Recent content by mibirder

Andy - I am thinking the following regarding the genetics of your mystery cockerel. I'd say that the base is on wheaten - could be eWH/eWH or eWh/eb. Add to that possibly blue to account for the ground color. Next, likely Columbian for the hackle and tail pattern. And lastly, I'd say at least...

~~I think there would be a number of cost impact factors. First of all, when DNA sequencing is done, you get long strings of the 4 amino acids that make up genes (A,T C,& G). To determine what these long strings mean, you have to know what AA strings are contained in what genes in order to...

From what I know as a biologist, DNA sequencing would not be a cost effective way to determine a chickens gene make-up for a couple of traits. Generally I guess the cost would be very expensive if you could even find some place to do it. It is fairly labor and equipment intensive. Most of the...

Not really meaning to keep tthe pot stirring regarding dual purposive, but. . . . It is indeed possible and maybe appropriate to eat both eggs and the meat from any poultry, but in considering purposeful breeding one needs to consider the work that has gone before and the generally accepted...

As you noted, to work with true Lemon Blues, you will need to get the birchen e gene involved. This is easiest via brown red. Basically you need the following genes; birchen, blue, and gold. Along the way you may get other varieties hatched such as silver blues, silver Birchens, splash blues...

I could be mistaken, but I believe that there is quite a large difference between the modern exhibition Cochin and the first Cochins brought to Europe from China. Even those birds were considered to be bred for looks and not as a dual breed for the Emperor - I don't believe they were developed...

The "bad news" is that "frazzles" are not suited for colder climates. Until all of this Arctic air stays up north (even north of here in Michigan) I'd be leary of leaving her outside. Normal frizzles have enough fluff that they'll be ok, but frazzles (double frizzles) just cant hold body heat...

On the birchen e-allele there are four basic varieties - only 3 are standard in Cochins. Black body with silver produces Silver Birchen also called just Birchen. With gold instead of silver you have Brown Red or Gold Birchen. If blue replaces black you have Silver Blue and Lemon Blue...

Jayland - Here's the Silver Blue female Dave

Silver blue male

Quote: Jayland - Blue birchen is most often called Silver Blue which is a nonstandard variety in Cochins. (Its genetic relative Lemon Blue is a standard variety). The difference between silver Blue and Birchen is that the blue (allele) replaces one of the black alleles thus producing the blue...

Karen defined to chick colors nicely. The only thing I might add is that the eb chick brown is most often a rich chocolate or darker brown. Unfortunately, some color varieties are best on some e-alleles rather than others. Then again other varieieties are less dependent on specific e-bases...

The color of the chick is an indication of which e-allele or gene they are based upon. The "penguin" look ie black with yellow belly indicates the E or extended Black allele. The yellowish chicks indicate eWh or Wheaten (sometimes with faint chipmunk stripes). There are five e-alleles and they...

From the records I have read regarding cochin/bamtam cochin/pekins genetics, Andy's thoughts are correct. The "original" Cochins imported into the UK from Asia are different and looked barely like modern cochin LF. Dave

Mike - The one thing I add to my Excel records are small pictures. I set up one sheet for each mating. set up like a pedigree. I place a small photo of the pen male(s) one one side and the female(s) over at the opposite edge. I record the hatch brooder, and growing info underneath in single...