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

[OHmamma]

Sometimes, but this one was crossed with a very saturated black hen so I was wondering if it still might be a boy. Its head spot is bigger than what you can see here. It is much taller and louder and already has a decent looking comb. I guess I will see in time either way its a keeper. Its dad came from an egg just as dark so it should be a nice one either way.

I know this is a cucu/whites thread but does any one have a good pic or a birchen chick or at least the description of the coloring at around 6 weeks?

look here 97 eggs out of 108 set...

 

[PepsNick]

These birds really are beautiful.

I believe that bargain is trying to get started with some White Marans. I'm sure that someone here could help her out.

 

[flgardengirl]

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This is what I am planning to do. I am putting my darkest egg laying feather shanked bcm female (the one that lays eggs like in my avatar) in with my GC male and his girls. I think it will improve thier egg color quite a bit. Last year I crossed a bcm roo from a very dark egg with an orp hen and the resulting pullet lays a 4-5 marans colored egg. So if you have a really dark egg gene you can really improve the color of the eggs in the offspring. Also I used that same dark gened bcm rooster with a ameraucana and got very olive colored eggs in my first generation olive egger hens. I am told it usually takes a few generations to get the real olive color.

 

[PHarris985]

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The chick and egg color are beautiful.

 

[OHmamma]

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I am working on building up a good set of Whites. I will be happy to share as soon as I have some coming out regular.

My uncle just informed me today that my big nice white roo was killed by the neighbors coondog. It also got my Uncles English game roo that I bought him last year. The man offered to pay for the lost chickens but really, how can you put a price on something like that? I live in a small farm town and to most of the people around here a chicken is a chicken, unless it is theirs of course....I searched all over last year for that trio of White Marans and paid more in gas to go get him than I paid for them al together. Very frustrating, now I am just going to put all the hens in with Paulie (Silver cucu) until I find another White roo.

To top all that off some kind of predator has targeted my silkies that just started laying again. All four of them are gone not a feather in site yet all the other chickens are fine. No clues behind at all. I figured it is a fox,coon, or an owl. I am setting a live trap tonight and baiting it with a mutt banty I have running around. I can catch a fox or coon but I don't kow if an owl would go into the trap. My pyranese was barking like mad last night I should have let him out of the barn.

Well I am off to sort chicks.

 

[whidbey]

Quote:
I am working on building up a good set of Whites. I will be happy to share as soon as I have some coming out regular.

My uncle just informed me today that my big nice white roo was killed by the neighbors coondog. It also got my Uncles English game roo that I bought him last year. The man offered to pay for the lost chickens but really, how can you put a price on something like that? I live in a small farm town and to most of the people around here a chicken is a chicken, unless it is theirs of course....I searched all over last year for that trio of White Marans and paid more in gas to go get him than I paid for them al together. Very frustrating, now I am just going to put all the hens in with Paulie (Silver cucu) until I find another White roo.

To top all that off some kind of predator has targeted my silkies that just started laying again. All four of them are gone not a feather in site yet all the other chickens are fine. No clues behind at all. I figured it is a fox,coon, or an owl. I am setting a live trap tonight and baiting it with a mutt banty I have running around. I can catch a fox or coon but I don't kow if an owl would go into the trap. My pyranese was barking like mad last night I should have let him out of the barn.

Well I am off to sort chicks.

Sorry for your lose, hope you have luck getting the predator, or what ever is getting your birds, owls are hard to get unless your are right there, and its usually an early morning thing,
By the way your chicks are great looking
Mark

 

[OHmamma]

Thanks, I have my trap set. I know it would be hard to catch an owl but I am leaning towards raccoon or fox. I have seen both since we have lived here and up until a couple months ago my Great Pyranese ran loose with the chickens to protect them. I set up a heck of a trap in the chickens box. I took a small bird cage and put two banties in it (safely) and set it at the back of the house then I set the baited live trap in the door so the critter will hear the birds and smell the catfood and walk right in the trap. I locked everyone else up tight for the night including my barn cats so I don't just catch one of those dummies.

This is the same little guy in the other picture. You can see his head spot better. He even has some nice looking girly hatchmates from the other pens.....makes me excited for next year!

 

[SonRise Silkies]

I'm trying to learn what I can about the Cuckoos and not sure I am catching the important things
I need to know. I'd appreciate some extra help please.

Are the feathered legs much preferred? Or does that just mean they are "French"

Is the darker or lighter roo what I should keep. [not trying to raise Whites YET]
Any advantage to lighter or darker roo?

Is there any certain pattern more desirable?

My pullets seem to be almost spotted rather than barred. The roos are stripped and one is light and good barred.
I'm pretty sure all are feathered legged some much heavier, is heavy feathering better or does it just need to be feathered?

I'll try and get a few pics. Thanks for all and any help!

 

[VillageChicken]

As far as I know there is no desired pattern for hens. Some have lighter hackle, some look almost laced. It's just not supposed to be distinct barring like SQ Barred Rocks with the slow feathering gene. I think the barring or pattern should be as uniform as possible on the bird, not too dark in one area and too light in another.

You can keep a good dark male if he's great in all other areas, but he will throw 50% black hens and 50% dark roos. The light rooster is the accepted color in the U.S., though they may accept the dark too, as far as I know it hasn't been decided. They accept the dark in the UK I believe.

Feathered shanks will be the accepted standard for all Marans varieties in the U.S. and are usually preferred. There's been lots of discussion lately on heavy vs. light feathering. It seems a good continuous row of feathers extended only to the outer toe is what folks are shooting for. Middle toe feathers or very sparse feathering is not desired.

 

[PHarris985]

Updated picture of my baby Cuckoo's. They are 9 weeks old now and love there coop. Are they Roo's or Hens?