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

[VillageChicken]

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Someone there's got them. I've seen pictures.

 

[kagedgoddess]

How do you know if your birds carry the proper genes? And if your cuckoos throw a white will it breed true? Or will its offspring throw some cuckoos too?

 

[VillageChicken]

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Whites should breed true if bred to other correct whites. It is hard to get the leg color right sometimes. They should be pinkish, not gray or blue. White will not throw cuckoo if bred to white.


rockysprings: Someone on the main marans thread posted some dark White Marans eggs here:https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=444381&p=217 I think the right nine are from someone's project whites. They can connect you to the breeder if you PM them.

 

[PHarris985]

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I have the same incubator. How do you keep your humidity up the last three days? I read that they need to have high humidity the last three days is that true?

when all the channels in the plastic tray are full, I don't have a problem hatching any kind of eggs, especially non-shipped. But if it's really dry there, put the whole incubator in a shallow tray of water, and the tiny holes around the edges will pick up the humidity from the tray.

Thank you that's a great idea.

 

[whidbey]

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X2
Have been looking at the GC myself and some real nice birds out there,

 

[Raven1]

Here is a head shot of one of my GCM roos I will see if I can find a body shot

 

[Raven1]

Here is a body shot I HATE the white feathers in his tail but over all I really like him.
What do you think please be honest.

 

[Debbi]

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Raven ~ I really like his chunky type! Nice long back, and looks to me like an ideal tail set. For me, his eyes could be more red/orange, his comb should stand off the neck more by the blade, and he needs feathered shanks/toes. Love his color too, except for like you said, the white tail feathers. How old is he? Maybe he will molt them out?

 

[Raven1]

He was born last fall, I would have to check my book. His blade is not attached but does lay on the back of his neck. My hens have feathered shanks so there is hope but the hens are a little too dark but we work with what we have. Thanks

 

[flgardengirl]

Nice roo raven. It seems like alot of the gcm males have a white feather or 2 in thier tails. Of my GC males: one of mine has 2 and the other has one.
Cuckoo Baby, who looks like a GC but found out he is a barred black tail buff roo, of course, has NO white in his tail LOL!
I am debating about which of the 2 GC males to use for breeding. The one with the 2 white feathers in his tail, has a much bigger stockier build but his barring in the chest is a little light so I will probably go with the other better barred one with the one white tail feather.

I will try to get a pic of my GC pullet egg later. One is laying for sure in the nestbox. The other, I haven't actually seen her lay, she is old enough for sure now but she does not perch and does not get up in the nest boxes. So... if she is laying, she is doing it on the ground I bet. I will know for sure when I get them into thier breeding pen in a few weeks.