What kind of Marans do I have?? Help

[vaultmom]

I took a few photos of my Marans in hopes that someone can tell me what I have--couldn't find my way back to my orginal posts. I thought I was getting Cuckoo Marans, but now I have 2 girls that are light, several that are darker & 1 that is getting gold in her neck feathers. I got these chicks at the feed store as 1 week olds & they were just labeled Marans. Thanks for the help. I hope the photos post..I am having trouble with that too.

 

[pinkchick]

Do the barred birds in the first photo have yellow legs? If so, then they arent cuckoo marans but probably barred rocks. I cant really tell the leg color, sorry.. The second photo looks like a golden cuckoo and the last photo look like cuckoos with the pullet on the left and the roo on the right.

 

[vaultmom]

Thanks for the help. The Marans all have a creamy white leg. A couple have a little gray shading possible that runs down the front. I have barred rocks & I am fairly sure these are not Barred Rocks. I was afraid the really light colored ones were roos. Do you think the just plain ones that are black & white are Cuckoo pullets?

 

[Chris09]

There no pure.
The on in the Second picture has what look to be lacing and barring with gold in the neck feathers..
The on in the first picture closest to the camera look to have yellow legs.
I would say that they are a Cuckoo Maran cross..
Did you get them from a Hatchery?

Chris

 

[vaultmom]

I did not get them from the Hatchery ( my likely mistake) Our local feed store always has a big variety & I have bought from them before with good results. The "marans" we in a warming bin with buff o's--the maran chicks all looked alike at 1 week. I had never had marans before & thought all marans were cuckoo--I now know better. I am not planning to breed them or anything. I just wanted the dark eggs. But I bought a few extra to sell when they get older & I don't want to mis-represent what they are to anyone.

 

[blackdotte]

They are mixed quality British Cuckoo Marans, the light ones are cockerels;the dark ones are pullets.
The gold necked one is gold based, which is incorrect as it should be silver based.
Should be good backyard birds, but you may not get eggs as dark as you hoped.