the chick right after hatching with that mating combination?

That takes several generations of breeding the get back to the original sire cock.

Best,
Karen
Some of the finest BCM in the nation are bred in TX. Search the Net for:
Black copper Marans Texas champion . It costs just as much to raise fine birds as it does mutts and hatchery quality.

 

[jh1013]

Karen,
Thank you for your reply. It sounds like a good common sense answer. I had been doing research online about the different strains etc and it got confusing. Buy good quality birds & keep it simple. Thanks so much