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

[flgardengirl]

Ok I might look into them. Thanks

 

[DMRippy]

I just thought I would put a link with Russ Young's birds. They don't seem to look like they are breed to SOP...... He may just breed for egg color.

http://www.freewebs.com/norrusmarans/cuckoomarans.htm

 

[BevDavis]

Hi

Can you post some pictures of your birds please so that we can see what you have? A few of us are having to breed for egg color to make sure we don't lose it.

Bev

 

[DMRippy]

Hi

Can you post some pictures of your birds please so that we can see what you have? A few of us are having to breed for egg color to make sure we don't lose it.

Bev

I am breeding to type and egg color is secondary to me right now. Everyone is free to breed what they want. If egg color is all you are looking for that is fine. I will breed my darkest layers with the best type, that is going to move me forward more than starting with NON SOP type birds and working forward.

Work with what you have, get the best start you can, build the barn first.......... then you can paint it later.

Seems no matter the thread there is no support for breeding practices that everyone uses. Really need to get out of Marans all together.....

 

[Chickielady]

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

Thanks Walt !!

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I missed that, that is great info.....

 

[Chickielady]

Hi

Can you post some pictures of your birds please so that we can see what you have? A few of us are having to breed for egg color to make sure we don't lose it.

Bev

Here is some of mine...eggs first:












The top box is mid summer, the bottom is spring lay, with EE and OE eggs and Jersey Giant ligt brow eggs included.
All the dark eggs are from my Silver Cuckoos (4 in the picture above)








What I really am working on now, is to get rid of the short-backed-squirrel-tailed issue that is so evident in so many breeds.
What I have been working on for the last 2 or more years, is developing a better physical body and have had nothing in a SOP to work with, I have used other breed SOPs, and tried to creat a longer back & less squirrel tail, broader breast...and get more feathered shanks in....
Some young cockerels hatched late last fall have shown more & more tor feathering...SIGH!!!!!!!!! It is a consatnt.Bu
t no, we do not have any cock birds or hens brown or mossy except when they are molting & the old feathers are ready to fall out.

OLD Cock @October...ready to molt~~~~~~~~~






I will say, that the hens get all nasty brownish feathers before they molt as well...............the old feathers get straw/brown...thin, weak and fall out...........

OK I am done, out of time & any one needs speaking to me, please call as I am consumed with construction !!!!!!!

 

[BevDavis]

Hi

You have some nice birds with good egg color and it looks as if you are making great headway. The standard is being worked on and the club members are meeting in Newnan GA to discuss what should be the correct color for cuckoo's. In the past several lines were imported into the US and they all looked very different. A lot of people stopped breeding cuckoo for other colored birds and the egg color was lost as well as the various lines. Some cuckoo were crossed with white and some that carried a wheaten gene, others crossed with other breeds. It's a big task that we have on our hands at the moment but with the help of people like yourself that are working on both egg color and confirmation we will get there. After the Newnan show I'll post pictures of birds and also breeders names so that we can all work together to improve this wonderful breed.

Thank you for your help.

Bev

 

[TNBEARCHICK]

Alright harsh critics welcome and encouragement

Roo 1

Roo2 Roo4


Roo3


As I said before I have no cuckoo hens yet but am looking for quality breeders now. I think 3 is a failure because of the gold in the hackles? Not sure about the rest?

 

[DMRippy]

Alright harsh critics welcome and encouragement

Roo 1

Roo2 Roo4


Roo3


As I said before I have no cuckoo hens yet but am looking for quality breeders now. I think 3 is a failure because of the gold in the hackles? Not sure about the rest?

I am not POSITIVE but I think all three only have one copy of the barring gene. They should have the cuckoo pattern all over and it seems it is only expressing in the hackles, saddles and wing and when I have had single copy barred rock roos that is the only place it shows.