I have been hatching out eggs from my black copper marans flock. The flock itself is lovely - I culled hard and kept ONLY birds that met the standard. The hens and roo are all a lovely, black black, with gorgeous red hackles. The roo has the red as appropriate. They have black feathered shanks.
My breeding flock has been separate since the first week of January, and have absolutely no chance of cross contamination, unless roosters can some how spread their genes between tractors that are 3 feet apart.....
Now, I hatched 6 chicks from these eggs last week. 4 of the chicks are perfectly marked, black mostly with yellow bits on their head and breast/underside. The last two of the chicks are bright yellow with dark chipmunk stripes. They are beginning to feather in reddish brown with black/dark tips of the feathers.
So, my question is, what gives? I will try to attach pictures so you get a better idea what I'm talking about.
My breeding flock has been separate since the first week of January, and have absolutely no chance of cross contamination, unless roosters can some how spread their genes between tractors that are 3 feet apart.....
Now, I hatched 6 chicks from these eggs last week. 4 of the chicks are perfectly marked, black mostly with yellow bits on their head and breast/underside. The last two of the chicks are bright yellow with dark chipmunk stripes. They are beginning to feather in reddish brown with black/dark tips of the feathers.
So, my question is, what gives? I will try to attach pictures so you get a better idea what I'm talking about.
