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

[flgardengirl]

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Lotsa: I am very partial to the golden cuckoos as well. I like barred birds in general. I am just getting started with the birchens but they sure do need a lot of work. I guess that's half the fun of it lol. It would be fun to make some blue-golden cuckoos...what would that be called (blue x golden cuckoo)?

 

[Raven1]

Yes I do want to keep the "Dual Purpose" in all my Marans. No I have not weighed him but I'd say at least 11# he really is huge I only have 1 bird bigger my Blue Copper Boy but he only has a little on this one.
Here s a younger pic of him

 

[Lotsapaints]

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Lotsa: I am very partial to the golden cuckoos as well. I like barred birds in general. I am just getting started with the birchens but they sure do need a lot of work. I guess that's half the fun of it lol. It would be fun to make some blue-golden cuckoos...what would that be called (blue x golden cuckoo)?

I don't know but if I get a Splash Birchen...well I'll try it.

My Birchens have good leg feathering and look good so far maybe a bit slow on the feathering but summer hatched birds here are like that and some look like the eyes will be dark but I can't tell for sure yet the eggs I hatched were nice not more than a 5 but good hatchability all I need is at least one hen that lays a darkie and I am on Bev's list for some that's exciting for sure

 

[Hens and Roos]

Here are a couple of updated pictures of the 2 babies we hatched out, they are 4 weeks old now.

The Black chick:

The Blue chick:

 

[Goose and Fig]

Hey Becky- wanted to show you the difference in the roos I got from your eggs. Most of them look like the bigger guy. Maybe they are carrying a birchen gene? They are showing pale gold, but it's hard to see in the pic. The other guy has no sign of birchen, and he is showing red, but no yellow or gold tones. I only got one of him, so he will stay for sure.
The birchen looking one is clean legged, the other has light feathering.

Also- I finally took the plunge and bought some GC eggs from this quail farm in NC. They do have really nice egg color, and the birds look like they have lots of potential. I cannot figure out how to get to thier website though- want you all to see it.

 

[Hens and Roos]

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Very nice pictures, how old are they? It is always interesting to see others projects!

 

[Goose and Fig]

I think I hatched them at the end of June. Can't believe I am 1/2 way through a second hatching notebook for this year already

 

[HenThymes]

Hatched my next generation of gold cuckoo just a couple of days ago from some really nice dark eggs! Will be interesting to see how they color out. I set only the darkest eggs from the group. Found it still interesting that even though all stock was French yes clean legged still hatch. I do hope that changes down the line?

Two still in the bator and in the pic is two blue bantam orps

Egg color

 

[HenThymes]

On another note, my bantam marans are just getting to POL and one of the blacks have given me her first three eggs this week. The first was huge just like my gold cuckoo did and getting darker with each one laid. Very happy with the color overall given they are bantams and still a project within marans.

She will be part of my bantam marans flock that will consist of a cuckoo cockere, cuckoo pullet and two black pullets. Will be interesting to start hatching this winter!

 

[Goose and Fig]

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What are the red/chipmunk chicks? You aren't selling GC eggs on ebay are you?