My Blue Marans pullets have been laying huge eggs this winter and I've hatched out two small batches with good fertility (considering the subzero temps zapping some of them). The roosters covering the girls are the more submissive cockerel - a very contrasty blue cuckoo and the dominant cockerel - a blue cuckoo that I've been told is also a silver with gold leakage, but not sure on that one. I suspect he is homozygous cuckoo making him lighter and the barring thinner. All of the chicks have been cuckoo so far. I've hatched from these guys several cuckoos, a blue cuckoo, and a gorgeous splash cuckoo cockerel from the NYD hatch (and he will likely be replacing my current cockerels from 2010 if anyone local has a use for them later this summer). As I said, the 6 pullets are all blue, but 2 of them have white over their necks like they carry birchen. Still working on finding out what exactly are in these guys.
The girls have been laying some pretty decent dark colored eggs as of late. The first few eggs were lighter, but it looks like the pigmenting organs are doing their jobs now. Most are probably 4's and 5's with some 6/7s, but I have yet to receive my Marans egg color card (how long does it take them to ship those, anyway?). Chicks have nice leg feathering.
I love silkies, Ameraucanas, and Marans and am looking to get into Iowa Blues. Feel free to make me an offer, would be happy to send out a dozen (or so) of the darkest eggs I can gather at the time.
Pictured below are the cockerels earlier in the winter and last fall and one of the blue pullets (one without the white/birchen coloring):
And some of the chicks from this pen:
Splash Cuckoo 6 weeks old (Didn't get a great picture of it, but he is barred on non-white feathers)
Blue Cuckoo 6 weeks old
Cuckoo Chick 2 weeks old