How old is my black copper maran pullet?

[MidnightMaran]

Oh no! I am sorry, I must have sounded dumb, but I am just repeating what his seller told me. I have had horrible luck with cockrels, I noticed the slim feathers and hoped I had a weird looking pullet, I know I am wrong now. We can't have boys, will keep him until he starts to crow. I also noticed the comment about a blue maran, she was said to be a black copper, but has gotten less black and more... grey? I have already mentioned I am the owner of a tiny little flock, got first chickens ever in the spring, and am believing everything I hear from more experienced poultry owners.

 

[MidnightMaran]

Sorry about the too-long sentences.

 

[theoldchick]

Your cockerel is a mix of something. However, he will become a very handsome bird. The blues are born with bluish fuzz.

 

[chicken4prez]

Oh no! I am sorry, I must have sounded dumb, but I am just repeating what his seller told me. I have had horrible luck with cockrels, I noticed the slim feathers and hoped I had a weird looking pullet, I know I am wrong now. We can't have boys, will keep him until he starts to crow. I also noticed the comment about a blue maran, she was said to be a black copper, but has gotten less black and more... grey? I have already mentioned I am the owner of a tiny little flock, got first chickens ever in the spring, and am believing everything I hear from more experienced poultry owners.

Don't worry, everyone makes mistakes. It does make me upset when people claim a different sex than the chicken is.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Oh no! I am sorry, I must have sounded dumb, but I am just repeating what his seller told me. I have had horrible luck with cockrels, I noticed the slim feathers and hoped I had a weird looking pullet, I know I am wrong now. We can't have boys, will keep him until he starts to crow. I also noticed the comment about a blue maran, she was said to be a black copper, but has gotten less black and more... grey? I have already mentioned I am the owner of a tiny little flock, got first chickens ever in the spring, and am believing everything I hear from more experienced poultry owners.

You don't sound dumb at all! Just inexperienced. We all start our journey somewhere. And many of us have been mislead about breed or gender in our early days. Oh boy, I paid $20 each for straight run (NOT Swedish Flower) barn yard mix chicks.

I would start looking for his new home now since you already know he can't stay. In case it takes a few weeks once he does start crowing. Better not to have mad neighbors.

 

[MidnightMaran]

Thank you, we got our first little cock-a-doodle-doo on Thursday. we are scrambling to find him a home.

 

[MidnightMaran]

Your cockerel is a mix of something. However, he will become a very handsome bird. The blues are born with bluish fuzz.

she did not have any blue fuzz when she was young. In fact, she was blacker (is that a word?) when we got her then she is now. Here are some pictures at 2 months, they are the earliest pictures I have of her. Isn't she adorable?

 

[MidnightMaran]

I can get pictures of her today, if that helps.

 

[MidnightMaran]

We got rid of him last night. I am furious. We always go to a little poultry swap in a parking lot to get chickens. We also got chicks this spring. 1 died (of natural causes, was acting strangely a few weeks after we got him, died in his sleep) and out of the remaining 7, 5 were boys. I think this poultry swap is just a way to give beginners like me all their spare cockrels.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

We got rid of him last night. I am furious. We always go to a little poultry swap in a parking lot to get chickens. We also got chicks this spring. 1 died (of natural causes, was acting strangely a few weeks after we got him, died in his sleep) and out of the remaining 7, 5 were boys. I think this poultry swap is just a way to give beginners like me all their spare cockrels.

That's one possibility.

But If they are younger than 4 weeks I can't tell, and 8 weeks for some breeds. I will say that so far I seem to excel at hatching boys and seem to end up with about 75%.

So if you did get them young and straight run, then it may NOT have been intentional.

I don't do poultry swaps. Not enough quarantine and such to protect the rest of my flock from whatever might show up at the swap.