Bobtail x MF Cochin Bantams

[Birdie2019]

I’ve been thinking about trying to save my MF Cochin Bantam line for a few months. It sounds like I’m a breeder, but all I’ve done is got some and bred them to keep the line going. But now I only have a rooster and a hen, but they’re siblings. The hen isn’t very good quality, but the rooster is the best we’ve got so far. Making slow progress. The others died sadly, and I’m trying to think of a way to save them. I know if we breed the two, it could be the fourth sibling x sibling generation I know of (person I got em from did a few generations of it. Not a breeder either). There are two eggs in the incubator that have a possibility of being hen x father, but most likely infertile like the others had been.
I was doing some reading up on Cochins International, and found out the Bobtail chicken is recessive. It says that breeding a Bobtail to any other color should result in that color, which will improve type if needed. It is needed here, plus I’m kinda wanting to save this line. I’m in love with them, even if they ARE bad quality now. Is it a wise decision to do this or may it not even work?

Pics of my pair (very young, around 7 or 8 months. They will get more flowering as they age)

They probably need to be wider and have bigger tails, but I’m not sure as I’ve never seen a Cochin Bantam in person that was bred to the SOP or anywhere near show quality. I think good Bobtails could help if the info I read was really true.

 

[nicalandia]

Bobtail is recessive to just about everything, except mottling, Bobtails are Mo+, which is dominant over mo. So if you cross them together they will mostly reds.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

@Overo Mare

 

[Painted Calls]

I have no understanding of Bobtail as it is fairly new to the U.S. and I've never seen any personally.

@The Moonshiner do you know anything about Bobtail?

 

[Birdie2019]

I have no understanding of Bobtail as it is fairly new to the U.S. and I've never seen any personally.

@The Moonshiner do you know anything about Bobtail?

Wonder if there’s another way to improve type like the Bobtails could
(Think mine need improvement?)

 

[Amer]

Bobtails are birchen based (I believe) so it wouldn't work. The bobtail dilution is recessive but birchen isn’t.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I agree they're lacking in the black and mottling department.
MF is complicated IMO.
It can get really complicated if you talk to some hardcore MF breeders and/or if your breaking down every aspect of the pattern and wanting perfection across the board.
I'm interested in your project but anything I reply with will just be opinion from my experience so take it with a grain of salt.

 

[tracymbuck]

 

[birdlover2]

I mean, if these are the only two to keep the line going I would personally go for it, not wanting the line to die out completely. But I'm no breeder and have no idea about bobtail. I'm just sentimental LOL

 

[nicalandia]

Think if I culled the ones without flowering and with leakage, I’d be good to breed back to the rooster? And do you know of any other colors that could do just as well but are easier to obtain?

Partridge would be just as good