Marans Thread - breed discussion & pictures are welcome!

[Wynette]

I'd be my 401(k) that #2 is a cockerel. Not sure on #1. BUT - I'm no expert, either! One thing is for sure- they're both super cute!

 

[marquisella]

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I was up to about 20 bc hens last winter...way too many! Then, the dark eggs started to come, and I widdled it down to about 15. Then, a few weeks ago, I went on vacation, and when I came home, I was down even more chickesn! Sad to say, someone went through my3 pens of bcs, & took a few from each pen...first time that has happened.

But, they missed my dark layer hen, so she is still with me along with most of her daughters. Mostly it was older hens that were taken, and a few cockerels. Good think they didn't know my leg band code! LOL

So, its experiment time here, but I know that all my birds came from very dark eggs, so I will go from there & see what they produce...

Now, I'm looking at my blue coppers and need to get myself down to about 8 hens,not 12! plus I have about 6 pullets coming along that hatched from nice dark eggs.
I'm tempted to sell all of them and just keep the pullets. I'll see how it goes in the next few months. I have a bc roo in with them that was a 7 and has a little more copper on him to see if he improves the blue copper hens hackles. Its always a work in progress.

 

[ChicksterJo]

My pullet laid her first egg today! And it is HUGE! It wasn't my Red Star because her eggs are not this dark, and it's not my Delaware because her eggs are a pearl color...

Sorry if this is off-topic, I am just so excited!

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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Looks like pretty decent color to me for a first egg! Well done!!

 

[ChicksterJo]

Will it get darker or this is it? It is like a 4 to me but I don't have a real color chart. It's not that red in real life, my camera's awful. Do Blue Coppers usually lay lighter eggs?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

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I can only say what I've heard because I'm still waiting for my first BCM eggs ... color gets darker a few eggs in and blues usually lay lighter than blacks. I'm sure those that actually know will chime in as well!!

 

[marquisella]

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I have blues that lay as dark as my black coppers, it all depends on the bird. Usually they darken up till about the 10th egg or so, say the same for a while, and then lighten some towards the end.

 

[mstricer]

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I'd take that bet too. # 2 cockerel and I'm going with pullet for #1. I'm definitively not an expert. But the comb usually is the dead give away.
Michele

 

[pinkchick]

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I think they a both roosters. Sorry!

 

[pinkchick]

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WoooooWhoooot! Awesome 1st egg! Congratulations!