Welarans, Welsummer x Marans

[Kansaseq]

So I love my colored eggs, and was sooo excited to try Marans and Welsummers. Both gave me beautiful eggs, but the Marans just didn't lay very many of them, and while the Welsummers layed more, I really like the color of the blue Marans. Sooooo, I decided to cross them to see if I could increase production while still keeping a nice darkish, brown egg. I got 3 pullets; 2 blue copper and a black copper. 2 gorgeous blue copper cockerels. One of the pullets surprised me by starting to lay last fall at 5 months of age, and she kept laying for a month or two. Not sure I have pics of the eggs,but they were a medium size and nice brown color.
I know lots of people are very much against crossing breeds, but I enjoy experimenting.I'm sharing my experience because, when I tried to find info on this cross, I didn't find much. Hopefully this thread will help out someone else who may have the same urge to experiment as I did.
This spring I plan to cross my Marans with a Rock or Sexlink, take that offspring, and breed it back to my Welarans. My ideal is to get a good dark laying chicken.


Blue copper pullet in front of Olive Egger, and next to Splash Marans.
Blue Copper girl who layed early last fall.
One of my two gorgoeus cockerels.
My 2 blue copper pullets
My one black copper pullet. Will be interesting to see if her eggs are any darker than her blue sisters.

 

[donrae]

I don't think you'll find many folks here who are dead set against mixing breeds lol. It seems to be a favorite pastime on this board!

I'm curious why you're crossing to a rock or sexlink? Are the Welsummers not high enough production? or is there another reason?

 

[Sarplaninec]

Who did you use as the daddy and who was the mommy?

 

[Kansaseq]

I don't think you'll find many folks here who are dead set against mixing breeds lol. It seems to be a favorite pastime on this board!

I'm curious why you're crossing to a rock or sexlink? Are the Welsummers not high enough production? or is there another reason?

There are some breeders on here who really want to keep their breeds pure, and I can totally respect that. Just wanted to acknowledge that I am aware and respect their opinions.

As for production on the welsummers, I'm not sure if, crossed with the Marans, production will be high enough. Guess I'll find out this year.
In the past I had Marans x rocks who were very good layers, but sadly I sold them. It would be nice to have some of those again.

 

[Kansaseq]

Who did you use as the daddy and who was the mommy?

At the time I had a black copper,blue cuckoo and splash copper roo, blue, black and splash hens. They were all together in one pen. I hatched out one egg from my Ameraucana hen, which is barred/ cuckoo, so I know her daddy was the blue cuckoo. I guess it's possible that she had a tryst with my Delaware roo, though.

 

[draye]

Great project.

 

[brit01]

How did this project turn out? What kind of egg color did you end up with? I have the same mix hatching right now! You're right, I haven't found very much info on this particular cross

 

[piggyinthepink]

I too would like to know how this project turned out and if it's still going!

 

[bossladyjenee]

I chose to hatch the same mix. Black copper marans rooster to my welsummer hen. She’s got beautiful eggs with speckles and he is from a strong line of dark layers so I hope to get beautiful eggs. I only incubated four and so far only two have hatched today. The other two are quiet so that may be it. Was just looking for pictures or info on this mix as well.

 

[AverellFarms]

I chose to hatch the same mix. Black copper marans rooster to my welsummer hen. She’s got beautiful eggs with speckles and he is from a strong line of dark layers so I hope to get beautiful eggs. I only incubated four and so far only two have hatched today. The other two are quiet so that may be it. Was just looking for pictures or info on this mix as well.

I have two eggs incubating now from a Welsummer Hen x BCM rooster. Do you have pictures of your chicks? did the other two make it? We go into lockdown on Weds.