Ok, I think I have a problem with my blue marans!! help!!

[Country Living Farm]

I have three blue marans hens. Yes they are ture blue marans. They just went through a molt and now I have one hen that is no longer blue. She is more of a goldish color in a way. A second hen is still blue but with the goldish color here and there and the third is still blue. What is going on. I will try to get pictures up in a bit. I can not figure it out for the life of me. Does anyone know if this is common with the breed. Again, I know from the breeder they came from they are pure but I am totally confused!!!!!

 

[Debbi]

Hmm, if they are pure solid blues, that doesn't sound normal to me. We will definately need pics!

 

[snowbird]

Quote:
The only thing I have to offer is that none of the Marans colors are fully developed and you are subject to get things of this nature happen.

 

[pinkchick]

What you are describing sounds like they have the gold/copper gene and it is leaking through. The blue gene is a leaky gene and it sounds about right that you see this after the molt. They are still pure Marans it just may be that they are carrying the copper gene and it has decided to show itself.
Pictures will help.
Don is absolutely correct when he says that none of the Marans colors are 100% fully developed yet, solid blue Marans were derived from the Copper Marans and birds that did not show any signs of copper or very little were bred together in hopes of breeding out the copper and getting solid birds. Solid Blue females are easier to come by than a solid blue male.

If you want to breed these birds you can still use them, it just depends on what your goals are........if you want all solid blue birds than breed these girls to a solid black or a splash male that does not show any signs of copper. (however.......knowing the parentage of your birds is very helpful) and just because a bird does not show copper does not mean that they do not have the gene hiding in there and it can be passed on to the offspring. Test mating and growing chicks out to maturity will help eliminate who may be carrying the copper gene. Eventually you can breed that leakage out.

 

[Debbi]

Listen to Pinkchick! She IS the "Blue Queen"!

 

[Country Living Farm]

Quote:
I have the hens with a C1 Black Copper Marans roosters. I sell lots or the eggs and chicks as well. I list them as Blue hens with BCM rooster and the chicks you will get as well. Normally blue and black at hatch and then when they get older sometimes they get copper, sometimes they do not. Well at least I know what is going on for the most part. Should have pictures up soon. Check back.

 

[pinkchick]

Quote:
I have the hens with a C1 Black Copper Marans roosters. I sell lots or the eggs and chicks as well. I list them as Blue hens with BCM rooster and the chicks you will get as well. Normally blue and black at hatch and then when they get older sometimes they get copper, sometimes they do not. Well at least I know what is going on for the most part. Should have pictures up soon. Check back.

Having them in with a Copper Black male will give you half blue and half black offspring as you stated but also as you stated some will get copper and some will not, but all kiddos will be carrying that copper gene given to them by their daddy. If you breed the offspring showing some copper back to their father you will get offspring that will have even more copper than their mothers and so on and so on.