Calling all Marans experts!

[wrathsfarm]

Hahaha demon chicken but heck I dunno. He looks bcm to me but because I know he’s hatchery quality, he might not be as colored up.

Maybe he's just a late bloomer...

 

[BrahmasMama02]

Maybe he's just a late bloomer...

My mom has the other black marans from the bunch and they are not reddened up like this one . Barely pink . I’ll show a picture hold on . This was at a little over 5 weeks (he’s also pictured in one ) hers still have the same amount of pink on their faces at 7 weeks

 

[BrahmasMama02]

here’s more pictures when they were all the same age around the same time (ignore mmm label because I thought that’s what he was but now dunno) all the white on them has molted out basically so I wouldn’t even look at that ^

 

[wrathsfarm]

here’s more pictures when they were all the same age around the same time (ignore mmm label because I thought that’s what he was but now dunno) all the white on them has molted out basically so I wouldn’t even look at that ^

Yes you can definitely tell the difference in the combs. 1 and 2 should be pullets and 3 is your cockerel.
I'm gonna guess (with no expert knowledge to back any of it up ) that he's a hatchery BCM, late bloomer and the white leakage below his chest is just left over hatch down and will molt out.

That's not calling him subpar by any means. Let him grow out if you can and see how he develops. I have 2 boys from Meyers, 1 has severe white underfluff so he's in my mixed flock and the other has beautiful copper but a few other faults that I'm looking to breed out thru test mating my 9 hens. I've got 22 eggs from 3 hens in incubator now from him.

An expert once told me "We work with what we have, if we cull all our Marans... we won't have any"

I did learn thru my own experience to avoid hatching or buying MMM's and BCM's together unless their leg banded. Too much confusion, they look so much alike. Last resort like I said would be test mating at lay age and the MMM's won't breed true, I believe because of the barring of the dam. I don't know too much past that, I haven't got that far.
I'm looking to hatch out some MMM's this year but that will be a separate incubation with Olive Eggers, no BCM eggs to avoid said confusion.
Hope any of this helps....

 

[BrahmasMama02]

Yes you can definitely tell the difference in the combs. 1 and 2 should be pullets and 3 is your cockerel.
I'm gonna guess (with no expert knowledge to back any of it up ) that he's a hatchery BCM, late bloomer and the white leakage below his chest is just left over hatch down and will molt out.

That's not calling him subpar by any means. Let him grow out if you can and see how he develops. I have 2 boys from Meyers, 1 has severe white underfluff so he's in my mixed flock and the other has beautiful copper but a few other faults that I'm looking to breed out thru test mating my 9 hens. I've got 22 eggs from 3 hens in incubator now from him.

An expert once told me "We work with what we have, if we cull all our Marans... we won't have any"

I did learn thru my own experience to avoid hatching or buying MMM's and BCM's together unless their leg banded. Too much confusion, they look so much alike. Last resort like I said would be test mating at lay age and the MMM's won't breed true, I believe because of the barring of the dam. I don't know too much past that, I haven't got that far.
I'm looking to hatch out some MMM's this year but that will be a separate incubation with Olive Eggers, no BCM eggs to avoid said confusion.
Hope any of this helps....

This message was very helpful!! Yeah I figured that their “quality “ wasn’t too good, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be healthy beautiful birds.

I’m a know it all and it kills me that mmm and bcm look so similar as hens lol .

I was actually just poking around on him and I was wondering a couple things. One: when should I see gender specific feathering etc Two: Are there any signs of gender specific feathering on him/ her yet ? Again : 8 weeks old on 3/21

 

[wrathsfarm]

Your looking for long pointy hackle (neck feathers) and long pointy saddle (base of tail feathers).Usually starts developing 9-12 weeks.

3rd pic down, red leakage in underfluff on back. Tell tale sign your boy is coloring in. Pullets will only show color in hackle. There's exceptions of course to not being pure but it's a good sign. And I think I can see thin long feathers at the base of tail drooping over in last pic.

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

This message was very helpful!! Yeah I figured that their “quality “ wasn’t too good, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t be healthy beautiful birds.

I’m a know it all and it kills me that mmm and bcm look so similar as hens lol .

I was actually just poking around on him and I was wondering a couple things. One: when should I see gender specific feathering etc Two: Are there any signs of gender specific feathering on him/ her yet ? Again : 8 weeks old on 3/21

Six weeks old is when gender-specific feathering is coming in. Your chicken seems to be a tiny bit late for that, but it appears to be a male due to the red leakage feathers that are pointed near the saddles.

 

[BrahmasMama02]

Yes I’m beginning to see that too! It’s so funny at first I was like oh no I have a rooster and now I’m like please be a rooster.

 

[BrahmasMama02]

Six weeks old is when gender-specific feathering is coming in. Your chicken seems to be a tiny bit late for that, but it appears to be a male due to the red leakage feathers that are pointed near the saddles.

Do you think he’s a BCM?

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

Yes I’m beginning to see that too! It’s so funny at first I was like oh no I have a rooster and now I’m like please be a rooster.

Why did you change your mind? Just curious!