Not what I paid for...oh well!

[Im Barred up]

I bought some "supposed" Black Copper Marans Chicks. Paid twice as much as more common breeds in the area, but I like the idea of the dark eggs. Well my 14 week old pullet laid her first egg and it's a normal brown. So I guess she's not a BCM, but that leaves me with, what is she (and her brother)?

 

[Kelsie2290]

Black Copper Marans I've seen usually have red on the neck (the girls to me look colored a lot like your average black sexlink), roosters have red saddle/hackle/shoulders. Yours do have feathered legs, wonder if they could be Black Langshans. They do have Black Marans that are solid black, but would think those are pretty uncommon.
That dark egg thing seems to be very easy to lose if the breeders don't select consistently for it, so you could just have Marans where nobody was paying attention to the egg color when they were selecting breeding stock.

 

[BantamLover21]

Its difficult to see from the photos, but do yours have feathered feet? And what color are their legs and bottoms of feet?

 

[pipemum]

I have a black copper marans that is all black. She's definitely a BCM, but over-melatinized or whatever the term is. My pullet is about the same age as yours, and not full grown or ready to start laying any time soon. I think egg color for BCMs varies, as the poster above mentioned.

That's pretty awesome that she laid an egg so young, no matter what breed she is!

 

[Wyandottes7]

As Kelsie2290 said, they could be black Langshans. However, body type doesn't seem right to me, especially in the rooster. They could just be poor quality BCM.

 

[Im Barred up]

Thanks guys! Her legs do have some feathers on them (the same as the Roo), and their legs and feet are yellow. She laid another robin egg yesterday, and even in the nesting box! Smart girl!

 

[Im Barred up]

I just googled a Black Langshan and she looks a lot like that, but also like a black Orphington...If I remember right the guy said he had Orphingtons for sale too, any chance she's one of those?

 

[debid]

Do they have yellow feet? In the first pic, the male looks to have yellow feet. Either way, I'd say they are probably poorly bred "Marans" rather than something else entirely. Orps, for example, have clean legs. Did the breeder show you what the eggs look like from his breeding stock? BTW, I have an over-melanized BCM hen that hasn't a hint of the copper showing so I'll also attest that it happens. But, she lays huge, dark eggs.

 

[chickita12]

Whatever she is she is very pretty!

 

[chickenluver555]

I think she is a BCM, but without the red feathers around the face. they can lay any shade of brown egg. These are all colors laid by black copper marans. Which one did yours lay?