Cochin Thread!!!

[davony's chicks]

The Eastern Iowa Poultry show is being held this weekend. I took a few pictures of our show rooms and two of a friends Bantam Black Pullets. Any question of what type a show bird really is can be answered by looking at those pullets. I have no results except for the Jr show at Black Cock was reserve featherleg behind a White Silkie.
Craig

Those girls look really nice! I hope you had a great time!
Thanks for sharing!

 

[lilcrow]

Thanks Nancy, but there are a few people on here that don't think her type is any good. Though in this project I have not seen more than 2 birds with really good type.

Stephanie, could you post her pic again or direct me to her picture on here, I just can't believe you've received neg feedback about her. If she's not the one I'm thinking of, I hate to think of going on a search for the picture I have in mind, that takes forever, however it's going to drive me crazy if I can't sort this out.

 

[Funky Feathers]

This is her:

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

This is her:

Incredible pattern! All the pictures show wonderful pattern. To me the last picture shows her really lacking enough cushion and the others pictures just don't give a view of the cushion.




On a different subject or food for thought. I recently showed some of my Columbians at the Columbus show. I asked Tom to look at them as he was the man I originally got my Columbians from. He looked them over and gave me a truthful and honest assessment of them when he said to me" You know that bird is not a show bird". I knew it when I entered them and entered them anyway to make a class and let others see where my Columbians are. This weekend a very well respected judge who once had very good Columbians looked the same birds over. He told me that they were the best he had seen in years and then described them as a very good project. That is both ego building and deflating at the same time but totally honest

I am enjoying breeding and raising Columbians and show them to get the variety back out in the public eye. I also always know that they are not yet good enough type or pattern to compete with Blacks , Blues, Whites, and several other varieties for even Best of Breed. That is my long term goal to raise some good enough to be competitive for BB someday. This time next year I will be saying the same thing about Buff Columbians when I show a class of those too. I have to be honest and real with myself about what is a good type bird and plan and breed accordingly with that goal in mind. I have to be critical and honest with my own birds or I will never really make improvements. I also have to remind myself that I am doing this all for the pleasure and enjoyment of it.

This is part of the group of birds I was showing earlier this fall. One of these males had a DQ fault and was culled. As I have often seen quoted on another poultry site "What you will tolerate is what you will have".

Craig

 

[lilcrow]

This is her:

Stephanie, this is not the bird I was talking about, but I remember seeing these pics and for a MF I think she is an excellent hen. Of all the "projects" out there, I think that MF has been the variety with the most challenge associated with it. It has been plagued with folks breeding for the color who honestly didn't understand the genetics associated with creating the pattern. You just can never get to where you want to be by looking at two birds and thinking that they may create something that is close to where you are going. It IS a science and requires study and understanding of genetics. As I said before there are only a few that I have seen that were true MF. Your hen has the true MF pattern, it may not be perfect, but again this is a project and needs hens like your in the program............just MHO.
Wish I could find the hen I'm thinking of.

 

[Fancy Feathers]

Nancy, is it Lynne's hen in her avatar?

 

[lilcrow]

Pretty sure it's not, what I remember is a hen with heavy markings and maybe a little too much white, but excellent chevrons, (I think they're called chevrons) and very good type. I'll look for one of Lynne's postings just to make sure.

 

[davony's chicks]

Incredible pattern! All the pictures show wonderful pattern. To me the last picture shows her really lacking enough cushion and the others pictures just don't give a view of the cushion.




On a different subject or food for thought. I recently showed some of my Columbians at the Columbus show. I asked Tom to look at them as he was the man I originally got my Columbians from. He looked them over and gave me a truthful and honest assessment of them when he said to me" You know that bird is not a show bird". I knew it when I entered them and entered them anyway to make a class and let others see where my Columbians are. This weekend a very well respected judge who once had very good Columbians looked the same birds over. He told me that they were the best he had seen in years and then described them as a very good project. That is both ego building and deflating at the same time but totally honest

I am enjoying breeding and raising Columbians and show them to get the variety back out in the public eye. I also always know that they are not yet good enough type or pattern to compete with Blacks , Blues, Whites, and several other varieties for even Best of Breed. That is my long term goal to raise some good enough to be competitive for BB someday. This time next year I will be saying the same thing about Buff Columbians when I show a class of those too. I have to be honest and real with myself about what is a good type bird and plan and breed accordingly with that goal in mind. I have to be critical and honest with my own birds or I will never really make improvements. I also have to remind myself that I am doing this all for the pleasure and enjoyment of it.

