Good cross with Cuckoo marans?

[mergmet]

I have cuckoo marans, RIR, Buff orpington and ameraucana all free ranging together for the winter. I have hatched quite a few crosses that should all end up being really good brown or blue egg layers. I have seen (not mine since my crosses are not laying yet) crosses between maran and ameraucana where the egg was olive colored.

most of my crosses appear to be buff orpington/maran (out of the brown eggs anyway)

the chicks seem very hardy and ferocious as they hatch, then they have the disposition of the parents, rather calm. Most are easily identified because of the barring "dot", and they are feathering out in all sorts of pretty ways. Its easy to see the cuckoo influence. maybe its because they went from nest to incubator and not through the mail but these chicks have a very high hatch rate and so far they don't tend to stress out and die after hatching. In fact, I don't think I have lost a single one so far.

I like this particular cross, and it seems that I can sell them as layers quite well (crossbred advertised)

I will be separating the breeds within a week to gear up for the season, so I won't have them for long. I would go for it though if I were you. Its fun seeing what colors come out also!

PS, the buff orpington RIR are hatching out as darker buffs mostly. I think my buff roo is VERY prolific!

Margaret

 

[Picco]

I'm crossing my dark layer rooster (penedesenca) to my light layer hens (wyandottes) to make a nice layer with a rose comb so I won't have to worry about frostbite and to make a less flighty bird. I don't know if you have a problem with frostbite but I sure do so my goal is a cold-hardy-comb. Rose combs are dominant so a cross of a rose combed breed and a marans would likely have a rose comb. "Olive eggers" are also something to try as someone else has mentioned.

 

[herechickchick]

Picco if you want RIR hatching eggs get in touch with Julie (Bamma Chicken). She has BEAUTIFUL RIRs!

 

[HenHaven]

How about Jersey Giants or Australorps? My JG lays a very light brown egg. Not sure about Australorps. My JG has been laying all winter, not every day, but at least she didn't give up entirely. Both breeds are known for good dispositions.

 

[claud]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Still not sure what I'm going to do. I have one Wyandotte girl and she is so pretty - golden laced - maybe I'll see what will come of that.
What would happen with a Speckled Sussex? They are really pretty birds.

 

[wclawrence]

Hey Picco, if you breed those rosecombed birds to a peacombed bird, you will get some that have an even BETTER comb for cold weather...the cushion comb. So flat and close to the head that it cant freeze.

I would like to see a (wyandotte x marans) X Ameraucana.
That would be an olive egger for the far north!

 

[greyfields]

I'm pretty sure my RIR's are larger than my Marans, too. I don't find them to be particularly big birds. Maybe next to a Leghorn they would appear large.

As far as Marans go, the more you out-cross them, you are moving away from the darker eggs. But, if you want to cross breed, I would suggest using a RIR. You would get sex linked offspring then, and you could raise the cockrels as meat birds from day 1.

 

[claud]

Quote:
They would be sex-linked? Really? Females would be what?
I do realize the eggs would be lighter in the cross breeds.

 

[mergmet]

Will Lawrence maybe I can do that for you

(wyandotte x marans)ameraucana

I have marans, golden laced wyandotte, and ameraucana

I will have black copper, cuckoo, and blue/barred marans to choose from, the golden laced wyandotte, and a choice of ameraucanas, it will take a bit to get that.

I can cross the cuckoo rooster with the wyandotte hens now and get it going for you.

or do you want eggs from several of the crosses and work with it yourself? I can put the cuckoo rooster with an assortment of ameraucana and the wyandottes, or ameraucana rooster with marans and wyandottes.

I am looking for a golden laced wyandotte rooster now

I have seen some gorgeous eggs from marans/ameraucana mix. almost army green.

I can put my cuckoo marans rooster with the goldens and some ameraucanas

The best I have seen yet is brown/red ameraucana with white langshan. almost red laced ameraucana face with langshan size and tail.

anyone else?

Margaret

 

[opihiman911]

http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/CGP/Sex-links/BRKSexLink.html

Not sure if it would make sex links with a maran hen and RIR roo. The RIR or new hampshire red roo is the base for most sex links. A RIR roo with a barred rock will make black sex links. Not sure if it has to be a barred rock or if it can be any barred chicken. I currently have RIR and just put in the bator a dozen barred rocks and a dozen delawares so I can make my own sex link cross.

Aloha,
Cory