Midnight Majesty Pullet…Huh?!

[M2L2]

Hey guys!

On the way home from work, the Mrs excitedly told me that our local farm store had Midnight Majesty chicks in stock and asked me to pick up a few. Soon after I arrived home with (3) Midnight Majesty Pullets and a Buff Orpington.

My wife opened the chirping box and immediately thought perhaps I had gotten Barred Rocks, and then through some quick searching, the spot on the head isn’t something the Midnight Majesty breed has for pullets.

Quick trip to the farm store and was told they are sure they are Midnight Majesty Pullets, and we left more confused. All of the chicks in the bin had the head spot…and they did have Barred Rocks in a different tub, and comparatively were definitely different and not a mix up with those…

Alas, we are here for the knowledge and opinions of BYC

Purchased from Wilco in Washington State, unknown hatchery.

Pictures attached of the chicks at the store, and 2 of the 3 supposed “MM’s” we got, although they all look pretty identical.

 

[nuthatched]

Midnight majesty marans are sex link marans, males would look different

 

[M2L2]

Midnight majesty marans are sex link marans, males would look different

Fair enough! I guess we might be missing something, but the subtle spot on their heads + lack of feathered feet had us wondering!

 

[WthrLady]

And barred rocks have yellow legs.

 

[NatJ]

Midnight majesty marans are sex link marans, males would look different

Unfortunately, from what I've read, Midnight Majesty Marans are a barred/not-barred sexlink. That would mean males have a light spot on top of their head (like OP's chicks) and white barring in their feathers as they grow, while females have no headspot and no white barring.

I hope I'm wrong, but this sounds like the hatchery sent a batch of just males, or else sent a different breed.

If the chicks turn out to be females, I'm guessing Cuckoo Marans or Olive Eggers.
If they turn out to be males, I would guess they really are Midnight Majesty Marans.

 

[LaurenRitz]

Midnight Majesty is a trademarked name for a Marans hybrid, I believe the hybrid is Cuckoo Marans and a dark Marans. Black Copper Marans? Can't remember. Anyway, if you got Midnight Majesty it's Hoovers Hatchery unless someone is taking liberties with the trademarked name.

 

[M2L2]

Thank you for the replys! I’ll reach out to Hoovers Hatchery and see if they have any input.

At this point, we are hoping it’s a breed mix up, as like many, we are in a no-roo zone.

I swear, every time I visit Wilco it’s always “something.”

 

[NatJ]

Midnight Majesty is a trademarked name for a Marans hybrid, I believe the hybrid is Cuckoo Marans and a dark Marans. Black Copper Marans? Can't remember. Anyway, if you got Midnight Majesty it's Hoovers Hatchery unless someone is taking liberties with the trademarked name.

If they are the Hoovers ones, then we can go by their description:
https://hoovershatchery.com/midnightmajestymarans.html

"most hatch with feathered feet, but some do not." (So OP's clean-footed chicks might be okay on that point.)

"The males are barred" (so OP's chicks, with the light headspot that indicates barring, would have to be males if they are Midnight Majesty Marans from Hoovers.)

 

[JedJackson]

You are right to be suspicious. The head spots indicate the chicks will be barred, and only male Midnight Majesty chickens are barred. It's how the hatcheries can tell females from males at birth. It's possible you got some other breed, but I don't think you have Midnight Majesty Marans females.

Talk to Wilco and ask if they will take them back and give a refund. If not, contact Hoover's directly. These are sex links so the proof that they aren't what they were advertised to be is irrefutable. If both of these establishments refuse to do anything to make it right, get back to us. I'm thinking we might need a rating system on this website that takes into account incidents like this.

 

[M2L2]

That’s what we are afraid of. Just sent an email to Hoovers with pictures and info found here.

Perhaps I’m still naive, but just find it hard to believe an entire run of cockerels were mixed up with pullets, sent to the farm store, then placed in the bin, and nobody caught it other than my wife and I.

However something here isn’t adding up.