Wondering if they are black copper marans

[aemoody]

We just bought two black copper marans; I guess they are about 3wks old. Just wondering are they black copper marans (being as though they are getting more and more white in their feathers!)

 

[Kev]

Bad news- they're not even marans. Not copper- that's black and brown coloring. Those birds are showing cuckoo/barring. Their yellow legs and beaks with really poor barring indicate they are most likely mixes- as in breed mixes not marans color mixes. Most likely barred rock with something black- sex link or...? Bit early to be sure, however the one shown by itself is already so heavy and thick looking, it may be a male.

edit- sorry, looked at enlargement of the last pic- that one is showing black copper coloring. It may be a copper marans- can't see much of it, however them selling you the other one as bcm would make me worry a little bit. Honest mistakes do happen though...

 

[aemoody]

What one is showing the all black? If u look really close it almost has a bronze spots in it

 

[aemoody]

The one who is not alone and does not have the best picture does have black feet

 

[aemoody]

What about her they told me she was a black maran also... I knew they were wrong

 

[Kev]

Yeah sorry, I had replied before enlarging that last pic in first post.. That one does have bronze spots but need a better picture of it. From what I can see from that pic, the black one is showing yellow on toes and beak.. marans are a white skinned breed. Not supposed to have any yellow on legs/soles/beak on any color marans...

What about her they told me she was a black maran also... I knew they were wrong

This one seems to have pea comb and beard... would say this one is an easter egger. If they sold you this one as a marans, would consider the source to be very unreliable, unfortunately.

 

[aemoody]

Thanks. This is our first try with chickens. Love them so much already. Don't really care what the breed. Other than just knowing.

 

[aemoody]

Ok so here we go again these two are said to be from the same place but to me their combs are very different, they are a week apart. Are they both road island reds or different? Any help would be great!

 

[aemoody]

I also have this cutie "Omelet" But I did not think road island reds had white feathers??

 

[Kev]

They could pass for RIR(rhode island red) or production reds- which are basically a strain of RIR. Might be one girl one boy.

Omelet is not RIR or production red for sure. It has the coloring of "red sex links" which are a cross for high egg producing birds sexable by chick down. However this way of sexing will not work if a sex link is bred with anything(it's a one time cross only feature)... would guess that one is a red sex link bred with something else and could be either sex also.

Would not be a bad guess if chicks were being sold from a pen of RIR/production reds and red sex links as being "RIR".

Whatever they are exactly, they should be excellent producers of brown eggs.