Let's talk Cuckoo and WHITE marans... breeding strategies...

[KF0002]

These chicks are the "auto sexing" type where the pullets hatch black with small white headspot and cockerels hatch less black, more gray/silver looking with a larger headspot. The pullets are single barred, and cockerels double barred. Now that they are feathering in good the roos look distinctly barred with more silver/white promient barring and the pullets look darker with less distinct barring.

The little cockerel with the lighter head that was born more silver looking, should I be keeping an eye on him like in a bad way? Was that bad that he was born lighter? Sorry I am still learning. Thanks for all the advice. We keep very detailed breeding records on our Game chickens when they are born the same way. We toe mark as chicks and wing band as they get older to keep up with our matings/offspring.

 

[Chooks man]

keep a eye on him on the good way.
yeah the gray/silver chick are pure B/B double barring . because the impure cuckoo cockerels have one Barring gene and they hatch darker like a pullets.

your cockerel seem to have a good start ;
1) hatched from a dark egg.
2) double factor B/B
3) feathered legs
4) quick feathering type
5) long body type not tall

that is a reason I asked you to keep a eye on him.

 

[KF0002]

keep a eye on him on the good way.
yeah the gray/silver chick are pure B/B double barring . because the impure cuckoo cockerels have one Barring gene and they hatch darker like a pullets.

your cockerel seem to have a good start ;
1) hatched from a dark egg.
2) double factor B/B
3) feathered legs
4) quick feathering type
5) long body type not tall

that is a reason I asked you to keep a eye on him.

Oh good Im glad. Now if my pullets lay dark eggs I will be even happier! I will be wing banding this group soon so I can keep up with which cockerel is which.

I have a group of 6 week old black coppers outside I put in a grow out pen today. We have been seeing some rats so I am hoping the rats dont eat my chicks! We have lost younger 2-3 week old chicks to rats before but Im hoping they wont mess with my BCMs. They are pretty good sized chicks. My husband has put out rat poision but in the mean time Im going to be a worry wort. We had to set them on the roost and so far they are staying on it. As long as they are off the ground they are safer. Chicks on the ground are like sitting ducks for rats.

 

[Chooks man]

I don t like rats. I remember when young the rat used to eat my mother chicks and baby rabbit too.

kill all the rats they spread disease too.

 

[KF0002]

I don t like rats. I remember when young the rat used to eat my mother chicks and baby rabbit too.

kill all the rats they spread disease too.

The rats are dropping like flies! My BCM chicks made through the night last night. Hopefully they will be okay when I get home in the morning (I work night shift.)

 

[Chooks man]

as long as they are secure at night they will be Ok..
watch they dropping don t let mixed with the chicks feed.

 

[KF0002]

as long as they are secure at night they will be Ok..
watch they dropping don t let mixed with the chicks feed.

We feed them in feeder so the food is not on the ground. We dont leave the feed in the pen over night if we can help it. I meant they are dropping like flies.. As in we are finding dead rats. The poision is working. Lol.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

Quote:
This is great news! That whole, collecting all of the feed at night is a pain, but necessary unfortunately....unless someone develops a rat proof feed container.

@Chooks man I finally went over my records and all of my white and cuckoo hatched between June and late July last year, which would make them all between 8-9 months old. As we are getting more daylight now, I hope they start laying soon. I also wormed them yesterday as an extra precaution.

I really really do not like the looks of my Cuckoo cockerel. He is large....but tail is high, feet are too profusely feathered, he's got some stubs on his inside toe, plus....he looks at me sideways....only a matter of time before he makes a strike. I think. We shall see. I absolutely can NOT wait until this group starts laying...

 

[Chooks man]

8/9 month old and not laying that very late maturing strain for sure..you need a early maturing rooster to cross with your strain.
shame to hear about your cuckoo cockerel .he s the only one you ve got.
my pullets from my first hutch last year late August20th they start laying 5.5 and 6 months old.

 

[KF0002]

I would love to see some pics of your alls birds for reference so I can start identifying good qualities to look for as my chicks grow.