Mystery Hen

[bjcoop]

Here's my mystery hen out in the snow this week.

She came in as an extra chick from my McMurray order. I thought she was some sort of maran, but here she is standing next to my cuckoo maran roo. Doesn't match at all. hmmm Any ideas?

--bjcoop (trying to pick this year's new chicks....)

Also, she lays the most beautiful brown eggs--almost seem to have a sheen to them....

 

[BantyChickMom]

I don't know what she is other than very pretty.

 

[greyfields]

It looks like a Marans pullet to me. She has the right plumage and leg color. I'm just shocked you got a female as the "mystery chicken". As far as I know, this has never before occurred. They're always cockrels.

In all the barred and cuckoo birds, the males carry an additional gene for white barring over the females. So, a Barred Rock and Marans rooster will appear far more white than the females. Google some photos and you'll see what I mean.

 

[mlheran]

Can't quite tell from the pictures, but she looks like a GOLD Cuckoo Marans (feathersite has a side-by-side pic of Gold & Silver Marans) If that's the case then she is quite rare!

But then, the yellowish coloring I'm seeing may just be due to the light. I definitely think she's a Marans though, and lucky score on getting a hen!

 

[tiki244]

OOOOHHH!!!!!!BABY MARANS!!!!!!YIPEEE!!!!!!!

 

[tiki244]