How does one make a chocolate bird?

[lilwanderer]

Wondering how you make a chocolate, especially in cochins- As I'm getting into them (they're my favorite) and wanting to breed.
Many tell me to just get that color and start a pen from someone else's bird, but I'm still wanting to know either way how you make one.
I also am a fan of mottling, haven't yet got any mottled birds, but when I do I'd be very interested in chocolate mottled cochins. How would I do that?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

You'll need to bring the color into the flock. You can't just make chocolate

 

[lilwanderer]

You'll need to bring the color into the flock. You can't just make chocolate

Of course-
I guess I should of stated that I knew that part-
Is it recessive?
If I couldn't find a chocolate pair or so- what if i had a chocolate hen or roo- But only one, what color would the chocolate go best with to produce more chocolates?
I'm aware I may not get a chocolate, if I don't maybe a carrier for it right?- Would I need to take the carrier for chocolate and cross them to a chocolate to actually get more chocolates?
And when I get to that point, what would I need to do to get started with mottled chocolates?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@Amer @The Moonshiner

 

[Amer]

Of course-
I guess I should of stated that I knew that part-
Is it recessive?
If I couldn't find a chocolate pair or so- what if i had a chocolate hen or roo- But only one, what color would the chocolate go best with to produce more chocolates?
I'm aware I may not get a chocolate, if I don't maybe a carrier for it right?- Would I need to take the carrier for chocolate and cross them to a chocolate to actually get more chocolates?
And when I get to that point, what would I need to do to get started with mottled chocolates?

Find a chocolate Orpington rooster and cross it with mottled Cochin hens.
Chocolate is sexlinked recessive so the daughters would be chocolate and the sons would be black but carrying the chocolate gene. Both would carry mottling so breed the siblings together to get some chocolate mottleds.

 

[The Moonshiner]

Chocolate is sex linked so a female only carries one gene. Either chocolate or not chocolate. She can't carry the gene unseen so if she has it it shows.
Males have two genes so they can have 2 not chocolate, 2 chocolate (those will show chocolate) or 1 chocolate and 1 not chocolate. Those will be "splits" they carry it and can pass it on but it won't show on them.
If you're starting out and only have one chocolate it's best to use black or black mottled when you get to that project.
If you're using a chocolate female and a black male the offspring will be split males and non chocolate females. So those females won't take you any further.
A chocolate male over black female will give you chocolate females and split males.
Ya if you can't find one chocolate cochin I'd cross a chocolate Orpington to black cochin. Then continue to breed chocolate pullets or split males back to black cochins until you get back to the cochin look.
It's faster to get back to cochin type by going back to pure cochins every time and bring the chocolate gene along. You can cross offspring together if you want chocolate males to work from of you can just use splits.
Of course using splits means half the offspring won't get a chocolate gene. More throw away chicks so you'll have to decide which you want. Getting back to pure cochin type or having chocolate of both sexes first.
I bred back to pures and flip flopped every generation. Using the male split then the next generation the chocolate pullet. It kept me in the know with which males had to carry chocolate since a carrier and a non chocolate looks the same.

Mottling is recessive so when you get to that point do the same but use a mottled bird instead of black. Those offspring will be split to mottled so you'll need to cross them together or back to a mottled bird to bring it out and breed pure.

 

[lilwanderer]

Find a chocolate Orpington rooster and cross it with mottled Cochin hens.
Chocolate is sexlinked recessive so the daughters would be chocolate and the sons would be black but carrying the chocolate gene. Both would carry mottling so breed the siblings together to get some chocolate mottleds.

why a chocolate orpington and not a chocolate cochin?
And hmm, interesting- just makes me want to do that even more.

 

[The Moonshiner]

why a chocolate orpington and not a chocolate cochin?
And hmm, interesting- just makes me want to do that even more.

Cause we're all assuming you won't find a chocolate cochin.

 

[Kittenplay]

I started this project in late summer. I’m putting my first F1 eggs in the incubator this weekend.

 

[RememberTheWay]

I started this project in late summer. I’m putting my first F1 eggs in the incubator this weekend.

How did that hatch turn out? Would love to see pictures. I am fixing to start a similar project and another color/pattern with my Cochin Bantams too