Which Blue Copper Marans rooster should I keep?

[Midara]

I have two Blue Copper Marans boys that look very different

I need to give away some of my excess roosters so I'd like to know which boy I should keep and which I should give away.

My Blue Copper Rooster is dark blue with dark reddish hackles.
And my Blue Copper Cockerel is a lighter gray with orangey / copper hackles.

Which boy is more in line with the standard Blue Copper Marans appearance/coloring?
Could the other boy be impure? If so what's causing his color to look off?

Blue Copper Rooster:

Blue Copper Cockerel:

 

[Tonyroo]

The 2nd picture looks like a splash blue Maran. Based on color differences around his lower chest and tail patterns.

 

[Midara]

The 2nd picture looks like a splash blue Maran. Based on color differences around his lower chest and tail patterns.

I don't think he is splash. He is all gray underneath. It might just be the lighting making some areas look more pale. Unless this is what a splash Maran cockerel looks like? I am not familiar with splash marans.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

I like the darkest in color, seems quite elegant

 

[Midara]

I like the darkest in color, seems quite elegant

Good reasoning

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Neither has feathered feet, are you using British standards? Or does it not matter to you?

 

[Midara]

Neither has feathered feet, are you using British standards? Or does it not matter to you?

I'm not too worried about the feet feathering as I have Black Copper girls with feathered feet. Both of these boys have some feathers on their feet (probably too hard to see in the photo, sorry). Moreso curious about the colors.

 

[3KillerBs]

Can you check to see what sort of color the Standard of Perfection calls for?

For my Blue Australorps a darker blue is considered more desirable than a pale blue and strong lacing is more desirable than poor lacing.

P.S. I wouldn't give away a Blue Copper Marans unless he was a very poor representative of his breed and I didn't want to eat him myself or I was giving him to a friend. This is a popular breed and you should be able to get someone to pay at least as much as they'd pay for a POL pullet.

 

[Midara]

Can you check to see what sort of color the Standard of Perfection calls for?

For my Blue Australorps a darker blue is considered more desirable than a pale blue and strong lacing is more desirable than poor lacing.

P.S. I wouldn't give away a Blue Copper Marans unless he was a very poor representative of his breed and I didn't want to eat him myself or I was giving him to a friend. This is a popular breed and you should be able to get someone to pay at least as much as they'd pay for a POL pullet.

I think the light gray and orange cockerel is probably more in line with the standard coloring/pattern. But I am wondering why the rooster looks so different. I don't know if his appearance is still considered normal for a blue copper rooster or if maybe he isn't a purebred blue copper marans.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

Good reasoning

well don't know about the standards of any breed really as I am quite new to chicken keeping. But all breeds have been developed by some features that the breeder likes, and that's just how many new breeds arise.