Marans questions: Cuckoo leg feathers and breeding with Black Copper

[SIMZ]

Hello! I recently acquired some beautiful little cockerels and have some questions that I hope someone can help me with. I'm not completely sure of their background, but they're healthy & beautiful.

1) My new cuckoo cockerels have feathered legs and my current hens (hatchery stock) don't.
What is the difference?
What is the generally accepted standard for cuckoos?
Can I breed feathered w/ non-feathered or are they totally different strains?


2) A Black Copper cockerel was in with the cuckoo cockerels. What results if Black Copper and Cuckoo are bred together? I ask because he's not showing ANY coppering at 7 weeks and I'm wondering if pure black could result from that mix.

Thanks!

 

[Debbi]

All Marans should have feathered shanks and outside toes. The clean legged variety is no longer accepted here for showing, but it is in England. If you breed feathered to non-feathered, you will get some with light feathering, and some with none. It will take time to put feathers on the legs of all the chicks, and even generations down the road, you can still pop out a clean legged bird from time to time. You should come join us over on the Marans thread! I don't have Cuckoos, so that's about all I can help you with, but others over there have them and will be glad to chime in. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/383387/marans-thread-breed-discussion-pictures-are-welcome/36570

 

[SIMZ]

Thank you, Debbi! That's especially helpful about breeding feathered to non-feathered.