How does one make a chocolate bird?

[Debbie292d]

I picked up a choc Orpington rooster today in hopes of pairing him with my standard black Cochin hens. I understand their offspring would be sex linked- and give chocolate females but what should I do after that? Breed back to a black cochin to keep the “Cochin” look? Or breed to the split offspring cockerels from the first set of offspring? In hopes for both a chocolate roo & chocolate hen? So much to consider!

I have waited over a year for a chocolate rooster as my chocolate silkie Charlotte just kept putting out girls.

I finally grew one of Charlotte's chocolates out, and it turned into a rooster! Meet Mocha. Dumber than a box of rocks but now I have a chocolate pair.

It was hailing today, and all 30-some silkies ran for cover, but not him. He stood out in the middle of it looking around like, doh, what's this? He's going to be fun when it snows.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I picked up a choc Orpington rooster today in hopes of pairing him with my standard black Cochin hens. I understand their offspring would be sex linked- and give chocolate females but what should I do after that? Breed back to a black cochin to keep the “Cochin” look? Or breed to the split offspring cockerels from the first set of offspring? In hopes for both a chocolate roo & chocolate hen? So much to consider!

So no black cochin rooster?
The fastest would be to have both Cochin hens and a rooster. Use the chocolate rooster once then discard and continue with the offspring. Using offspring back to cochin every generation.
Color will be easy to carry forwards but type should be the focus for a while.
To keep the chocolate going but focus on type, ONLY ever use females that are chocolate and ONLY use males that had a chocolate mother.
Without a cochin rooster....
Breed your chocolate rooster to the cochin hens. Pick the best cockerel as far as having closest to cochin type. Breed him back to the cochin hens.
About half of the pullet offspring will be chocolate. Use only them and I'd try to use only those with yellow shanks. You should breed out the white skin and breed for yellow asap imo.
Breed back to their father. Your first cockerel offspring you kept. Or you could keep a couple cockerels from each generation and bred to the other one if close line breeding worries you.
That cross should produce some chocolate cockerels with yellow shanks. Pick the most cochin type one or two. Breed to cochin hens again.
Then repeat. Keep the most typey chocolate pullets and breed back to their father or the other hold back.
Get the idea?

 

[Kittenplay]

I finally have the sex link eggs in the incubator. I’m hoping the babies will be feathered out like their moms.

 

[lilwanderer]

I finally have the sex link eggs in the incubator. I’m hoping the babies will be feathered out like their moms.

Awesome! How exciting.
Currently growing out offspring from my chocolate mottled project pen.
I have a black cochin boy over a chocolate and a chocolate mottled hen- Will be keeping at least one roo from them and breeding back to the mottled split sisters and the mother. (Since the roo's will be both mottled and chocolate split. )
Hopefully i get some nice boys! The oldest offspring i have so far are like 7 weeks old.
Here are the parents for fun!
I chose a black roo because the mottled hen is hyper mottled- Hoping with a black roo that the mottled pattern will even out with the offspring.