Maran breeding

[keeper]

Hi this is my first post on the forum i have kept marans for years copper blues, blacks, wheaten, and cuckoo, i always tried and get the best strains that are around and breed to improve the eggs colour, now i fancy using a blue or black or wheaten cock over a cuckoo hen if i do try this what are the offspring going to look like?

[Hen-Gen]

Hi Keeper. Hope you don't think you were being ignored, especially as this is your first post. So welcome to the forum.

In every case the result would be cuckoo males and plain coloured females. If you use the blue male then the expectation would be 25% cuckoo males, 25% blue cuckoo males, 25% black females and 25% blue females. The black cock and the wheaten cock would both give 50% cuckoo males and 50% black females.
This result is due to the sex linked pattern of inheritance of the barring gene carried by the cuckoo hen. She can pass it on to her sons but not her daughters. Furthurmore you may find that a bit of hybrid vigour kicks in and that the resultant pullets are better layers.

[darkbrowneggs]

I too, am sorry to have missed your post and welcomed you to the forum. Anyway Welcome now

I keep the English Cuckoo type, though this year I am trying out some Black Copper to see how they compare

I am sure what Hen Gen says will be accurate info. Good luck with your project and don't forget to post some photos of the birds and eggs

[mattie2012]

Sorry too to have missed your post Keeper. Welcome to the forum and I would love to see the results:)

[keeper]

Thanks very much for all your replys now i know what to expect, in the spring when i set the incubator up i will add some photos. rgds keeper

[keeper]

Hi Keeper. Hope you don't think you were being ignored, especially as this is your first post. So welcome to the forum.

In every case the result would be cuckoo males and plain coloured females. If you use the blue male then the expectation would be 25% cuckoo males, 25% blue cuckoo males, 25% black females and 25% blue females. The black cock and the wheaten cock would both give 50% cuckoo males and 50% black females.
This result is due to the sex linked pattern of inheritance of the barring gene carried by the cuckoo hen. She can pass it on to her sons but not her daughters. Furthurmore you may find that a bit of hybrid vigour kicks in and that the resultant pullets are better layers.

Thankyou does this mean if i put a cuckoo cock over blue,black, wheaton hen all will be cuckoo ???

[Hen-Gen]

Over the Black and Wheaten, yes, all will be Cuckoo. Over the blue they will be 50% Cuckoo and 50% Blue Cuckoo.