Mille Cochin Info

[wwmicasa1]

Thank you Gail. I am pleased with Rojo & hope to have some great babies from him.

Rojo

Rojo is out of Santiago. Unfortunately, I don't have any pics of him as a chick & I can't remember his down color.

Santiago

I have had some beautiful chicks out of Santiago. He also fathered (along with Bridget) my newest roos, Domingo & Rafael.

Domingo

Rafael

Notice that all three of the newest boys have less black. My only regret is that Domingo doesn't have the tricolor chevrons on his breast but I have him in with girls that are very well marked. Fingers crossed

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Thanks for the compliment, Lynne but I have such a long way to go. I suppose we all think we do and will always be working on something to improve our own lines.

Gosh, those are some beautiful boys! They are so healthy looking and proud! I like the colors you are getting and I think your boys have very nice type. You can just see every generation getting better.

It frustrates me to cull out some of mine that have good color but no type. I have let so many sweet girls and boys go that were just long backed. I have to breed only type and worry about patterns later.

 

[mjgigax]

Quote:
Brereton (21st Century Poultry Breeding - pp 108-109) writes about the theory of the proposed "Hackle Black" (Hb) gene. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the entire concept and how it works. But all he mentions is the eb (brown) allele, and the Pattern (Pg) gene. He does not mention the Columbian (Co) gene.

I think we need to start by seeking out the MFC breeders that have closed flocks with no evidence of Hackle Black, and see if it can be pinned down thru process of elimination. But I think we need to start with the allele (e+, eWh or eb), and then move on to the genes.

And has anyone that started with a Hackle Black male been able to breed it out?

All I know is that last year I had 2 different roos - one had red hackles but the chest chevrons had no black. The other had tri-colored chest chevrons, but also had hackle black. No combination of either roo on any of my (well-marked) hens was successful (IMO). So I'm starting over this year - I was able to secure 2 new roos - both with red hackles and tri-colored chest chevrons. If this doesn't work, I'm not sure what direction to take next.

The SOP for Mille Fleur Plumage for both the Hackle and Back in males is "Brilliant Light Orange Vermillion . . . ".

Gail,

I just thought for comparison purposes that I would show you how my project has progressed. I'm sure you know that I have a closed flock. Here are pics of where I started over 3 years ago & where I am today. Obviously I'm not educated on genetics but perhaps this "visual" progression will help others.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/18946_garden_roses_babies_003.jpg
This is a pic of Hannah & Emily. They are my first Buff Columbian hens. The two chicks are the result of the cross with my first Roo, Casanova. The dark chick turned out to be Bridget & the lighter chick develped into my "first" Diego.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/18946_casanova_11-7-8.jpg
Casanova-As you can see, terrible type & very dark in his coloring. This is a pic taken when he was only about 10 months old & he does look much better now

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/18946_diego-_fancy_pants_-hillarys_boy_001.jpg
Diego- F1 of the first cross between Buff Columbian Hens & Casanova (he is the light chick in the first pic)

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/18946_bridget_010.jpg
Bridget-F1-the dark chick in the first pic

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/18946_rojo_santiago_002.jpg
Rojo-F4 - notice the black is gone from his hackles, however, the tri color chevrons are beautiful on his breast.

I have just bred Rojo back to the Buff Colombian hens & have 8 new babies. I'm eager to see what the outcome of that cross turns out to be.

Yhey all have such beautiful colors. I love Bridget, she is a chocolate calico.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

I don't think it's too much of a stretch here, but based on everyone's breeding stock, I'm predicting that 2011 is going to be a banner year for MFC's!!!

 

[Msbear]

Gail, I was thinking something similar. Everyone is showing off some mighty fine portraits. Lynne!!! Rafael

And, your type looks better in those boys. Have you tried putting them back to your BC's? I'll bet, now that your color is so nice, that bringing them back again won't take near the time.

Im giving away a BUNCH of cockerels today and am excited to start organizing my breeding pens for 2011. I know it's early but, these girls start laying in Feb! and, I'll have the bators fired up and ready... Gosh, the darned thing never even got a break. I stored it for a month or so and broke it back out for my qualies (due to hatch on Christmas day... like I don't have enough going on already)

just a little gross story for ya... I was smelling something funky in my bathroom (where the bator is) and I lifted up the top and about dropped over. I cleaned it! with bleach! why is it stinky? I was so bummed that I had to empty it and clean it in the middle of a hatch but , I started collecting the eggs... the FIRST one I picked up drooled this gray gloopy stuff into the water well when I picked it up and the smell really about killed me. It was a rotten egg

I felt so stupid. The smell was obvious.. I just never had that happen before.. I dumped and cleaned the water well and we're all good again. I hope it didn't affect the other eggs.. I had been hand turning them and never noticed the crack? maybe I damaged it turning them? wierd.

Lynne, thanks for sending me the pics of your quail set up. It really helped. We're pondering lots of variations and taking into consideration what supplies we currently have and how to keep it an easily managed area.

 

[wwmicasa1]

Quote:
Erin, thanks so much for the compliment. I didn't mention that "ALL"three boys (Rojo, Rafael & Domingo) came from Santiago. I have bred Rojo & Santiago back to the BC so we will see what I get from that cross.

 

[hinkjc]

Lynne, those are gorgeous boys and similar to what I'm seeing with my mille fleur color project.

 

[wwmicasa1]

Quote:
Thank you so much~!

It is a labor of love. Also, (besides color & pattern) Santiago has passed on to his son's the best temperament. My boys are very special to me.

Good luck with your project~!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I know they change a lot as they grow but I would like to see more consistent color patterns as they grow. Or maybe that is the fun of it....to watch how much they mature into little beauties with only a hint as a baby of what might be.........

This is more of a Calico but it is getting more color as it matures. I am always amazed at the changes!

I will have to get some photos of the babies out of Bantyman's roo and my MF/Mottled hens. They are starting out black and then getting a lot of white coming in on the neck with some red throughout the feathering.

I agree with all of you...next year will be a wonderful year for the MFC project birds!

 

[MrsChickendad]

Lynne, I hatched 3 babies from you last winter, 2 cockerels and a pullet. The pullet (by Fernando) is now gorgeously marked and was the absolutely cutest chick ever:

The two boys (by Sergio) feathered out identical to your Rojo. Here is a photo of one of them at 7 weeks:

This is last fall (the dark hen is by Casanova) The pullet (baby pic is at top) is by Fernando and the two boys are Sergio sons.