Mille Cochin Info

[moosehorn2015]

Can anyone recommend a good breeder of these beautiful Mille Fleur bantam Cochins? I can do eggs or chicks, but not until June 1st or thereafter... I've tried to contact a few breeders that I found online, that seem to have nice birds, but I'm not getting any return e-mails...

 

[calichicken]

So so very happy when i found this forum

I have these two lovely bantam cochins, they are about 8 months old now, bought the pair as chicks last summer.

I have recently put them in a pen separate from the others (not cochins), hoping to get "purebred" eggs in the future..

I would love to have a few more hens in the same color, but im really not that good at color breeding..They are not very easy to find here in Sweden either!

Question:
Can i mix my red Mille Fleurs to mille fleurs in other varieties, like the blue ones?

............

Sorry about my not-so-good english!

Can't help with your breeding question but they are a pretty pair

 

[ShadyGroveFarm1]

So so very happy when i found this forum

I have these two lovely bantam cochins, they are about 8 months old now, bought the pair as chicks last summer.

I have recently put them in a pen separate from the others (not cochins), hoping to get "purebred" eggs in the future..

I would love to have a few more hens in the same color, but im really not that good at color breeding..They are not very easy to find here in Sweden either!

Question:
Can i mix my red Mille Fleurs to mille fleurs in other varieties, like the blue ones?

............

Sorry about my not-so-good english!

I've always wanted to go to Sweden, lol

I cant help with the breeding question either but you have some lovely birds. Maybe if you ever needed any eggs you could find someone who ships hatching eggs. I've heard of people shipping to the UK...

 

[Fancy Feathers]

I'll probably have hatching eggs available in June

 

[Reyvaughn]

Quote:
That's pretty cold, Erin. Especially when all my foundation birds came from you.
And I do remember paying a fortune for my Chocolate Orps the year after they came to the states, too.
I culled out all my MFs except that boy and my first MFxChoOrp girl and had to start all over because the birds I got from you all had conformation issues and were passing them on to their offspring. I feel like you sold me your culls to begin with. I bought eggs from LuckyPickens, only to have the worse quality bird ever with white skin and I had to cull all of them. I got eggs from someone else here on BYC, same thing - had to cull them because they weren't even pure bantam Cochin, never mind the coloring. I have a lot of money into my birds, too. I just don't have the years into it like you do. I traded Byron back - the nicest looking bird I had from you - because you said you needed his type.

I had no intentions of selling any of my chocolate MFs. They are only F2s and no where near ready to sell. Especially when I now need to build up a flock of MFs again - and of better quality this time. I was hoping that eventually I had something of quality and we could swap birds again. But, you know what? If this is how people act towards others working on the same project, then I don't want nor need to deal with people with the attitude you just showed me.

Honestly, that really took me aback. You've always been pleasant and nice to me at the swaps. I can't imagine what I have done to warrant your snide comment.

 

[fanmer36]

I am researching banty breeds. I currently have a couple ive gotten from Rural King. However im not having luck with them, 2 have died and another looks like its getting sick.
I've read great reviews on cochin and d'uccles. The only thing I haven't liked are the feathered feet. Are they something that needs to be cleaned? I live in wv so we have all types of weather. But i love how friendly I've read they are, and its good to know roosters are friendly too since my husband has recently gave me the ok to breed and raise them. Any info would be great! I don't know the first thing about these breeds.

 

[Msbear]

That's pretty cold, Erin. Especially when all my foundation birds came from you.
And I do remember paying a fortune for my Chocolate Orps the year after they came to the states, too.
I culled out all my MFs except that boy and my first MFxChoOrp girl and had to start all over because the birds I got from you all had conformation issues and were passing them on to their offspring. I feel like you sold me your culls to begin with. I bought eggs from LuckyPickens, only to have the worse quality bird ever with white skin and I had to cull all of them. I got eggs from someone else here on BYC, same thing - had to cull them because they weren't even pure bantam Cochin, never mind the coloring. I have a lot of money into my birds, too. I just don't have the years into it like you do. I traded Byron back - the nicest looking bird I had from you - because you said you needed his type.

