Let's talk Golden Cuckoo Marans!

[buckabucka]

I took a couple photos of my 5 week old golden cuckoo boys. I'm wondering if the gold color comes in later. Many of them just look black and white, like this guy:

My favorite one looks more like he will develop golden hackles. Will they all eventually look very similar? Here is my favorite:

 

[chickee]

I took a couple photos of my 5 week old golden cuckoo boys. I'm wondering if the gold color comes in later. Many of them just look black and white, like this guy:


My favorite one looks more like he will develop golden hackles. Will they all eventually look very similar? Here is my favorite:

I've never hatched one that didn't have the golden head before, so I can't say on that one. I like the one with the gold too. Great leg feathering and chunky body. I "think" the darker gold color is preferable, but the lighter cream colored heads are so pretty too.

I kept the one with the darkest gold. It appears that they are less likely to develop white in their tails. Time will tell though, since they can get white feathers after their first molt.

 

[buckabucka]

Thanks for the reply. Only two of mine have the lighter color around the head and neck with a little gold. Of the 5 gray ones, some have brown around their eye and face, so perhaps they will have darker gold coloring.

I like the whiter one not only for his size and coloring, but he seems fairly mellow (one in the bunch acts mean). He also hangs out outdoors all day with my favorite pullets (they are not Marans). Some of them seem to prefer to stay in the brooder/mini coop.

We'll see how things progress.

 

[chickee]

Thanks for the reply. Only two of mine have the lighter color around the head and neck with a little gold. Of the 5 gray ones, some have brown around their eye and face, so perhaps they will have darker gold coloring.

I like the whiter one not only for his size and coloring, but he seems fairly mellow (one in the bunch acts mean). He also hangs out outdoors all day with my favorite pullets (they are not Marans). Some of them seem to prefer to stay in the brooder/mini coop.

We'll see how things progress.

Marans rooster have a tendency to be aggressive, so if he is at such a young age, I would get rid of him.

It will be fun to see how yours matures

 

[sonew123]

Marking a spot I have a roo and 5 pullets at 8 weeks old...

 

[buckabucka]

Hi Sonew!
I still have your lavenders! And 7 golden cuckoo cockerels
Where did you get your cuckoos?

 

[sonew123]

Bucka!!! I was going to pm you and ask when I saw you on this thread!! So glad you still have the girls we still have your monkey and get so many compliments on it

Off the top of my head...cant remember who I got them from but it was at Tabs NY chickenstock in May...Ill have to look it up..Tabs and Travis have some as well they raise

 

[buckabucka]

My golden cuckoo cockerels are 12 weeks old now. I won't be choosing one for a couple of months, but I'm not really sure what color is correct.
Here are 5 of them together (there are 7). Some have black and white barring with very little gold, others have more gold, and some have a white head with gold barring.

This white-ish one will eat out of my hand, but is still a little skittish. All the others are petrified of me. He has some white fluff at the base of his tail.

I like the coloring on this one, but I'm not sure he is as big as some of the others.

This one doesn't have much gold:

I'm hoping it will be more obvious which one I should choose later on!

 

[chickee]

My golden cuckoo cockerels are 12 weeks old now. I won't be choosing one for a couple of months, but I'm not really sure what color is correct.
Here are 5 of them together (there are 7). Some have black and white barring with very little gold, others have more gold, and some have a white head with gold barring.


This white-ish one will eat out of my hand, but is still a little skittish. All the others are petrified of me. He has some white fluff at the base of his tail.


I like the coloring on this one, but I'm not sure he is as big as some of the others.


This one doesn't have much gold:


I'm hoping it will be more obvious which one I should choose later on!

I like the coloring on #2, but like the type (except for the high tail set) on #3. I would like to see more pictures (side view) of #2 to get a better idea of his body type.

 

[omar4923]

Those are beautiful birds! I have 8 that are 9 weeks old and look just like yours. Three of them have very little gold on them just like your last pic. I'd really like some advise on which ones to keep. I'm thinking of keeping only the ones with heavy gold on them.