Opinions please - assorted Marans/EE crosses.

[seventreesfarm]

I hatched a batch of chicks Oct. 6th, half were from my Black Copper roo over EE and Barred Rock hens, and half were from DMRippy's Blue Copper Roo over barred EE's with a few other Olive-Eggers in the mix. I didn't keep track of which were which eggs because I thought I could tell them apart as they grew. Not so much

In any case, I'm planning to make interesting Olive-Eggers, so I'm looking more for certain shape & colors right now. There are a few I'd like opinions on....

First up is Arnie. He's obviously a roo, but what the heck is going on with his colors? He was a sex-link at hatching, i.e. had the big spot and the other black chicks didn't (and look like pullets) but his barring only developed part way. It almost looks like he has barred feathers in a splash pattern over the blue. Is that possible? I'm not planning to keep him, since I want pea-combed blues, but he's very unique.




Next up is one of the 3 "calico" chickens. Two are obviously roos, but I was hoping this one might be a pullet. I don't think so, which is a bummer because the coloring is so cool. Not what I want in a roo though.




Here is a little pullet (I think) but what is this color? Is it lavender? Or light blue? She has a few darker marks on her, and her legs are pale grey.


Last up is the one I plan to keep if he's a roo. I want blue pea-comb with a nice beard to cross with my Cuckoo Marans and Welsummers. I think this one is from DMRippy's eggs, but I could be wrong. Roo or hen??

 

[ramirezframing]

It looks like all the ones you pictured are roos, the second to last is a blue and the first might lose the barring and also might get white hackles from the look of it

 

[hdowden]

they all look like roos but i really like the barring on 1. i also like 3 and 4

 

[seventreesfarm]

The little buggers are crowing up a storm this morning. Time to post a craigslist ad and see if I can't make some room in my baby coop

Too bad none of the calicos are hens, but I still got some pretty gals this batch. I'll be firing up the incubator once the roo in the last pics is ready for duty.

 

[donrae]

As far as the barring on that first roo.......I've seen lots of funky partial barring from breeding sex links or from a sex link roo over a non barred hen. I think all that blue in his background might have overlaid some barring, so to speak.

You came out with some pretty colors, too bad none of them are what you were looking for.

 

[seventreesfarm]

We did get some lovely pullets though. Just more conservatively-colored

There are 3 solid black hens, 2 with giant beard/muffs and peacombs, and one with straight comb and clean face. We got one darker grey and one light grey with nice conformation, peacombs and beards. And 2 beautiful 'red' hens with great facial hair and blue under-feathers.

 

[donrae]

Well, that's the thing, isn't it. Your hens will never be as flashy as the roos, it's how they've survived thousands of years.