Maran or cross

[arctally]

Bought a couple of young blue marans but the hen has a beard and cheek puffs, breeder also raises easter eggers! Is there any chance she's pure or should I expect olive eggs?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

My guess is to expect olive eggs, lol. None of my Marans (Black Copper and Wheatens) have beards or puffy cheeks.

 

[Denim Deb]

I'm not familiar w/the marans, but I know that the EEs have the dark legs. If she has em, and the other one doesn't, you can probably count on green eggs.

 

[arctally]

Bugger! Guy who sold them to me was sure they were both hens. When the one that was younger by two weeks started getting a red comb (both are less than 8 weeks) I was so excited thinking I would be able to breed and sell blue marans. I do have a black copper maran though so maybe I can just sell marans.... ah well, I was gonna breed for an olive egger next spring anyway.


ps. Well, nevermind that! Looked up the breed standards and, though the little roo doesn't have cheek puffs, neither of them is purebred. Both have dark grey almost black legs and feet and pea combs rather than white legs and feet and single combs. One more for the pot I guess. Glad I bought the young ones he had left, he gave them to me half priced and I may get the olive eggs I was after sooner rather than later. Doesn't help with the chocolate colored eggs I bought the birds for unless the hen somehow missed the blue gene. I guess I'll find out in the spring.