Cuckoo Marans - Hens or Cockerels?

[geomunn]

Hello everyone,
I recently incubated 12 eggs, 6 Silkie and 6 Cuckoo Maran. Just my luck, only one hatched. I now have one lonely Cuckoo Maran chick with only me to look after her.
Anyway, the only thing that could make this any worse would be if this one chick is a cockerel.
So, I've added a few photos can anyone say what gender this lone chick is.
Thanks

 

[aoxa]

It's very early.

So far it looks like a girl, but boys look the same at this age. :/

 

[questions543]

yes, with this breed you will have to wait longer to get a good guess. At the momment I'd GUESS rooster but I've never had this breed so...

 

[pinkchick]

Cuckoo Marans are one of the 2 varieties of Marans that can be sexed at hatch, boys will have a white spot on the head like this male chick does and girls do not have the spot. Hope this helps. Congrats on your hatch.

 

[aoxa]

Cuckoo Marans are one of the 2 varieties of Marans that can be sexed at hatch, boys will have a white spot on the head like this male chick does and girls do not have the spot. Hope this helps. Congrats on your hatch.

Marans all have dots on their heads. They are sexed similarly to the barred rock.

 

[aoxa]

Sexing cuckoo marans
You can get an idea of the sex of a cuckoo marans nearly from the day it hatches. At the fluff stage, males tend to be light silver colored while females are almost black. The males also usually have a a larger yellow spot on their heads than the females (but this isn't as easy to distinguish as it is with dominiques.)

 

[pinkchick]

No, Marans do not all have dots on their heads.......but I suppose, I should have said that some female Cuckoo's can have spots on their heads, but they (the spots) are not as big or prominent as the male spots. This is what is so nice about sex linking or the barring gene....male and female indicators at such a young age are a bonus.
Now having said that.......sometimes male Cuckoo chicks might only get 1 copy of the barring gene and not 2, which in case will cause the male to be colored like that of a female when it is maturing and when he is fully mature, so this might could cause some sexing confusion at hatch....but all in all Cuckoo females should have no spots or very small ones at that.

 

[aoxa]

No, Marans do not all have dots on their heads.......but I suppose, I should have said that some female Cuckoo's can have spots on their heads, but they (the spots) are not as big or prominent as the male spots. This is what is so nice about sex linking or the barring gene....male and female indicators at such a young age are a bonus.
Now having said that.......sometimes male Cuckoo chicks might only get 1 copy of the barring gene and not 2, which in case will cause the male to be colored like that of a female when it is maturing and when he is fully mature, so this might could cause some sexing confusion at hatch....but all in all Cuckoo females should have no spots or very small ones at that.

I have never heard that. I understand that a pullet will have a much smaller head dot, but I have been trying to find proof of what you are saying (pictures) and I have come up with nothing. All have dots. :/

 

[pinkchick]

Aoxa~ You could be very right. I will check with some Cuckoo breeders and get their opinions and back to you. I always thought they wouldn't have the dot. I am not an expert with Cuckoo's by any means.

 

[aoxa]

Aoxa~ You could be very right. I will check with some Cuckoo breeders and get their opinions and back to you. I always thought they wouldn't have the dot. I am not an expert with Cuckoo's by any means.

Thanks I don't mean to come off as rude, I'm just curious.

If I'm wrong, I apologize for the confusion. I just always thought they would be similar to the barred rock/dominique and have just a small head dot.