This is part of the group of birds I was showing earlier this fall. One of these males had a DQ fault and was culled. As I have often seen quoted on another poultry site "What you will tolerate is what you will have".

Craig

Very well said Craig.
Sorry you got such mixed opinions about your birds but at least they were honest with you.
So now I have know where I stand.... In my opinion your hens look better than mine and you have given me much encouragement with mine. Not sure how old yours are and maybe mine will fill out a little more as they get older.
I am just not happy with their cushion at all! Their markings are not perfect either. They have great foof feathering and leg and eye color. I bought these as chicks from Dick Horstman and I have heard he has some really nice birds. Guess I just got some duds.. I am going to buy some more eggs or chicks from him this spring and see who else might have some.
I have wanted these ever since I saw Erin's birds several years ago. I haven't talked to her since then and I don't believe she has them anymore.

We will both have to stick together with our Columbians as you don't see many people breeding them. I am not sure why becasue they are so striking!

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

On a different subject or food for thought. I recently showed some of my Columbians at the Columbus show. I asked Tom to look at them as he was the man I originally got my Columbians from. He looked them over and gave me a truthful and honest assessment of them when he said to me" You know that bird is not a show bird". I knew it when I entered them and entered them anyway to make a class and let others see where my Columbians are. This weekend a very well respected judge who once had very good Columbians looked the same birds over. He told me that they were the best he had seen in years and then described them as a very good project. That is both ego building and deflating at the same time but totally honest

I am enjoying breeding and raising Columbians and show them to get the variety back out in the public eye. I also always know that they are not yet good enough type or pattern to compete with Blacks , Blues, Whites, and several other varieties for even Best of Breed. That is my long term goal to raise some good enough to be competitive for BB someday. This time next year I will be saying the same thing about Buff Columbians when I show a class of those too. I have to be honest and real with myself about what is a good type bird and plan and breed accordingly with that goal in mind. I have to be critical and honest with my own birds or I will never really make improvements. I also have to remind myself that I am doing this all for the pleasure and enjoyment of it.

This is part of the group of birds I was showing earlier this fall. One of these males had a DQ fault and was culled. As I have often seen quoted on another poultry site "What you will tolerate is what you will have".

Craig
Very well said Craig.
Sorry you got such mixed opinions about your birds but at least they were honest with you.
So now I have know where I stand.... In my opinion your hens look better than mine and you have given me much encouragement with mine. Not sure how old yours are and maybe mine will fill out a little more as they get older.
I am just not happy with their cushion at all! Their markings are not perfect either. They have great foof feathering and leg and eye color. I bought these as chicks from Dick Horstman and I have heard he has some really nice birds. Guess I just got some duds.. I am going to buy some more eggs or chicks from him this spring and see who else might have some.
I have wanted these ever since I saw Erin's birds several years ago. I haven't talked to her since then and I don't believe she has them anymore.

We will both have to stick together with our Columbians as you don't see many people breeding them. I am not sure why becasue they are so striking!

I think I got the same sort of comment from both people and am glad for input from experienced judges and breeders. Except for the DQ on one of my birds which was the correct call I have not been surprised and definitely not upset by any comment. In fact after the DQ the judge looked me up to make sure I understood why she had DQ'd that bird. I respect that and recommended that our club hire her for our next show!! It was for something I had never checked before but will in the future. There were 3 people showing Columbians at Iowa City this weekend. A junior and an open exhibitor that I didn't know had Columbians until this weekend.

Erin still has good Columbians but hasn't posted pictures lately to my knowledge. She got hers from Tom also. I had communicated with her before the CI Eastern show when I thought I could make it to the show. Send me PM pictures of yours and will give feedback on them. Remember that what you saw are the five I kept out of over 50 chicks hatched early this spring. I think I will keep maybe 3 out of the last 50 Columbians I hatched. Most have been sold or culled already.

Craig

 

[tkay6205]

Havent been able to post much lately, mostly just stalking when I have time. I bought a trio of blacks from Jamie this fall, want to show them off. I just love them!!