My Favorite Boys

[MissPrissy]

When I left Georgia and came to Virginia I had to get rid of my flock. That was hard. I loved my chickens but I loved my husband more and so I moved up here and married him. I am the lucky one.

It has been four years and just this year I have been able to begin building another flock of hens.

This spring when I got chicks from McMurray I ordered a few of several breeds. I wanted to remind myself what it was I liked and didn't like in certain birds. Buff Orpingtons have long been a favorite but for some reason I am just not in a BO raising mood up here -although I do have four pullets now. I love BIG birds. I don't like bantums and I don't like fru fru chickens either. No real particular reason why other than I just prefer the bigger breeds.

If it were possible to raise roosters without mayhem in the coop I would in a heart beat. I love those guys! I have 3 rooms for chickens in my barns and I don't think my husband would build me runs for every breed I take a fancy to.

I thought I would show you two of my favorite boys that I have now.

This is Buster. He is a Barred Rock.

This is Laf (as in Lafayette, Marquis De La). He is a Cuckoo Maran.

I tried to get better photos to show their size - that are big boys at 19 weeks, suprisingly large to me. I guess it shows how well they eat. LOL

I can't wait to see how their tails feather out. It is so exciting to watch them grow! I especially like the way the red of their combs and wattles really stands out against their black and white barring.

Both are pet quality and nothing special for the breed. I raised them and I love them and so that makes them super duper in my book.

 

[speckledhen]

I love my Barred Rocks and my roosters, in general, too. Nice boys! Your BR has a big comb on him like my Maverick did. I'm with you-I like the big ones best!

 

[Mac]

Quite the handsome young men. I'm thinking about my hen list for spring (sigh) and also want some big birds. I don't hear people mention Jersey Giants very often. Aren't they large friendly birds in general?

 

[MissPrissy]

Jersey giants are great birds! I have 4 black pullets who are very sweet. They are gorgeous in natural light. The black of the feathers get a faint green sheen or sometimes blue in the bright sunlight. I love my girls!

 

[Davaroo]

Well, they are nice roos. But, is it just me, or are the two birds the same? Is cuckoo Maran the French translation for Barred Rock?

 

[speckledhen]

Nope, the CM has pinky-white legs and cuckoo barring as opposed to yellow legs and more distinct barring.

 

[Davaroo]

Pinky legs and sorta barring, then? You know that sounds fishy, tirght?

 

[MissPrissy]

Look closely at both photos, elderoo. What do you see that is different?

The barred rock has yellow legs and there is a distinct pattern to the barring (black and white) in his feathers.

The cuckoo maran has white legs and the barring pattern on his feather is irregular or 'cuckoo'. The cuckoo maran hen when well bred is noted for those very dark chocolate colored eggs.

It is very easy to confuse the two but taking a moment to assess the leg color and the barring and you slowly learn to see the differences. If I added a dominque to the mix then we would have to also begin considering the comb to determine which breed.

Lots of people confuse barred rocks and dominques and cuckoo maran until they learn the characteristics.

See the difference now?

 

[Davaroo]

The leg color I see. Okay, pink vs. yellow. It shows in the beaks, too.

As for the barring, it's like the difference between a gunny sack and a burlap bag.

Maybe a closer examintion is needed. You;re in CT, right? My wife is from there - it's only a two day drive. Why dont you bring them on by the house so I can check them out?

 

[MissPrissy]

I am in Virginia. Above Charlottesville and below Fredericksburg. You are where I was born.

Oh, a gunny sack can be a burlap bag and a burlap bag can be a gunny sack. A cuckoo maran can never be a barred rock and a barred plymouth rock will never be a cuckoo maran.