Cuckoo Maran cockerel....need opinions!!!

[ChickenWisperer]

I agree....... His neck is too light for him to be a cuckoo. He looks more like.......a, silver, i think it was called? Im not sure though.

 

[mikarod]

Was just gonna reply to the barring comment. Barred Rocks tend to get better barring as they age.

I'll agree though, his color is a bit light for the breed standard and it looks like his legs are yellow instead of white/pearl/colorless. However ya'll put it...LOL

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

if he is a cross of another color marans, if i bred him to nice marans hens and the chicks came out with nice dark barring, would it still be pure??

 

[sara]

Well it's hard to say since you don't know if he is a pure marans. I'd say you'd have to breed several generations to get back to a pure bird.

 

[peachick]

Here is my 2 cents

If you are going to breed ANY animal. Start out with the best quality you can get your hands on. If you start with mediocre you are only producing more substandard animals.... If you are not interested in breeding than any level of quality will give you enjoyment.

If you just want him because you think he is cute, then go for it.... but if you are wanting to breed then listen to the opinions that are telling you he is not what he should be.

My only cuckoo breed is silkies, and I can tell you that they get lighter with age.

 

[kryptoniteqhs]

ya i know...im not normally one to want to get a mediocre anything, but i already told the person id take him....i may just take him off his hands and then find another home for him locally.....

 

[Guitartists]

Looking at the photos... his legs look white to me... I think the yellow cast on them in the first pic is the lighting. If you look in the second pic you can see his toes and they look very much white.

Here's a few pics from Feathersite

I imagine he will be along the lines of this.... but I think this is more desirable....

 

[Guitartists]

Also... here is one breeders roo.... not that I can vouch for quality ... but the eggs look decent.... so maybe it is worth a try to see what you get from him as egg color seems to be more important than conformation unless you are showing...

Here's another... though egg color not so dark

Some more info

http://marans-club.club.fr/standang.htm

Silver-Cuckoo


I think it's very interesting to note that they do not recognize a straight Cuckoo variety... but rather a silver and a golden cuckoo. Possibly American Marans have been bred with other barred breeds and have lost that Silver part and have become overall barred.

In comparison with the whole body, the cuckoo plumage tonality for the hackle and the lancets of the cocks, getting closer rather to white (or "silver-white")​

 

[speckledhen]

He could be a Silver Cuckoo, certainly, though I'm not sure about the consitency of the color on him being good. If they thought he was a Cuckoo Marans (like my feedstore lady thought ALL Brahmas were Buff Brahmas), then I see the confusion. I'll have to bow to others with experience with all the Marans varieties. I'm mainly familiar with the Cuckoos. I'd love to see him later on.

 

[Guitartists]

I agree, being an American Marans that there is no way to know if it is pure or not. And I agree that he is a less than perfect example either by the American or French standard. This post just got me googling and I found some points of interest

If it's a hatchery Marans it likely does not have much to offer to a serious Marans breeding program. But, as a barnyard roo that maybe could throw some offspring that might lay some nice brown eggs... he might be a nice addition

Edited to add.....

If you want that nice dark barring..... don't set yourself back by adding a light bird such as this. But, if you don;t have a roo, you could always keep him for now until you find a better roo for your program.