BSL vs. BCM

[sevenbabychicks]

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but is there a way to absolutely tell the difference between young black sex-link and black copper marans pullets? I've seen pics of both that look awfully identical and have poked around BYC and the rest of the internets to no avail. A pullet I picked up last month was sold to me as probably BCM (or possibly BCM/RIR, but the crosses seem to have a lot more red in em), but the place I got her from also had BSLs. Will I just have to wait breathlessly for that first egg?

Here's a pic of my Delilah - she's the same age as that EE next to her, but so big! And such a sweetie

ETA: her red hackle feathers are more vibrant than they appear in that photo. I just noticed today that she's started to get some on her head!

 

[fried green eggs]

I have a EE Roo and a BSL hen that look identical to your two.

 

[sevenbabychicks]

Quote:
No way! I don't suppose you have a pic of your EE roo on hand; I'm trying to narrow down the sex of mine. It still has a bunch of girly features (the comb is more single than pea), and actually got more pullet than roo votes on the latest poll. How's yours temperament-wise?

 

[ChicksterJo]

Could you post a pic of the BCM's feet? I don't know much about the breed but yours looks like BCM or as you say it may be a cross.

 

[geebs]

I look at the shape of the head and the shortness of the beak... This bird has a round head.... a BCM will likely have feathered shanks... they may be much more rangey looking than this bird.. The bird HUGE dark eye and round fluffy head does not say marans to me... You will have to train your eye to see the head shape... a marans should have a long flat skull... they don't always but quite commonly they do... they seldom have the shape that I see here and the shortness of the beak.. A marans of quality should have a hawklike appearance not like that of an austrolorp which is what I see here...

The true test is the egg color...

 

[sevenbabychicks]

Very interesting, Geebs! I had no idea that marans had those hallmarks. Thanks for the insights! I'll update when she lays an egg.

ChicksterJo, I'll get to work on a footshot just as soon as my battery charges