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

[DMRippy]

Quote: DO you have whites or Cuckoos? I have cuckoos but they are not laying yet, but in the spring I could get you hooked up. Whites are going to be harder to come by. Raven1 has some here in TN but I think they are all babies right now. She had some predators get her older ones.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

DO you have whites or Cuckoos? I have cuckoos but they are not laying yet, but in the spring I could get you hooked up. Whites are going to be harder to come by. Raven1 has some here in TN but I think they are all babies right now. She had some predators get her older ones.

I have cuckoos, I am still not sure what a white is yet, still reading the forum.

 

[Blarneyeggs]

I have ONE white pullet. No Cuckoos, no other whites. Been playing with the idea of getting eggs for the NYD Hatch-a-long in order to give this girl a boyfriend. She has some street sweepers on her, almost feel like I'm obligated to pass that along into another generation.

 

[Raven1]

I have ONE white pullet. No Cuckoos, no other whites. Been playing with the idea of getting eggs for the NYD Hatch-a-long in order to give this girl a boyfriend. She has some street sweepers on her, almost feel like I'm obligated to pass that along into another generation.

You should try Ernie Haire in TX. that is where mine came from and I love love love them! All of mine have street sweepers! They are only 8 weeks old but WOW.

 

[fowlman01]

Could this all be attributed to a dominant white, as opposed to a recessive white? My White Silkies are recessive white, and Leghorns I believe are dominant white? Seems like only my older Silkie roo has the problem of a goldish tint, and only in a small portion of his hackles, in the summer.??

This is what causes "brassiness" which is the term usually used for white feathers turning straw/yellow from the sun. Dominant white does not do this when exposed to the sun. You never see real Leghorns that are brassy because they are dominant white.. It is usually only seen in males.

Walt

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I LOVE my Cuckoos too. You were right 2 roos the rest pullets.

Great street sweepers too.... hoping for some good color eggs in the summer. I am getting some solid blue pullets from that roo I got from you, so I am going to keep them and try to work on egg color.... might have to have some solid blue marans too.....

We need to get moved, so we can start building more breeding pens in the spring..... I think I am going to need them.

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Hi

A dark cuckoo male is usually an indication that the bird is carrying one set of genes for barring like the hen. If a male cuckoo is carrying two sets of genes for barring then the color is lighter and the bars are wider apart.

If a splash hen came from copper blues then she will be carrying gold or if she came from blue birchens then she will be carrying silver.

Bev Davis

Thanks Bev that clears up several of my questions, I am new to the Marans breed but I have 4 Cuckoo roosters and no hens, do you sell chics or hatching eggs or know somenone.

 

[BevDavis]

Hi

Russ Young has some cuckoo that lay dark eggs, his e-mail address is [email protected]

Bev

 

[flgardengirl]

Does Russ's cuckoo roosters have the lighter color in their hackles and saddles that is preferred? How about the TX source's roos?
I like the cuckoos I have size-wise and leg feathers etc but would like to incorporate the lighter color in the roos.

One of my cuckoo hens laid her first egg yesterday. I am happily surprised at the color. It is a medium dark egg. I thought it would be much lighter. The other cuckoo hen has been sitting in the nest about every other day for the last week cackling away but nooo eggs yet

I guess maybe she is either copying the other hen or she is gonna "fake it till she makes it" LOL.

 

[BevDavis]

Hi

The cuckoo shouldn't be lighter in the hackles and saddle feathers. If they are they have been crossed with a birchen ER S

You could ask Russ to see a picture of them. His eggs are as dark as any I have seen for a while for cuckoo and believe they have the correct feathering.

Bev