Using a French Black copper Marans Roo on other breeds (isa brown, RIR) to increase egg production but keep dark eggs? Is it possible?

[ChickyMudder]

I am not a chicken genetics expert but I'm sure there is someone we can tag who is. I have just never personally seen a dark brown BCM quality egg from a cross and I reckon if it were possible people wouldn't be apt to spend the extra money on BCMs.

I have the Jenks dominant copper laying dark dark chocolate eggs, daily. It is a BCM and barred rock cross.

 

[ChickyMudder]

I had BCM crossed with Polish and their eggs were plain old brown. Then when I saw some black sex links crossed with BCM at the feed store I got excited but when I looked it up I found the gene is recessive. I don't remember the source but it made sense why my crosses didn't produce dark brown eggs. I have never seen a BCM quality dark brown from any cross but I think when crossed with Ameracauna you might wind up with olive eggs although my current BCM Ameracauna cross lays plain old brown eggs. I am open to more informed opinions.

Dominant copper is a BCM roo and a Barred Rock Hen. They produce dark dark brown eggs like a 4-5 on the marans egg color chart.

 

[nicalandia]

Using a French Black copper Marans Roo on other breeds (isa brown, RIR) to increase egg production but keep dark eggs? Is it possible?

Its Possible, depending on the Quality of the Maran Sire The F1 hens(Maran/ISA Brown) will lay a lot of Very dark eggs.

 

[nicalandia]

I have the Jenks dominant copper laying dark dark chocolate eggs, daily. It is a BCM and barred rock cross.

As they should. Anyone who says other wise does not understan how egg color genetics work.

 

[GCrumb]

I can't remember which is "Midnight Majesty" and which is "Mystic" and with different hatcheries using different names for the same cross it's even more confusing.

But at least one of these Metaphysical Mumbojumbo Marans is a cuckoo Marans crossed with another colour to get a sex-linked. If the eggs are not Marans dark, then it must be that the parent stock are not good examples of their breed.

I'd try to find somebody breeding for dark eggs. A roo from a really really dark laying bloodline ought to make pretty darn dark laying offspring when crossed with a brown egg layer.

 

[Klutch]

You can try a BCM x BA = production + brown and begin culling and breeding from there.

 

[IvyBeans]

Noir Marans from Mt Healthy promise this. They’re a cuckoo Marans and BCM cross