# Sexing young marans?



## Blue Run Farm (Feb 14, 2011)

I found some marans for sale from a breeder. They are 3-4 months old and being sold as straight run. I'd like to buy a few pullets and she said I can pick through and take what I think are pullets, but she cannot guarantee anything. I understand that, but I am debating if I want to try to pick them out or just pass. How hard are marans to tell apart at 3-4 months? I know some breeds develop gender differences sooner than others and I'd love some dark brown eggs, but I have this fear I'd end up with all cockerels, lol. I am hoping they are old enough to tell apart at 3-4 months, but not sure. What do you guys think?

Thanks!


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## WstTxLady (Mar 14, 2009)

when mine were younger, i could tell by the combs by then. that was just mine, not all will be that way. also how they acted around others, if they tried to be dominate & spar some with the others, might be a roo...if they are docile & not confrontational, could be a pullet.


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## Elsbet (Apr 2, 2009)

edited... I originally said there's no problem at that age, but that's not necessarily true, when I got thinking about it. Some of your roos might be crowing by then, or not. Roos tend to have a slightly more upright carriage than hens do, but I've had some chickens fool me. Combs are usually more well developed on a roo at that age than they are on hens. Roos will often be more dominant, more likely to be curious about people, while hens, when they don't know you, might run away more.


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## eggzackly (Apr 14, 2011)

Part the feathers in the middle of the back, and at the wing bows, look for orangey new saddle feathers coming in on the back and mahogany on the wing bows. ANY orange or reddish or deep brown, or even silver colored feather tips showing in those areas, GUARANTEED roo. If you are looking for only pullets, and they have not started to grow saddle feathers yet, look at the feet. Do not choose any with light colored feet and shanks. Those are almost always roosters. Roos can have dark feet and shanks, but the hens pretty much never. Look at the combs and wattles. They are precocious developers in marans. If you are going to choose a roo, try to find one with no white feathers and five comb points. Pick a heavy feeling one. Feathers on the middle toes are a disqualification for showing. Very sparse leg feathering is permissable but hard to breed away from.


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## Blue Run Farm (Feb 14, 2011)

I'm confused, are the light colored feet roosters or the dark colored feet? I need to know which to avoid, lol!

I didn't know about the orange/brown saddle feathers, definitely will avoid those. The marans I am looking at are listed as black and cuckoo. They are being culled from her breeding program for having light or no leg feathering, which is fine by me because I am not looking for show chickens and don't plan to have a marans roo to breed purebred chicks from. I just want to add some dark brown eggs to my basket, lol.

I am hopeful that they will have enough difference in combs/wattles and the roos will be getting saddle feathers in. But I don't know at this age if it will be easy enough for me to tell, being new to chickens  We have 7 pullets currently laying, 3 GLW and 4 BA. It seems that ever since we got them as day-olds we have tons of people going "you have chickens? Can I buy some eggs?" So we are looking to get some more pullets so we can sell eggs. Plus I have an extra cockerel, Peanut (thought he was a pullet, but he is not), who got kicked out of the coop by my other cockerel, and DH offered to build him a coop and let me get him some girls. My girls give him whatfor when he tries to make friends, they are happy with their RooRoo, thankyouverymuch. DH feels sorry for him roosting outside all by himself, hehe. So do I, but I was shocked that DH offered, he was totally against getting chickens at first  We had more cockerels that came as packing peanuts, but they have since gone to freezer camp. Peanut has such personality that I hate to do that to him, he follows me around and talks to me while I do chores and milk the goat 

The marans I am looking at are $10 each for 3-4 month old chicks, which I am happy to pay for pullets, but really don't want any cockerels for that price. Because any boys will end up in the crockpot with some noodles and I think $10 a piece for soup chickens is too much, ya know? BTW, does $10 each sound fair for 3-4 month olds? I think it is reasonable given that she has fed them for several months, but what do you all think?

Thanks again for all your advice, I don't think I'd have gotten chickens without you all and they are turning out to be really fun and addicting!


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## Sanza (Sep 8, 2008)

At 3-4 months you should be able to tell which chickens have the bigger combs already and those are the cockerals. The young cockerals also have the longer legs and hold themselves a bit more upright. The saddle feathers should be starting to get long enough already to see if they're pointed or rounded.
The cuckoo marans are the easiest to sex once they get their feathers because all the cockerals are a lighter color then the pullets. $10.00 is a good price for them at that age because you don't need the brooder lights, chick starter etc, and not to mention all the food to get them to that age. Up here day olds start at $8.00 - $10.00!
Check out feathersite to get a good idea of what the black marans look like.
Good luck with them and enjoy.


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

deleted..
Sanza beat me too it.


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## Dazlin (Nov 26, 2007)

Are you talking about Copper marans or Cuckoo? The Cuckoo roo's will have alot more silver lacing through the feathering, and both sexes have slate legs. The boys always look lighter though. Also combs and wattles are usually bigger and brighter. At this age you should see a larger tail, longer neck, and start of saddle feathers in most breeds. HTH's


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## Blue Run Farm (Feb 14, 2011)

Thanks guys! I got my marans on Friday. The lady was soo nice! She couldn't guarantee sex, but she gave me 5 for the price of 3, woot  Said she really wanted to make sure they went to a good home and after we had talked for about an hour about chickens, goats, deer, etc she told me to go ahead and take 5. Plus she helped me pick what we think are pullets. She had three cuckoos, one of which was way lighter in color than the other two, so I took the two darker ones. Then picked three blacks that had smaller combs. Hopefully they are all pullets, if not any cockerels will be either sold or stewed. I am so excited, they are the same size as the 5 Ameraucanas I got last week, so they are integrating into one pullet flock, kept separate for now from the roo until they are old enough to deal with him. Can't wait to start getting dark brown and blue eggs from these girls!


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