These Aren’t Cuckoo Marans, Are They?

[FountainCityCottage]

So two of my pullets were sold to me at 8 weeks as Cuckoo Marans. Now they’re about 6-7 months old and I find that they have clean, yellow legs. These are actually Barred Rocks, aren’t they? (They haven’t started laying yet)

 

[pennyJo1960]

I believe so but when they start to lay you will know more if the egg is darker but yellow legs it is a br

 

[ShannonR]

The yellow legs say to me they aren't Marans... but every hatchery barred rock I have ever seen has been not so heavily built as these ladies seem to be. The egg color will tell you what you need to know. I can't really say.

 

[CindyinSD]

They have rose combs. They look like Dominiques to me...

 

[CindyinSD]

One of mine:

 

[FountainCityCottage]

Aren’t Dominiques more slightly built & have more upright carriage than Marans or Barred Rocks? So far, my hens look fairly heavy bodied. However, I know very little about chicken breeds ;-)

 

[Flashpoint]

One of mine:

View attachment 1896628

Look like my Dominques, too.

 

[CindyinSD]

My Doms are smallish but not a *lot* smaller that the other mature hens (Buff Orpingtons, Columbian & Silver-laced Black Wyandottes, & Black Australorps.) I can’t tell their size in your photo & of course different strains may vary in size a bit. Mine came from Cackle Hatchery. Where did you pick yours up?

 

[FountainCityCottage]

My Doms are smallish but not a *lot* smaller that the other mature hens (Buff Orpingtons, Columbian & Silver-laced Black Wyandottes, & Black Australorps.) I can’t tell their size in your photo & of course different strains may vary in size a bit. Mine came from Cackle Hatchery. Where did you pick yours up?

Mine came from a farmer near me in East Tennessee.

 

[CindyinSD]

Maybe they were better bred than mine since they came from a private breeder. I don’t know why he would have mixed them up with Cuckoo Marans, though. I don’t remember what mine looked like as chicks—possibly similar, but my Marans (Black Copper not Cuckoo) had feathered legs right out of the box. I’m guessing it was an honest mix-up.