Cross-bred Black Copper Maran

[CraftyNature]

I just hatched my first chicks ever. I have three little 4 day old chicks that are to be raised and brought to a non-profit organization's farm, where they are from. The rooster is a Black Copper Maran and the hens are a varied bunch of young and old girls, orpingtons, cochin, rocks, minorca, etc.

I don't know enough about the genetics of chicken breeds to know what I am looking at. The farm can only take girls back. One chick is black and white, more white than black and the black is rather soft in hue and has feathered legs. One chick is very 'buff' colored, I guess you would call it. And the last chick is 'buff' colored with brown/red striping down the back.

Would I be able to tell the gender from this information? are certain traits gender specific? Anyone else cross a BCM, and what were your results?

 

[draye]

I just hatched my first chicks ever. I have three little 4 day old chicks that are to be raised and brought to a non-profit organization's farm, where they are from. The rooster is a Black Copper Maran and the hens are a varied bunch of young and old girls, orpingtons, cochin, rocks, minorca, etc.

I don't know enough about the genetics of chicken breeds to know what I am looking at. The farm can only take girls back. One chick is black and white, more white than black and the black is rather soft in hue and has feathered legs. One chick is very 'buff' colored, I guess you would call it. And the last chick is 'buff' colored with brown/red striping down the back.

Would I be able to tell the gender from this information? are certain traits gender specific? Anyone else cross a BCM, and what were your results?

Maybe this will get you some answers. I don't know much anything about Marans. I do have one hen and 1 crossbred Marans (cross with Easter Egger, and lays a dark olive colored egg)

Alot of people are crossing to EE's and Ameraucanas for the oliver egger.

Welcome to BYC.

 

[CraftyNature]

Thank you Draye. What is the coloring of your EE/BCM? I find this interesting because I incubated two ameraucana eggs and the were not fertilized. I figured our boy just wasn't interested or couldn't catch our Ameraucanas.

 

[draye]

Thank you Draye. What is the coloring of your EE/BCM? I find this interesting because I incubated two ameraucana eggs and the were not fertilized. I figured our boy just wasn't interested or couldn't catch our Ameraucanas.

She looks like a Black Copper Marans.
Getting ready to incubate some Naked Neck and a few Polish/Easter Egger crosses.

 

[CraftyNature]

Thanks, and very interesting. Was the rooster an EE or a BCM? (just trying to determine if the coloring is sex linked.

 

[draye]

Thanks, and very interesting. Was the rooster an EE or a BCM? (just trying to determine if the coloring is sex linked.

Not really sure, but the man I got my Marans and the Marans cross from only had a Blue Copper Marans rooster, so I'm guessing that the Marans hen was the mother of the cross bred.

 

[CraftyNature]

Well. The hatched chicks from the BCM were ALL different colors. To see some of them check out the pictures at craftynature.xanga.com there seems to be no sex linking traits. Eager to see the coloring of the egg the hen lays. 1 more month!