Mille Cochin Info

[Krys109uk]

From what I understand, the roos without the black are showing the columbian gene which is restricting it. If your pullets have the black, then it may not matter which roo you keep... but I wouldn't want to get rid of the dark one.. just in case.

Males without columbian will have black mottled breasts, no colour or very little. Ideally one wants enough melanisers to give a black line between the white & the red. Columbian is necessary in order to be able to have the correct coloured breast. These birds which have red with white mottles but insufficient black line between the white mottle & the red colour are lacking melanisers.​

 

[Msbear]

Quote:
Males without columbian will have black mottled breasts, no colour or very little. Ideally one wants enough melanisers to give a black line between the white & the red. Columbian is necessary in order to be able to have the correct coloured breast. These birds which have red with white mottles but insufficient black line between the white mottle & the red colour are lacking melanisers.

Equibling's dark roo does have some nice color as well as black and white on the breast so I believe you would agree, Krys, that she should keep him, right?

 

[Coopa Cabana]

I'm reading waaaaay too much lately on genetics!

In particular, when I was researching different color names for the tri-colors, everything led me to tri-color cats - calico and tortoiseshell. I was surprised to read that the red gene (in cats) is sex-linked, and calico and tortoiseshell males are extremely rare, and they are normally sterile. I realize that none of this will probably help with achieving the MF chevrons, but how much, if at all, do color genes work the same in one species vs. another?
Is that possibly why we aren't seeing Candy Corn/Calico males?

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I was thinking the same thing. However, we are getting a few more photos of lighter males.

I do think some may carry color that we are just not seeing and the experts in genetics will eventually get this figured out in the MFCs. When they do, I hope they enlighten us. I need all the help I can get in poultry. I am so glad I didn't study those genetics first! Cats, dogs and horses were hard enough and nothing can be as easy as Guinea Pigs.

 

[KellyHM]

I have a cockerel coming up that I think is going to be fantastic for the Candy Corn project. This is him at a month old...I need to get new pics.

 

[Jmurcks]

I'm really sorry if this was answered somewhere in this thread as I didn't read through the whole thing but does this color breed true or is it kind of like the blues? (where you have to breed to other colors to get blue)
Thanks and sorry again if I am being redundant!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Jmurcks,
Right now there are many great breeders working on getting all the genetics in place to make this color, or pattern, to breed true in the Cochins. Some breeders have been working on this project for a few years and have some very nice Cochins with lovely patterns but so far they are still working on perfecting it. With all their hard work continuing and a few of us newbies trying hard to help out, it may not be too much longer before there are some exceptional birds that will breed true.

Kelly, I have a youngster that is light colored like that, too! I think mine is a cockeral and I am watching closely to see how much he may change as he matures. My fella is about 7 weeks old. However, mine does not seem to have as good of a pattern showing up. I can see black coming out in yours and I do not think my guy has any black so far. But mine is the MF/buff cross.
I need to get more photos but Ida has put a damper on our weather and it is a horrid mess outside. Not that those chicks mind! As soon as I open the pop door they are outside running and playing all day. All the worms have come up and they are stuffing themselves.

 

[Jmurcks]

Thanks for the quick answer!
Are most of you working on standard or bantam cochins?

 

[faerielady]

Quote:
As far as I know, people are talking about standards, but there's no one who has any available.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Most everyone is working on the bantams but there are two, I believe, that are wanting or trying for standards.