Mille Cochin Info

[sharron]

My chocolate MF project took a hit on Sunday. Bear died. It was a bit of a blessing in disguise, though. While he did carry the chocolate gene, he was more Orp than Cochin in type and he was a mean SOB. You couldn't walk past his door without him trying to attack you through it. I was about to just say forget it all since I didn't and still don't want to do MFCs anyways. But... Thanks to someone on here, I decided I am not going to throw in the towel that easily. I still have Kodiak, Bear's son, who shows choc, the single choc girls I bred last year, I just got a mottled hen and roo from Becky Salinger to help my project and I got eggs off Nancy. I also got back a pair of chocolate bantam Orp hens I bred last year. Seems the true bantams are not as easy to get again. Last year everyone had them so I had thought they would be!

someone on ebay has eggs for sale for the chocolates

 

[Reyvaughn]

someone on ebay has eggs for sale for the chocolates

I saw them. They aren't very Cochin like in type and they have hard tail feathers. They look like they crossed the mid 5-6lb or 6-8lb "bantam" Orps with Cochins. They have the hard tail feathers. My 2-3lbers have soft tail feather and more rounded, Cochin like tails. I actually got to choose what birds I wanted and I picked all the ones the woman had that were the most Cochin like.

My F1's look better as far as type. Mine are in breeding condition though and they have no cushions right now. I will try and get pics tomorrow. One girl still has most of her cushion, I believe.



ETA: These are the "bantam" choc Orps I started with beside 50% English/50% American Orp hens. I never used these guys for my choc b.Cochin project because htey were just to big.



This is the choc b.Orp father of the choc Orp/Cochin F1's I have. Huge difference in type.

 

[mindylee]

I just won a auction on fb of chocolate cochins and cant wait for them to arrive next week. I have 5 chocolate cochin pullets with 2 being frizzled and 1 of them being a mottled as well. So this new pair will be a huge improvement and bloodlines to ky project.
Im super excited for them to get here.

 

[mindylee]

 

[Reyvaughn]

The boy has split breast - which I am finding to be a real issue lately. My new Mottled and my new black boys both have split breasts. Genetically speaking, how hard is it to breed out? That hen/pullet has a weird color to her. Mauve, maybe? Dun based?

 

[jaymeellis06]

. My boy Cal. Not a good shot, as he does not stand still for long. One of Cal's offspring at around 9 weeks old.

 

[mindylee]

The boy has split breast - which I am finding to be a real issue lately.  My new Mottled and my new black boys both have split breasts.  Genetically speaking, how hard is it to breed out?  That hen/pullet has a weird color to her.  Mauve, maybe?  Dun based? 

She is dunn. And split breast is a 50/50 in my opinion. The hen dont have it and my 5 pullets dont have it. So i will only find out how the offspring turn out once i hatch and growout. But im still pretty excited to work with them and also have a kick butt blk mottled roo to cross onto them as well with very nice 3 type to hopefully clean up some faults.

 

[ChickenPox]

Those chocs are gorgeous!

 

[Reyvaughn]

Took me a couple days to find my camera!

Well, I have 5 F1 Choc Cochin project hens. Two are broody, sitting on about a dozen+ eggs and only one of the other three have all of their cushion.
All five have little to no feathering on their middle toes.



And James, my newest black cockerel, who is covering 2 of the F1 girls (the one above included). I was told he was bred and bought from Jamie Matts, hence his name. I already had a Jamie that I bought directly off Jamie Matts 2yrs ago.
James wasn't happy about his pic being taken and would not hold still. The 2nd pic he was ready to dart off again. He has mild split breast.



And the new mottleds to help improve type in my CMFCs/MFCs. Both are from Becky Salinger. The roo (Sal - yes, I name my roos after their breeders) has mild red leakage in his hackles and split breast. The pictures I was sent did not show the split breast - but he was technically free because she couldn't use him nor cull him. He was her parent's pet. And, of course, he kept following me and the camera, so I couldn't get a side shot of him.



I have been pondering about going backwards in my project. Since I am struggling to keep good numbers of blacks and mottleds, I have been thinking bout focusing more on just them and get a good numbered flock of each variety going. I'd love to get my hands on some decent Buff Columbians and Gold Laced to do the same with and just start my own MFC line from them. I wouldn't have to rely on other breeders anymore and I could keep my flock closed. Oh, the space I'd need and I'd have to sacrifice my Ameraucanas and just focus on bantam Cochins and bantam choc Orps...

 

[mindylee]

I have a really nice quality blk mottled rooster out of Amy Phillips flock that im gonna use on bettering my type and feathering.

So with my 5 birds, the pair i bought above and a few blk mottleds and frizzles i have. I have a nice flock to work with. And eventually my look into making chocolate calicos. But solids and motled for now.