Buff Barred Cochin Thread

[wwmicasa1]

I hope someone guides me in the right direction! I know it will be a while before I get everything in place but I had planned to breed for the darker barred birds. I thought that would be the color we were looking for but it may be only because my Golden Cuckoo Marans were so dark that I am thinking that way.

You ask great questions. Keep them coming. It is good to make people think.

Personally, I agree with Amy. I have both light & dark. I have always used the darker barred but they have produced both light & dark. This year I have the lighter double barred in the breeding pen just to see what he throws. Keep tuned in ~!

 

[Fancy Feathers]

I think the only way you would not get the lighter, double barred offspring would be to always breed barred to buff, and then you'd have only darker, single barred offspring, and regular buffs - in both sexes. Breeding barred to barred you are going to get lighter, double barred boys and darker, single barred females. So our standard will have to include both - is the way I see it anyway.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

This is great info!
Thank you both for putting in experiences and ideas and letting me know what is likely to happen with what breeding birds. It will take some breeding for me to get to where I understand what is going on but I know what to look for when doing so with everyone's help.
I don't want this project to be pushed aside so much like my buff Mottled and Calicos have been.

Thank you!

 

[wwmicasa1]

I think the only way you would not get the lighter, double barred offspring would be to always breed barred to buff, and then you'd have only darker, single barred offspring, and regular buffs - in both sexes. Breeding barred to barred you are going to get lighter, double barred boys and darker, single barred females. So our standard will have to include both - is the way I see it anyway.

Nancy,

I agree with you in theory, but that isn't always the way it happens. I have been using a dark / single barred roo over both solid Buff & Buff Barred hens. I have gotten, solid buff pullets, BB pullets & both double barred & single barred cockerels. I have "Never" gotten a solid buff cockerel. What's your take on that ?

 

[Fancy Feathers]

You know, I started thinking about what I wrote, and I wondered!!! My girls from you are both barred, right? so in that case them bred to Sparky should have only gotten me barred or double barred offspring, and I've gotten barred, double barred and non-barred. So that doesn't make sense. Also, I'm pretty sure one of the double barred chicks was a pullets. I mean she was much lighter in color, and she was definately barred. Unfortunately she was also fragile from the beginning, and I lost her at about 6 - 8 weeks. Young, but I was pretty sure she was a girl. Sparky's boys have all been barred, single or double.
I was going by what that link to the barred discussion on the Cochin list said.. but I can see it doesn't happen like that in our breeding.

 

[wwmicasa1]

You know, I started thinking about what I wrote, and I wondered!!! My girls from you are both barred, right? so in that case them bred to Sparky should have only gotten me barred or double barred offspring, and I've gotten barred, double barred and non-barred. So that doesn't make sense. Also, I'm pretty sure one of the double barred chicks was a pullets. I mean she was much lighter in color, and she was definately barred. Unfortunately she was also fragile from the beginning, and I lost her at about 6 - 8 weeks. Young, but I was pretty sure she was a girl. Sparky's boys have all been barred, single or double.
I was going by what that link to the barred discussion on the Cochin list said.. but I can see it doesn't happen like that in our breeding.

Yes, both girls from me are barred.

I've never gotten a double barred pullet. That's why, this year I've decided to try the double barred cockerel with both Buff pullets & BB pullets to see what I get. I guess time will tell

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Fascinating! Thank you both for your input!

This is how I learn. Listening to what has worked and what the possibilities may be.

 

[SimpleHarmony]

Quote:
You have apparently solved one of life's oldest & greatest debates! Men are easier to change than women. Ha ha!!!

No really, no sense in recreating the wheel. I think we should study what worked for Lemon Cuckoo Orpington and Golden Cuckoo Marans breeders.
It would sure save a lot of time. When we play with varieties in rabbits, I can look at a pedigree and see what's in their genes at least 4 generations back (genotype) rather than how they look (phenotype). This will be my first attempt to play with variety genes on chickens, and I can see that without this knowledge it is going to take longer. You would have to do several test breedings to get what you could get looking at a pedigree. For that reason I plan to band mine and keep records.

It is beautiful & sunny out here in Southern IL, so I am going out to work on coops. I will try to look some of that up after dark. Have a great day everyone!

 

[County Boy]

 

[Fancy Feathers]