Calico Cochin Thread

[WestKnollAmy]

I started from scratch and added the Mottleds. You lose pattern for a while but it comes back. If the genes are there it will eventually come out. I just try to keep breeding type to type and not worry as much about the pattern right now. There will be so many tiny details to have to work on later that cementing that type in from the start will give you one less worry down the road.
I want to add more white into my birds and think this year I may use a few of my hysterical Mottled girls to do it. That would be a win win situation by adding more white and boosting type, too. I just love the Calicos look. Bright and happy!
I may have the advantage of hatching hundreds and hundreds of chicks every year. The statistics go up on what I have that is good enough to keep and use.

 

[wildwoodcochins]

I started from scratch and added the Mottleds. You lose pattern for a while but it comes back. If the genes are there it will eventually come out. I just try to keep breeding type to type and not worry as much about the pattern right now. There will be so many tiny details to have to work on later that cementing that type in from the start will give you one less worry down the road.
I want to add more white into my birds and think this year I may use a few of my hysterical Mottled girls to do it. That would be a win win situation by adding more white and boosting type, too. I just love the Calicos look. Bright and happy!
I may have the advantage of hatching hundreds and hundreds of chicks every year. The statistics go up on what I have that is good enough to keep and use.

Amy~ I LOVE the mottled hen in your avatar picture she's gorgeous

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Thank you. She is my first generation of Mottleds and not as typy as I would like. She is such a real love though! I open the coop door to retrieve eggs and check the feeder and she comes to me for petting every time. She talks to me and tells me about her day. I have always been partial to this girl. The others are nice but not nearly as loving as she is. They are more typy but she is my lovey girl.

 

[wwmicasa1]

Thank you. She is my first generation of Mottleds and not as typy as I would like. She is such a real love though! I open the coop door to retrieve eggs and check the feeder and she comes to me for petting every time. She talks to me and tells me about her day. I have always been partial to this girl. The others are nice but not nearly as loving as she is. They are more typy but she is my lovey girl.

Oh Amy, she is a beauty~!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Thanks, Lynne but she isn't as round as she should be. I just could not part with her because she was so personable and I fell in love so my heart out weighed my head and I kept her. She will be going with one of my new roos that came from Janelle. Either Tonka, whom I have had about 2 months and am hatching chicks from or the new fantastic roo I got from her last Saturday. I got some fabulous hens from her, too. I am so excited to have 4 breeding pens of Mottleds now!

 

[County Boy]

What makes a calico cochin. They look like a mill fluer with to much white but that's just me. I think they're very pretty.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

You got it!
Too much white and more buff than black, it seems.
I like them because they are flashy! But they are usually just off shoots of the MFC projects.

 

[wildwoodcochins]

You got it!
Too much white and more buff than black, it seems.
I like them because they are flashy! But they are usually just off shoots of the MFC projects.

Never "too much" white for me!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Yeah, I would like to cross my whites with my MF again this year. I get some interesting birds from the crosses.
My whites have plenty of type but setting enough eggs to get some decent white to come out since they are recessive can be a challenge.



The roo below has a nice big butt but I still haven't gotten anything decent to keep from crossing him and some MF girls.



I will probably try the roo below, Dude, to a white hen since he has now filled out so nicely. this is a photo of him as a kid and he was still developing. Right now I hatching from him crossed with my buff Mottleds but they will soon go broody so i will try him with a few white hens like he is shown with. I do not expect this cross to throw anything except type. Color and pattern will come later in another 3 generations or so.

 

[DFCottage]

I just had to share my glee (and I promise I will post pics soon!!) I just picked up my new calicos!!! 4 lovely hens, 1 roo (2 years old) and 1 4-month-old roo. They have great type and I'm so pleased with them. Really super birds. The little roo already jumped up on my shoulder this morning, so I guess he's settling in well. And 2 eggs from the ladies today already.. I was a little hesitant about their lay rate being along in years but their previous owner said she was getting on average 2-4 eggs/day! So I'm going to let them settle for a bit and then start collecting eggs for hatching.

I'm going to have to research this variety a bit more so when I bring new birds in they will help to continue not only the type but the great coloration. If anyone has any suggestions after I get pics up I'd be most appreciative.