Marans x Azure cross?

[FrenchFlock]

Hi Everyone. I just bought a new young hen from my local farmers market in France. She was in a crate labelled “Marans” with similarly colored/marked hens (and a rooster) but I chose her because of her smaller size and well-shaped comb. The others had rather large combs that flopped over. The rooster was particularly large. I seriously doubted that she was pure Marans, as I have a black copper hen purchased last year. She is blue? with a copper neck, medium comb that curls slightly, black legs (clean), clean cheeks/no beard, rather long-legged, and has a very upright tail set (especially when alert). She is very quiet and pretty clever. Currently goose steps but I think it is due to NEVER living outside of a barn or crate. My flock is raised in a large garden.

Her condition right now is horrible: thin, depressed and ragged. She was clearly picked on and her former living conditions were clearly less than ideal. She was however vaccinated and wormed by the breeder.

Anyway, does anyone have experience with an Azure x Marans cross? I’m not sure what else it could be. I had an Azure once and the tail set was similar though that hen was nervous and feisty. Legbar perhaps? I suppose I’ll have a better idea when she begins to lay. Thanks for the help!

PS I will attach a photo when it isn’t raining. She looks like a drowned rat at the moment!

 

[FrenchFlock]

Ok, still raining but I managed some photos. When she is dry, she is a lighter grey/blue color.

 

[ThinMintTheChicken]

Looks like a blue copper marans! Also, welcome to BYC!

 

[FrenchFlock]

Looks like a blue copper marans! Also, welcome to BYC!

Thanks! That’s what was advertised but the clean black legs and super upright tail are throwing me off. This breeder’s Marans all have greenish-grey feathered legs (as is the French standard) and normal short tails.

 

[FrenchFlock]

As compared to my black copper Marans from the same breeder:

 

[ThinMintTheChicken]

Thanks! That’s what was advertised but the clean black legs and super upright tail are throwing me off. This breeder’s Marans all have greenish-grey feathered legs (as is the French standard) and normal short tails.

Huh, I have a black copper, cuckoo, and a blue birchen. The blue birchen (River) has clean legs and the black copper (Piccolo) has very little feathering. And our cuckoo (Dixie) also has clean legs. I've heard that it can be optional.

 

[FrenchFlock]

Huh, I have a black copper, cuckoo, and a blue birchen. The blue birchen (River) has clean legs and the black copper (Piccolo) has very little feathering. And our cuckoo (Dixie) also has clean legs. I've heard that it can be optional.

I believe clean legs are preferred in both official US and UK versions. The French standard allows sparse feathering but I’ve not seen a clean legged one yet! Well, maybe now I have.

 

[FrenchFlock]

Huh, I have a black copper, cuckoo, and a blue birchen. The blue birchen (River) has clean legs and the black copper (Piccolo) has very little feathering. And our cuckoo (Dixie) also has clean legs. I've heard that it can be optional.

From the Marans EU website:

Note: The English selection of Marans (i.e.without feathered tarsi or feet) is not recognised in Europe.