We hatched and sold some chicks this spring, and most people want pullets. I can't tell the sex of the chicks until they're 2-3 weeks (at best!). Although, breeding a solid male over a cuckoo female is supposed to hatch sex-linked chicks that can be sexed at hatch. We just happened to have a Black Copper Marans rooster in the same pen with a large cuckoo marans female. The Marans make a decent meat bird and everyone wants those dark eggs, right?
Fortunately, one of our hens went broody so I put some of these BCM/Cuckoo eggs under her. She hatched out two with large spots on their heads and one that doesn't have a spot. I'm guessing two males and a female if this does actually work.
Here they are:
I'm really curious to see if this is accurate. It would be a great way to provide people with pullets and also know from the beginning which chicks are the meat cockerels. My favorite part is that our broody will do all the work while I watch.
Fortunately, one of our hens went broody so I put some of these BCM/Cuckoo eggs under her. She hatched out two with large spots on their heads and one that doesn't have a spot. I'm guessing two males and a female if this does actually work.
Here they are:
I'm really curious to see if this is accurate. It would be a great way to provide people with pullets and also know from the beginning which chicks are the meat cockerels. My favorite part is that our broody will do all the work while I watch.
