Calico Cochin Thread

[Fancy Feathers]

If I can ever pinpoint who I bred to get Picasso, I'd be following around that hen just waiting for an egg to drop! Lol if I ever get it right again, I'll have to send you some chicks!
Yep, keepers, 8 out of 38, culled the rest, tighten up on hatching choices. Now to rehome 30 birds so I can keep going! Lol

Um, Yes!

 

[Mr. Ree]

are both parents TRULY black? it's possible they both carried self blue and mottled and you got lucky. 8) that looks like self blue (and the genetics would follow) more than blue, since there's no lacing visible on the blue feathers. pair them up and if you don't get any black or splash, yup. they're self blue. if you don't want em, send em packing my way. 8)

I thought the EXACT same thing when I saw these pictures. Didnt think it was possible to get a Blue from two Blacks bred together, wether or not those birds came from Blue, one parent would have to be Blue in order to end up with Blue. Not to mention you made an excellent point, she isnt just a Blue color, she is an even colored Self Blue throughout. Maybe breed this bird with the cockerel you said you got and see what you get, if they are all the same color like this then they are Self Blue, if you get Splash and Blue then you know its just a random genetic thing that you got what you did. Regardless she is a nice bird, I really like her cushion!

~Casey

 

[wildwoodcochins]

I thought the EXACT same thing when I saw these pictures. Didnt think it was possible to get a Blue from two Blacks bred together, wether or not those birds came from Blue, one parent would have to be Blue in order to end up with Blue. Not to mention you made an excellent point, she isnt just a Blue color, she is an even colored Self Blue throughout. Maybe breed this bird with the cockerel you said you got and see what you get, if they are all the same color like this then they are Self Blue, if you get Splash and Blue then you know its just a random genetic thing that you got what you did. Regardless she is a nice bird, I really like her cushion!

~Casey

They did come from 2 blacks though, I sold the blue mottled last fall, the 2 chicks were hatched in January. Does this mean that my roo and whatever hen the chicks came out of are carrying the blue? I'm a little confused! :/

 

[ki4got]

They did come from 2 blacks though, I sold the blue mottled last fall, the 2 chicks were hatched in January. Does this mean that my roo and whatever hen the chicks came out of are carrying the blue? I'm a little confused!

blue and self blue are 2 similar but very different colors. blue is the typical greyish color with a darker edge to the feathers. it's a dominant gene that fades the feathers in steps. 1 copy of the gene gives blue, 2 copies give you splash. only one parent is needed to pass this along to offspring. if they carry it it WILL be visible. for a chick to be blue, 1 parent has to be either blue or splash.

self blue (aka lavender in other breeds) gives a uniform even shade of blue/grey and is a recessive gene that requires 2 copies for it to show. 1 from each parent. the parent could be ANY color and still carry self blue, and as long as both parents supply a copy of the self blue gene, you will get a self blue bird. it's quite possible for a recessive gene to go generations without popping up, and just pop up when 2 birds with the same gene happen to meet.

 

[LarissaSlates98]

I hope this isn't a uge thing. But I have two Blue pullets, what would I breed them with to get mottled? Thanks for any help.

 

[ki4got]

I hope this isn't a uge thing. But I have two Blue pullets, what would I breed them with to get mottled? Thanks for any help.

you'd breed to a mottled, but none of the chicks would be mottled unless both parents carry it. otherwise you'd have to wait until the next generation to get mottled back out.

 

[LarissaSlates98]

So if I breed a mottled to my blue pullets and then breed those back to the Mottled roo? The 2nd generation would be mottled?

 

[ki4got]

So if I breed a mottled to my blue pullets and then breed those back to the Mottled roo? The 2nd generation would be mottled?

mottled to split mottled would be about 50/50 mottled and split for mottled.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Quote:
That is how I wound up with some blue in my MF Cochins. When I introduced Mottled I used Rascal, my black Mottled roo who carries the blue Mottled and forgot when I bred his offspring back to some of his others in the MF pen. I culled them all to the Frizzle pen because I don't want blue Calicos.
However, this spring I once again crossed some birds up, not in my MF program, but came out with a blue MF pullet. She is pretty but will go into my Frizzle breeding pen with Shazam.

Right now I have Rascal in a breeding pen with the hen in my avatar and another blue Mottled. They are in high demand, though I am not a blue feather lover. It is easy to sell the chicks because I have no desire to keep anything except for more breeding pens, which I do not need or want.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Got my desk top up and running ( barely) so I can actually post some pictures today!

Angelo~ 6 months old

Love, love, love that coloring! I am trying to get that in my roos but so far I only get girls like this.
Look at his fluffy feet! OMG!