The Middle Tennessee Thread

[pickledchicken]

The new man for my Cuckoo ladies

 

[DMRippy]

The new man for my Cuckoo ladies

Just a couple of things you will want to breed AWAY from, first the birchen look in the chicks.... not a good thing. AND the Dark face birchens have is not a good thing either. Dark legs is another, cuckoos should have white legs. I know it seems like the logical choice when you can't find a roo, but it is really gong to be a harder road. This has come up on the Cuckoo thread and the Marans thread. Marans people are quite the sticklers for not crossing the colors.

 

[DMRippy]

I forgot..... LOL That cross will only make sexlinks too. You will not get ANY cuckoo pullets only roos and they will not breed true since they only have once copy of the barring gene. That will be another battle you will have to fight... I have had that fight and it is tricky to make the right choices.

 

[Lots A Cluckin]

The new man for my Cuckoo ladies

He is beautiful chad..he will make some cute chicks!

 

[pickledchicken]

Quote: Donna I feel that every bird at some point was a project at one time or another, I understand the road ahead and don't view it as a hardship but an exciting project. My selection of a combining of S and B has been done before to revive the cuckoo, I'm not the first. I plan on working on this for awhile until I have them perfected they will not be offered as Silver Cuckoo Marans. I will fully disclose in the end to anyone interested in them about the lineage and how I created the color. If you haven't failed you haven't tried, I don't know how everyone gets the new colors then I have yet received a visit from the Chicken Color Fairy. I thank you for your encouragement and well wishes with my project.

 

[FeyRaine]

Donna I feel that every bird at some point was a project at one time or another, I understand the road ahead and don't view it as a hardship but an exciting project. My selection of a combining of S and B has been done before to revive the cuckoo, I'm not the first. I plan on working on this for awhile until I have them perfected they will not be offered as Silver Cuckoo Marans. I will fully disclose in the end to anyone interested in them about the lineage and how I created the color. If you haven't failed you haven't tried, I don't know how everyone gets the new colors then I have yet received a visit from the Chicken Color Fairy. I thank you for your encouragement and well wishes with my project.

The Rooster looks very attractive in and of himself to me, I'm no expert on anything other than pretty to me however.

Over on the Heritage thread there have been raging debates about "outcrossing" "recrossing" etc to produce or re-produce traits in breeds, lots of pros & cons all around.

The most important thing to me, is HONESTY, as long as everyone is honest if they crossed in this that or the other to get their end result, then potential purchasers of the offspring can make their own choice if that fits w/ their needs, desires, breeding goals etc. sometimes it will, sometimes it won't. I think a ton of upset and animosity can & will be avoided if everyone is just open clear and honest about how they ran their breeding program, with the understanding that not everyone has the exact same goals and that is OK.

Do keep us posted w/ adorable chick pics. He is a beauty and I hope his offspring further your project to your satisfaction
FeyRaine

 

[pickledchicken]

Thank you FayRaine. I could be wrong but from my understanding and research it was obvious to me that the latest of French blood to be introduced, one of them was indeed the Birchen. I have seen some silvering on the hackle on some of my hens already so the S gene may already be there I feel. That is just a hunch. I know other new French blood is available but would not be a good choice for the coloration I intend to achieve. The silver gene and the barring gene are both sex linked that is why the silver shows so dominantly on the roo's. I had searched for French standard cuckoo's and found nothing I wanted to use, will I end up with some hackle coloration on the hens well sure I will but it won't be gold. I would prefer this over the gold I have seen in the cuckoo's. Why start a project with a decent flock that currently only displays the acceptable light straw coloring only to ad gold and squirrel tails and other undesirable traits maybe even lighter eggs. The silver also helps to clean up any gold/red pheomelanin it was a clear pros and cons choice for me. New blood ( French ) darker eggs, feathered shanks and the silver gene that will help with my desired color. I'm not out crossing into a different breed just Marans to Marans. I will keep you posted with pics I have an outlet for the culls as backyard layers ( I don't like to dispatch chicks when I don't have to ) you guys are welcome to them as well. I have posted a pic from the Marans Club of America this photo very much depicts my goal ( I like the hackle on the hen )

PHOTO FROM THE MARANS of AMERICA CLUB

 

[pickledchicken]

Thank You too Ayslen

 

[HBuehler]

I know I'm a stranger over here now

but those darn rabbits have me traveling all over the Country so my birdies have been demoted to boring old layers and we don't have many left..those coops make super grow out pens for baby bunnies! I will be looking for new layers come Spring-I'm not hatching any

I must resist that cute fluff as much as possible.
Girl Scout cookies go on sale at Midnight Megan will be delivering to Rivergate Mall, Murfreesboro and Gallatin when they come in Mid Feb.If you want some let me know and I will put you on the list

 

[matlock585]

Merry Christmas everybody! Hope you all have a great time this season.
Here's a pretty nice chicken video for ya'll
Sam