Dominant Copper chickens ???

[bonsaiherb]

My local Farm and Feed store is selling these NEW Czech hybrid chicks that they call Dominant Copper.
A take on Copper Maran and these are apparently sex linked black chicks with a touch of white.
Supposedly a Cross between Copper Maran and other chickens. Description reads "Large copper and chocolate eggs 290+ a year Good in all climates 4-5 lbs Loud and Active.

Anyone else run into these. Apparently the same breeder of Amethyst Gem and Calico Princess - so a pretty good track record and the egg laying is a lot better than the Maran. Picture shows an adult black pullet.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

This does not mention Marans in the make up, but it is a “black copper” looking Czech cross:

http://dominant-cz.cz/produkt/dominant-black-d-109/?lang=en

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I’m guessing these are the others you mentioned:

Calico Princess
http://dominant-cz.cz/produkt/dominant-red-barred-d-459/?lang=en

Sapphire Gems
http://dominant-cz.cz/produkt/dominant-blue-d-107/?lang=en

 

[bonsaiherb]

Thank you so very much. NOPE, that is not a chick I want. Many of those like ISA lay so many eggs that you start losing them after two years - usually with egg laying issues. They basically lay themselves to deth and are not the greatest free ranging chickens out there. Need high protein feed to make up for these 290 plus eggs a year.
Marans do free range and you get fewer eggs but you do not have to lose them as quickly either. Same for the wonderful Speckled Sussex.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

Well I’m only speculating that the link I provided was the cross in question, I suppose there could be a similar cross made using a RIR male x cuckoo Marans female... but I did not see it on the Dominant company site.

 

[Newyorkrita]

Shows were all all can disagree as you say that is not a cross you would want for your flock. But it sounds near perfect to me!!

I love the idea of these crosses with high egg production in mind.

 

[keesmom]

Freedom Ranger hatchery lists something similar this year, from Art's hatchery. They call them Rustic Ramblers. Other, high production hybrids are listed too.

https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/details.asp?List=1&Product=19

 

[Newyorkrita]

OH!! They have all kinds of nice stuff. I see they are mostly towards meat birds but do have some nice layer types there at the very bottom of the page including those Rustic Ramblers.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I think if anyone is getting these expecting 290+ eggs a year and/or very dark eggs you'll be sadly disappointed.
Hatcheries can put anything in the descriptions but that doesn't make it true.
I've had a lot of hatchery layers and none ever laid what was listed.
I've seen some of the hatcheries that are selling these and the other named ones and they say they're sex links using a barred female but the pic they provide is a black hen. If they can't even get that right I have little faith in what they say.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I think if anyone is getting these expecting 290+ eggs a year and/or very dark eggs you'll be sadly disappointed.
Hatcheries can put anything in the descriptions but that doesn't make it true.
I've had a lot of hatchery layers and none ever laid what was listed.
I've seen some of the hatcheries that are selling these and the other named ones and they say they're sex links using a barred female but the pic they provide is a black hen. If they can't even get that right I have little faith in what they say.

They have got it right, though.....the "midnight majesty marans" offered by hoovers, who have sourced heavily from dominant cz in the last few years, are a black hen, no visible leakage but brown under feathering, and barred cocks.....no idea why the horns dont have visible leakage, but they dont