Bantam Cochin with blue eyes

[MrsChickendad]

I have a nice little splash bantam pullet with blue eyes. Is this a no-no? She's nice and round like she is supposed to be otherwise.

How about brown eyes on some of my black cochins? It gives them a very soft expression and is quite attractive, but the standard seems to want red eyes.

 

[Kanchii]

browns prety common but i've never heard of blue eyes, how cool! do you have pictures?

 

[silkieluvr]

That sounds really cool, pics would be ausome!

 

[pokey]

PICTURES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[tiki244]

I know I have seen something similar in a good line of cochin banties that I am familiar with. I think the guy called it pearl eyes. So it is not totally unheard of. And can show up and still be used as a breeder bird. Brown eyes will definetly pass. There are many shades of brown. I think they want "bay" eyes?! Well I have seen a brown that has a reddish tone to it.

I am not too good at genetics but I will try to explain what I have read. To breed for a reddish eye, you need a bird with some nice yellow pigment in the legs, because I believe these two are connected to the same gene. When this is done, the undercolor of the black cochin can easily become too light for showing, especially in the males. It is a fine balance and a lot of "tweeking".

An article I read talks about this and using double matings for the cockerals in one pen and the pullets in another pen. A better explanation than mine can be found on www.Pekinbantams.com

 

[MrsChickendad]

Okay, I went out to the pen and got a few pictures. I did NOT make any photoshop adjustments other than to sharpen one of the pix that was a bit blurry. She's a sweet little bird.

Broody Stare!

 

[silkieluvr]

Very pretty!

 

[MrsChickendad]

Quote:
Thanks for the info. Interesting that the eye and leg color are related. This bird has yellow legs, light eyes, and not much "splash". Is she even a splash? I realize now that we were not likely to get great quality birds from the hatchery, but want to do my homework. How would you breed this little gal, if she is even good enough? Hubby wants some chicks to raise, but I figure that they ought to be of as good quality as we can manage.

 

[tiki244]

She is very pretty. She almost looks lavender. But I dont know anything about lavenders.




Well if you breed her to a black and you get all blues then you would know she is a splash.

 

[NYREDS]

It is a defect-2 points per eye since the colour is that far from the standard.
I would not breed from her. I am not a Cochin breeder but in other breeds I have found that eye colour is linked to many other traits.
The brown eyes in your blacks would be less of a point cut because it's closer to the desired colour.
You didn't ask but I'll add: speaking as a judge, she isn't a particularly good Cochin from a show point of view.