Confused, my blue Marans hen is crowing!

[catsew]

We have to start all over again too. I'm almost positive we have 3 roosters now

. But I am going to wait until next year. It can get cold here and/or snow pretty early and since we're not insulating the coop, I don't think they would feather in enough for this year.

 

[Spitman]

Def. Not Marans , for sure male and sure EE ,mix search for EE and you will find other chickens that look just like yours better yet EE Roo search. Sorry

 

[Wise Woman]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I guess the question now is what to do with them. This is very discouraging. This is turning into an expensive mistake. I paid for hens, spent $50 in gas to drive out and back to get them. Plus with all the food I have feed them I am well up over $100 for two chickens I can't even keep. If I take them back to the breeder, it will cost me another $50 in gas to go out there and back. I really wish people wouldn't sell chickens as one thing when they are another. This is very annoying because not only am I out the money, but now I have to figure out how to get rid of not one but 2 roosters. Back to square one I guess. In the future, I will be more careful who I buy chickens off of. I wanted to avoid the hatcheries and go with a breeder and it seems I made out worse.

 

[immyjay54]

Quote:
I really feel sorry for you and I'm not trying to be smart toward anyone but if that happened to me and that person doesn't make it right, IF they are a breeder, I would post their name so everyone know not to buy from them. There are to many out there that are ripping the unlearned folks off to many times. This stuff needs to stop. Just makes me sick. Here is a picture of a trio of blue copper marans I got from Hodges farm back in Mar. They look pretty close to the age that yours are. My pullets were clean legged and feather legged roo. Please don't think I am being smart toward you by sending the including this photo but you can see the difference.
Jim

 

[Wise Woman]

Quote:
I really feel sorry for you and I'm not trying to be smart toward anyone but if that happened to me and that person doesn't make it right, IF they are a breeder, I would post their name so everyone know not to buy from them. There are to many out there that are ripping the unlearned folks off to many times. This stuff needs to stop. Just makes me sick. Here is a picture of a trio of blue copper marans I got from Hodges farm back in Mar. They look pretty close to the age that yours are. My pullets were clean legged and feather legged roo. Please don't think I am being smart toward you by sending the including this photo but you can see the difference.
Jim

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/80451_dscf2790.jpg

Hi Jim. Thanks so much for posting that picture. In all fairness, the breeder would make it right, but it would mean I would have to spend more money on gas and make another 3 to 4 hour round trip drive to go and exchange them. By the time I do that and add that expense to what I already spent, these chickens will have cost me $130. That is over $40 per chicken. So I am not sure if I want to bother with doing that or not. Exchanging them would be a great inconvenience to me. What bugs me is that all the chicks were in one brooder and I am thinking they should have been separated by breed. Plus I didn't just get one wrong chick, I got two. Two out of 3 aren't even Marans or hens and while the third one is a hen, I have no idea what breed it is now. I paid for 3 blue Marans hens and shouldn't have to make two trips to get it right. I can see them not knowing they were roosters, but you would think a breeder would at least get the breeds right. So I could return them, but I just don't feel up to it at this point in time. I will find new homes for them and then purchase more chicks from someone else who has older chicks that you can already tell what they are and charges $2 per chick less than I paid for these. Thanks again for posting the picture. Now at least I know what they should look like. I will try again though as I think they are beautiful chickens.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Did you buy sexed chicks? If the breeder sold them sexed the. There is an issue, if they didn't advertise them as sexed chicks then it was a gamble. Even if they were listed as sexed chicks mistakes can happen, most private breeders don't sex their chicks, even the hatcheries make this mistake at times.

As far as brooding together, I do it too, but I use colored leg bands to I'd the different breeds. Anyone wanting hens has to wait for them to grow out, otherwise take the gamble. Sometimes there is a late bloomer roo who sneaks in with the young girls.

 

[immyjay54]

I understand completely what you mean Wise Woman and wasn't trying to talk down on the breeder. I know an awful lot of the better breeders around and they all try their best and will right a wrong very quickly. I understand what you are saying. I've had birds shipped in that maybe cost $60.00 for shipping and if one dies on the way they will replace it BUT I have to pay shipping again. That's more than one bird would cost. lol That's not the breeders fault. You've got the right thought though, if you know someone who raises the breed that you'd like, ask if they would raise you a couple of so pullets and pay the extra for raising them and then at least you know you are getting the right sex. Some breeds takes a little longer than others. Sorry for all your trouble. Hang in there it always gets a little better. Once you get what you need you'll forget about all these little problems. lol
Jim

 

[Tripp16]

Yep you have a little rooster! Haha I know how you feel! Has happened to me x2. My friend bought 24 chicks out of all the chicks 5 were hens the rest were roosters!

 

[Wise Woman]

Quote:
Holy Moly. 19 were roosters! Yikes. I would love to keep my roosters but I get in enough trouble as it is with my goats. If some of my neighbors hear crowing, they will turn me in. I am only allowed 4 chickens, but no one minds them as long as there is no crowing and I even have a nice little egg business when they are laying well. I wanted to get some different breeds this time so I would have a nice variety of egg colors. For the past ten years I have only had RIRs, EE and the occasional odd fancy chicken. We had one polish and one silver spangled hamburg just to throw in a white egg into the mix. But now I want all sorts of breeds and love the Marans and their dark eggs. So I won't let this deter me.

FLChickens, she said she was pretty sure and had them separated into hen and rooster brooders. How she was figuring out who was who, I don't know. But anyway, it will be fine. I know it isn't 100% and sometimes mistakes happen. I just have to figure out where I can find a home for them now. I hadn't planned on rehousing anyone since I only bought 3. One would be hard enough, but now I have two to deal with. Only one is trying to crow so far and he only makes the attempt about once a week or so. The other one isn't making a peep yet. So I will start working on that and see what I can come up with. It is just a hassle to try to exchange them now and it will be a hassle trying to find them homes. Anyone here want some nice roosters? LOL!!!

 

[hcppam]

Might I ask where is enchanted forest? There is an enchanted forest near me.