I had no intentions of selling any of my chocolate MFs. They are only F2s and no where near ready to sell. Especially when I now need to build up a flock of MFs again - and of better quality this time. I was hoping that eventually I had something of quality and we could swap birds again. But, you know what? If this is how people act towards others working on the same project, then I don't want nor need to deal with people with the attitude you just showed me.

Honestly, that really took me aback. You've always been pleasant and nice to me at the swaps. I can't imagine what I have done to warrant your snide comment.

First of all, you were selling Byron (the bird I sold you.. that came directly from a master breeder might I add) I saw the post on here!! and was shocked because he was amazing and could have really helped your project. I asked to buy him back because you were selling him. ...let's not confuse that. So we wound up trading.

Second of all, I don't sell my best birds because I use them to breed myself and the rest I price according to their quality. As I recall, you didn't want to spend much. I don't think I ever sold a bird to you for more than $15 and most were free. I am sorry you weren't happy with what you got ...most of the birds I sold you were either adult or close to it. ... You came to the swap, you felt them, you saw them... I don't know what else to say???? When you came back complaining about type, I GAVE you a mottled x mfc with good type... Then you come back complaining that you aren't hatching buff based birds so I gave you another bird.

I tried to help you, but have learned something too... you can't help those that cannot help themselves. If you are serious, spend money on good birds. Hang onto quality.. that's the only way to breed quality.

The choc mf thing was something that I was working hard on... was taking a lot of pride in and had no intention of sharing with anyone yet. It was a complete accident giving you that split bird. You were breeding to blacks and weren't even considering choc mfc until you found out by accident that it was even possible. (As I recall you were even planning on selling out of all of your MFC until you made that discovery) Then, I saw a post awhile back about your intentions of selling hatching eggs and, though I didn't say anything, I was quite a bit upset about it.



"Byron" 2014 .. I don't know how I could have helped you anymore. This bird is incredible

 

[Reyvaughn]

First of all, you were selling Byron (the bird I sold you.. that came directly from a master breeder might I add) I saw the post on here!! and was shocked because he was amazing and could have really helped your project. I asked to buy him back because you were selling him. ...let's not confuse that. So we wound up trading.

Second of all, I don't sell my best birds because I use them to breed myself and the rest I price according to their quality. As I recall, you didn't want to spend much. I don't think I ever sold a bird to you for more than $15 and most were free. I am sorry you weren't happy with what you got ...most of the birds I sold you were either adult or close to it. ... You came to the swap, you felt them, you saw them... I don't know what else to say???? When you came back complaining about type, I GAVE you a mottled x mfc with good type... Then you come back complaining that you aren't hatching buff based birds so I gave you another bird.

I tried to help you, but have learned something too... you can't help those that cannot help themselves. If you are serious, spend money on good birds. Hang onto quality.. that's the only way to breed quality.

The choc mf thing was something that I was working hard on... was taking a lot of pride in and had no intention of sharing with anyone yet. It was a complete accident giving you that split bird. You were breeding to blacks and weren't even considering choc mfc until you found out by accident that it was even possible. Then, I saw a post awhile back about your intentions of selling hatching eggs and, though I didn't say anything, I was quite a bit upset about it.


