Is this hen a Golden Cuckoo Marans?

[WaterDog14]

These chickens are 16 weeks old. The male (top of photo) is a Golden Cuckoo Marans. What breed is the female (bottom of photo)? We got 100 straight-run mixed heavies from Murray McMurray hatchery in the spring, so it's been interesting to sort out the gender and breed. We received over TEN Golden Cuckoo Marans roosters, so I expect we might have 10 +/- GCM hens. Any ideas?

 

[Gray Farms]

Not a GC Marans. She doesn't fit any of the breeds listed in McMurray's list for assorted heavies. In fact she doesn't fit any of the breeds McMurray's have listed. She looks like a very heavy built Wheaten Game hen...

 

[drumstick diva]

agree

 

[WaterDog14]

Thanks, I'll look into the Wheaton Game Hens. But McMurray hatchery does list cuckoo marans available under their "Rare Breeds" category:
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/cuckoo_maran.html

Also the 10+ males are definitely a match for some other Golden Cuckoo Marans photos I've seen online. The males have pinkish yellow legs. (See attached photos of some more of the roos - look at the light ones. One photo was taken in the wind, so his tail looks disheveled.) These chickens are very large, grew VERY fast compared to the other mixed heavies. They have large wide breasts and are big and fat at 16 weeks (even though they are allowed to forage on pasture). If I have 10+ males, where are the females from the straight run and what would they look like?

I will try to get better photos.

Thank you!




.

 

[Gray Farms]

I figured it out. They are Pioneers, one of McMurrays dual purpose breeds. When you said they were huge and big breasted at 16 weeks I checked McMurrays meat/dual purpose breeds. This also explains why the pullets are so heavy built as well as the boys.

 

[WaterDog14]

You're right!! Thank you! My roosters and hens are the "spitting image" of the Pioneers shown on the Murray McMurray website. I had looked all over their site to find my birds, and now there they are. (What's odd is, there are some photos on the internet that are labeled as Golden Cuckoo Marans that look almost exactly like a Pioneer. Pinkish feet and all...)

I've tried to find out what breeds go into the hybrid to make the hybrid Pioneer, but the information must be proprietary. Any ideas???

I love these birds....sweet, docile, fun. I have to harvest the roosters soon - I'd been planning on 18 weeks but apparently the Pioneers should be harvested much sooner.

MMM recommends not breeding with these birds. Has anyone tried it?

Thanks again!

 

[Gray Farms]

Ya, 12-15 weeks is much better for roosters, after that they start getting tough.