She was hatched out of what we were told were Black Copper Marans eggs, and they were all the same color and dark, but 1 out of the 12 chicks seems to be something else. Although, she has now started laying and her eggs are just as dark as her "sisters" who are for sure pure. Anybody tell me what she may be? Since we know she isn't black copper, we have put her out with the cuckoos but would really like this mystery solved as the farm we bought the eggs from swears they had nothing together but black coppers.
Many strains BCM cary hiden Wheaten gene and some times pop-up Wheaten Marans.I've seen BCM with very dark (mahogany) golden part.I yhink your hen is Mahogany Wheaten
So, what do you all think, okay to keep her with the black coppers and let her lay their eggs, or what? All we have are feathered leg BCMs in one coop and then the cuckoos open range next door. We don't really want to mix either one, but if it's a choice of culling or breeding, what choice would you make?
If you want pure breeds, you don't want her wayward genes in there. If you can tell her egg from the others, it won't hurt to keep her for eating eggs, otherwise, it would be best to get rid of her.
If she is from the same stock, those others already have the genes, just going to increase the chances of wheaten popping up again.
