Can you tell apart blues from spalshes from blacks (giant blue cochins

[redfeather]

On friday I hope to be welcoming 5 or so Ameracanas (blue and green eggs, yeah!) to replace my aging Buff Orpingtons (someone is picking them up tomorrow). I might pick up a few other chickens that day as well, as they are expecting Jersey Giants (is that good idea? maybe just one or two, and only if they are sexed hens and blue), and Light Brahmas, RIRS and a few others I can't remember.

Anyway, in March they will be getting Blue Cochins, and I really want ones that are BLUE not black... maybe a splash or two, but I really want the blue ones... is there a way to tell from looking at the day old chicks as to what color they will be? Thanks!

Oh, I also plan on some Welsummers... I'm debating the Black Copper marans... the Co-op is hatching them themselves and they WILL NOT BE SEXED.. yikes... well we'll see...

Oh, does this all sound good to y'all?


P.S. also, do Cuckoo Marans tend to lay a DARK brown egg, or just brownISH eggs? Thanks

 

[debid]

I know you can sex Welsummers by color if you get to pick from a straight-run group in a brooder. The girls have darker markings with a black eyeliner stripe while the males are more muted and have a fuzzier look to the stripe...

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

Yes and No.

On your cochin Q: Most splash babies are light and easy to pick out.
Anything that looks blue as a chick, will be blue or dark blue splash as an adult.
Plenty of the black chicks will end up being blue adults, but you have to wait for them to feather out to really know for sure.

I have a batch of BCMs right now that hatched 4 weeks ago. I only have one pegged for sure, ROO! The rest are 50/50 either way.

Most decently bred Cuckoo Marans lay a good quality dark eggs. I have 2 hatchery hens that lay a nice terra-cota colored egg.
A good breeder can get a darker egg out of the Cuckoos (vs hatchery Cuckoos.) But a quality BCM egg is always darker.

Hope this helps!

I've never had JGs, so I can't pipe-in there.