Favorite Barred or Cuckoo Breeds

[YgritteChick]

I've heard nice things about Cuckoo Marans, Dominiques, and Barred Plymouth Rocks and am curious how people who want a barred or cuckoo pattern choose between them? Any ideas on great qualities...or some not so great ones...that each breed has?

 

[N F C]

Of the 3 you ask about, we have the BR. Our choice was primarily based on the hatchery charge.,, the CM's and Dom's were over $5 each while the BR's were about $3. Also, we had BR's in the past and just loved their personality, ours have been very sweet birds.

 

[YgritteChick]

Of the 3 you ask about, we have the BR. Our choice was primarily based on the hatchery charge.,, the CM's and Dom's were over $5 each while the BR's were about $3. Also, we had BR's in the past and just loved their personality, ours have been very sweet birds.

Thank you very much for your input!

 

[Michael OShay]

I slightly prefer the Cuckoo Marans, because of the beautiful chocolate eggs they lay, but it's close between them and the Barred Rocks. The Dominiques are my least favorite of the three as they are slightly flightier than the other two and don't lay quite as well.

 

[YgritteChick]

I slightly prefer the Cuckoo Marans, because of the beautiful chocolate eggs they lay, but it's close between them and the Barred Rocks. The Dominiques are my least favorite of the three as they are slightly flightier than the other two and don't lay quite as well.

Do Cuckoo Marans often lay really dark eggs? I have heard differing things on that, that if you want the really dark eggs you are safer to go with the Black Copper Marans over the Cuckoo Marans. Is it maybe depending on how true to the breed standard they are?

 

[N F C]

Do Cuckoo Marans often lay really dark eggs? I have heard differing things on that, that if you want the really dark eggs you are safer to go with the Black Copper Marans over the Cuckoo Marans. Is it maybe depending on how true to the breed standard they are?

I would say the shade can vary from bird to bird. For example, I have 2 RIR's which lay brown eggs but one of them has darker eggs than the other (and these are sister birds).

 

[N F C]

Here's a link to a site that shows various colors of Maran's eggs (this site is interesting for their photography and aid in identifying all kinds of chickens, have fun looking):

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGK/Marans/BRKMarans.html

 

[Michael OShay]

Do Cuckoo Marans often lay really dark eggs? I have heard differing things on that, that if you want the really dark eggs you are safer to go with the Black Copper Marans over the Cuckoo Marans. Is it maybe depending on how true to the breed standard they are?

It seems to depend on the individual strains of the Marans as to how dark brown the eggs will be. BCMs often have eggs that are a little darker than CMs, however I ordered some Cuckoo Marans from Murray McMurray once that laid some very dark brown eggs.