Cockerel or Pullet

[ANB0917]

I think we have a Midnight Maran cockerel. We already have two adult (almost 3 years old) male buff Orpington. We thought the Orpington our neighbor gave us was a male but I think we are wrong. I’ll post a few pictures just to see if anyone can help confirm! Thank you!

(Blueberry)

(Lemon meringue)

(One on the right is raspberry)

 

[SilverBirds]

Blueberry is a cockerel and Lemon Meringue is a pullet.

 

[JedJackson]

Midnight Majesty chickens are sex linked. Males are barred. So it's either a female or a male of a different breed/variety.

 

[ANB0917]

Midnight Majesty chickens are sex linked. Males are barred. So it's either a female or a male of a different breed/variety.

I will have to go look that up because I have no idea what that means. Blueberry is attempting to crow so I do think he is a he! Thank you.

 

[ANB0917]

Blueberry is a cockerel and Lemon Meringue is a pullet.

Thank you. That is what we were thinking! He is starting to make an attempt at crowing so I believe he is a he.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Male vs Female Midnight Majesty Marans

These are called Copper Rock thru Dunlap hatchery but the same cross just a different name. Most hatcheries put their own name on this hybrid which is a Black Copper Marans rooster x Barred Rock hen.

 

[ANB0917]

Midnight Majesty chickens are sex linked. Males are barred. So it's either a female or a male of a different breed/variety

Male vs Female Midnight Majesty Marans

These are called Copper Rock thru Dunlap hatchery but the same cross just a different name. Most hatcheries put their own name on this hybrid which is a Black Copper Marans rooster x Barred Rock hen.
View attachment 3913795

That makes sense. Thank you. I’m looking at my two adults now wondering if they were even the Midnight Majesty Marans because they resemble what another site called French Black Copper Marans. We are still very new to this chicken thing!

 

[wrathsfarm]

Female Black Copper Marans (BCM) and the Midnights look too much alike. If you picked out Midnights, chances are that's what they are.
There are some suggestions as slight indicators I've read as.... brownish fluff and much less copper in the hackles but I don't believe these as tell tale signs to distinguish them apart.

As far as I know if there's a questionable between the 2 hens, the only way to really find out is test mating them as the Midnights won't breed true. Barring will show up in the offspring.
I'm actually doing this as we speak, as I have a few hens in my Marans flock from a hatch 2 years ago where I set a bunch of eggs together willy nilly under a broody. I now keep my test mates and hatches separate and documented for this reason.

 

[JedJackson]

Female Black Copper Marans (BCM) and the Midnights look too much alike. If you picked out Midnights, chances are that's what they are.
There are some suggestions as slight indicators I've read as.... brownish fluff and much less copper in the hackles but I don't believe these as tell tale signs to distinguish them apart.

As far as I know if there's a questionable between the 2 hens, the only way to really find out is test mating them as the Midnights won't breed true. Barring will show up in the offspring.
I'm actually doing this as we speak, as I have a few hens in my Marans flock from a hatch 2 years ago where I set a bunch of eggs together willy nilly under a broody. I now keep my test mates and hatches separate and documented for this reason.

Female Midnights have no barring genes, so the only way they're going to make barred children is if they are crossed with a barred male.

Male Midnights have one barring gene, from the mother barred rock. Crossing one onto any non-barred female will give 50% barred and 50% non-barred.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Female Midnights have no barring genes, so the only way they're going to make barred children is if they are crossed with a barred male.

Male Midnights have one barring gene, from the mother barred rock. Crossing one onto any non-barred female will give 50% barred and 50% non-barred.

Ok....this is where I'm confused.
I'm understanding that female Midnights will not breed true from all my limited research, but that's as far as they say.
I just assumed (there it is), that BCM x BR would pass barring to both sons and daughters.

So if the daughter from that cross has no barring gene what will it produce from backcrossing back to a BCM roo? Just odd copper leakage?

And if no progeny from that cross shows barring then I'm test mating wrong and wonder how I can find out, if you have any thoughts on that.
I apologize to the OP for the misinformation and @JedJackson thank you for the correction.