Byron 2014

I BOUGHT Byron as Buff Columbian with a Buff Columbian pullet the first year I had chickens at the September meet - almost 4yrs ago. I do not remember how much, because I don't bother remembering everything, but for some reason $45 sticks in my head. And once again, you didn't keep track of your breedings and sold me a BCxMFC. Fine, I rolled with it, since the BCs were just to help my MFCs anyways. The pullet had a small cushion and was useless. I couldn't keep using Byron, I had used him for 2-3 generations and I needed a new boy. The replacement I got from you? Again, more issues and I culled him - all the replacements, except Bear had bad cushion. I gave up breeding MFCs. I sold off everything at a local auction hoping they wouldn't be part of a MFC breeding program because none of them were worth anything. It's hard to get good birds when no one wants to help anyone else out and everyone just keep breeding crap birds with crap birds to get more crap birds. You can't fix crap by breeding more crap and I honestly feel MFCs are a doomed variety. I digress. I kept Bear and the one accidental OrpxMFC girl I got from the original girls I got from you. I was going to return Bear to you last year because he was to nice to cull - He has a waterfall tail and no turned in feathers, was the main reason. Well, sadly, life got in the way and I was unable to make it to any of last year's swaps. I still don't want to breed MFCs, blue, black chocolate or any other.

I said I would eventually be selling birds and eggs, depending on what I got. You know, at one point I didn't care and was just thinking about making some money off the birds. But, I don't want to be another problem breeder like I see so much of. I mean, the variety doesn't have the best of foundations to begin with and people don't care. I do, but I don't want to deal with it anymore.

At the beginning, the first swap of yours I went to, I only had chickens for 3 months. No, I wasn't looking to pay a fortune. As for what I was willing to pay, I don't have money like you, that's for sure, but that doesn't mean I won't pay for quality. I get a large income tax and that's when I can afford birds. Or, I go to your swap and make enough to sink back into the flock. This last year, I haven't been able to afford anything because we hit a really bad patch. But, a couple years ago, I paid premium for birds off of top breeders - $50-100 a bird. Again, I can't help what you price your birds at and I can't help what you are and are not willing to sell.

I asked questions, I wanted to learn more, since you had more time at this. I shared everything that was going on with my flock that was important. I did want help - I can't help that you weren't willing. Every time I was at a swap, I didn't want what you had out for sale. I wanted what was in your pens because I knew that's were the good birds were. Still, I ended up with your culls - you couldn't even part with one decent bird. Or, if you did, it was an accident you kick yourself in the pants for. Byron and Bear.

You are right, though, Erin. Chocolate Millies were not planned. I really didn't want them once I realized I had them. It was another obstacle because knowing of only one other person breeding them, getting breeding stock would be impossible - especially since I sold my choc Orps, too.

The Mottled x MFC you gave me with good type:


He kept throwing that gold in his hackles and saddle. And that right there is as good as he got.

Edited to Add: I haven't bred or hatched a single bird this year because we are buying a house... or trying. Either way, we are moving. I haven't sold a single egg. This year is the year I hatch for myself, whenever I finally get to it. I am actually kind of hoping this round of CMFs are more like their dad. I don't know. Maybe you'd want a male? And that offer is for you and you alone.

 

[Msbear]

well I am sorry I didn't sell you birds from my breeding pens... geez. good luck, Bobbi

eta: ..and $45 for that pair is a steal. I started with birds with awful cushion too. But I spent lots of years working from that and constantly outcrossing for type. (buying from master breeders that had better birds than I did) What I have in my pens now are worth more to me than $200 a bird because I cannot replace them. I treasure that pen and I don't owe anyone anything.... especially considering I keep maybe 4 birds of 100 that I manage to hatch each year.

eta again... BTW, I don't know if you've ever heard the term "land poor" but that's what I am. I didn't inherit a farm. When my father passed away, I inherited a mortgage that terrifies me each month. ..so if you think I have a ton of money to just toss on whatever birds I want, you are mistaken.

 

[Debs55]

Hey y'all here are my MF/calico starter birds. I know they aren't perfect, but I would like to get some opinions on them. They are still young. Most are about 20 weeks old, but the 2 smaller pullets are only 13 weeks old. I'm looking for HELPFUL tips and suggestions, I feel like so far (for the most part) my type isn't too terribly bad and I think my roosters look pretty good, my hens need work. What can I do to add more color?


Jack






Henry


Frizzle




Pullet#1








Pullet #2






Pullet #3


Pullet #4




Pullet #5 - This girl was a runt and is obviously still catching up