I mixed up my chickens...

Billford · Oct 15, 2013

I'm new to chickens and I think made a big mistake. I put them all in the same pen...about 6months ago. I have Buff Orpingtons, RIRs, Black Stars/sex links, Black Copper Marans, and Americaunas. Most of them I can figure out, but can't tell the difference between the BCM hens and the Black Stars/sex links. What's the trick? TIA

PotterWatch · Oct 15, 2013

Marans should have some leg feathering according to their standard

BantamLover21 · Oct 15, 2013

Most Black Copper Marans have some feathering on their legs, while Black Stars are clean-legged. BCMs tend to be more massive in size, too.

WalkingOnSunshine · Oct 15, 2013

PotterWatch said:
Marans should have some leg feathering according to their standard

Unfortunately, some hatchery Marans have clean legs, so this isn't an absolute.

The BCM vs. BSL is tricky, if they are all clean-legged. In a BCM, there should only be copper on the neck. In a BSL, the red often continues down the breast. Also, your BCM should have orange eyes and pink or white on the bottoms of their feet, and five points on the combs. They should also mature heavier than the BSL. Marans in the USA are a fairly heavy breed.

Since BSL can be different crosses and I don't know which you have, I can't tell you how many points on their combs, etc. You might just have to get the BCM standard and work through a process of elimination. Also, your BSL should develop more quickly, and their combs should redden up faster, and they should already be laying. Your BCM might take a bit longer to mature.

Billford · Oct 15, 2013

Unfortunately they all have clean legs but one. The BSL I believe are RIR and Barred Rock a few of the Roos look just like Barred Rocks and we got all but the BCM from the same hatchery

chicken pickin · Oct 15, 2013

Do you have pics?

donrae · Oct 15, 2013

WalkingOnSunshine said:
Unfortunately, some hatchery Marans have clean legs, so this isn't an absolute.

The BCM vs. BSL is tricky, if they are all clean-legged. In a BCM, there should only be copper on the neck. In a BSL, the red often continues down the breast. Also, your BCM should have orange eyes and pink or white on the bottoms of their feet, and five points on the combs. They should also mature heavier than the BSL. Marans in the USA are a fairly heavy breed.

Since BSL can be different crosses and I don't know which you have, I can't tell you how many points on their combs, etc. You might just have to get the BCM standard and work through a process of elimination. Also, your BSL should develop more quickly, and their combs should redden up faster, and they should already be laying. Your BCM might take a bit longer to mature.

Pretty much this.

I'm not a Marans person, but don't the coppers have a "collar" of copper around the neck, while the bsl hens tend to just have it in front and down the chest?

WalkingOnSunshine · Oct 15, 2013

donrae said:
Pretty much this.

I'm not a Marans person, but don't the coppers have a "collar" of copper around the neck, while the bsl hens tend to just have it in front and down the chest?

That's a good description of it, yes.