What breed are these ladies?

[black_cat]

They look like diluted Barred Plymouth Rock or mutt of it?

They look like @MarkJr 's BRs

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Can you show us an egg?

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Did they come from TSC or Hoover's by chance?

They are not CM.

Hoover has Barred Rock blood in their CMs, as do most of the hatcheries. I still say these could be hatchery CMs.

 

[Painted Calls]

Hatchery CMs with yellow legs and a weird pattern are a lot longer stretch than the funky BR's everyone got this year from Hoover's.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Hatchery CMs with yellow legs and a weird pattern are a lot longer stretch than the funky BR's everyone got this year from Hoover's.

I think the funky BRs might be "Cuckoo Marans" out of Hoovers, because it's clear they have BR blood in theirs (apparently most American lines do). They might have outcrossed again or just gotten really unlucky with their breeders lining up in such a way that the hidden genes were expressed. I don't think it's really all that far fetched.

 

[Painted Calls]

I think the funky BRs might be "Cuckoo Marans" out of Hoovers, because it's clear they have BR blood in theirs (apparently most American lines do). They might have outcrossed again or just gotten really unlucky with their breeders lining up in such a way that the hidden genes were expressed. I don't think it's really all that far fetched.

What would explain the yellow legs and light brown eggs then?

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

What would explain the yellow legs and light brown eggs then?

Apparently both can happen when you outcross Cuckoo Marans with Barred Rocks, because inevitably, you'll have throwbacks with more Barred Rock characteristics as BR/CM birds are bred together. And all of the hatcheries have used Barred Rocks in their CM breeding out of necessity at some point or another. The sudden upsurge in weird looking birds out of Hoover makes me think they outcrossed again.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

I posted pictures from their website earlier of chicks. One shows what look like yellow legs to me, and the other has the correct white. Both are Hoovers, one from their main site and one from TSC's site. It's possible they are using the wrong picture, but as a further example, here's one from Cackle Hatchery showing similar features:

It seems hatcheries are smart enough to show the right characteristics for the adults, but sometimes slip up with the chicks. Although I think I've seen at least one that had a French Cuckoo Maran with yellow legs in one picture.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Not trying to be mean to Cackle but they have the most pictures so it's easier to find ones that slipped through. Here's some more from them demonstrating the phenomena(French Cuckoo Marans this time):

 

[The Happster]

Every single one of these I've seen so far has had yellow legs. As of yet, I've only heard of them laying light brown. In at least one case - I haven't double checked the others - the buyer paid for Barred Rock.

If everything points to BR, why would you assume it's a Marans?