How do I create colors?

[RetroRanch]

Ok here’s my dilemma….I love large fowl Cochins…but I really want more colors! I have a bunch of bantam Cochins in neat colors (calico, lemon blue, etc) and I’m wondering how I can use the bantams to make LF Cochins in these fun colors. Does that even make sense?? Can someone explain it to me like I’m 5??

 

[CascadiaRiver]

You need a LOT of space! That was my bigger issue, having a smaller yard limited how many pens I could set up for breeding groups. You'll want to figure out what color(s) you'd want to do and find a compatible male/female of Standard Cochin and start breeding.

It'll be a few generations, most people will opt to breed & cull for color first then work on type/standard aka how good they look. If you just want some bigger birds this step may not take you that long, since well you probably won't be showing them at the state fair (unless you want, which will take more time & more generations & more birds)

What color standard cochins do you have access to, either to order or nearby, will effect what color may be easiest to start with. If you say what colors you have of bantams, I could suggest possible pairings!

Example: Brown Red is the same pattern as Lemon Blue, except LB's have the added "dilute" gene. The easiest way to breed this would be:
- bantam lemon blues X standard brown red
= 50% brown red, 50% lemon blue (choose the biggest blues, breed those back, choose biggest, etc)