How to breed for Mille Fleur Cochin Bantams

[WildflowerIndependence]

Hey, so I’ve done some searching but I’m having a hard time finding a clear answer or thread. I’m interested in starting a Mille Fleur Cochin Bantam breeding program, but I can’t even find a clear answer on which birds to cross to get the right genetic combination. Are there any breeders/experts willing to take me through the process? Thank you!

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

This sounds like a really interesting subject! I am going to be watching this thread to see what the experts say.

 

[sharron]

Hey, so I’ve done some searching but I’m having a hard time finding a clear answer or thread. I’m interested in starting a Mille Fleur Cochin Bantam breeding program, but I can’t even find a clear answer on which birds to cross to get the right genetic combination. Are there any breeders/experts willing to take me through the process? Thank you!

there used to be a mille fleur cochin thread a few years ago and there were several breeders that had some beautys, i've been away for a few years now and can't seem to find the old thread, if one would come back and see this thread maybe they would answer you and help

 

[sharron]

there used to be a mille fleur cochin thread a few years ago and there were several breeders that had some beautys, i've been away for a few years now and can't seem to find the old thread, if one would come back and see this thread maybe they would answer you and help

found one of the old forums, mille cochin infor, you can search for it but a couple of the good breeders were josh'sbantams and westKnollAmy

 

[TheTwoRoos]

Following th

 

[AndyCap]

Hello, sorry this response is so late but the colours/patterns needed would be mottled, columbian, also some patterning is necessary.

To start i would find the best typed buff columbians you can get your hands on and then breed in the mottling gene. For that the best pattern would be mottled partridge/penciled, or mottled columbian if you could find it.

Columbian would have the patterning genes necessary (Pg and Co) so all you would have to do is add in mottling gene (mo) and go from there.

There is a further school of thought that maintains that mottling should be on a wheaton base (ewh) with mottling, patterning and melanotic(Possibly db too). It is a tricky one to get around because there isnt a definitive standard yet and most of the birds dont breed true yet.

If you want more technical advice please dont hesitate to ask

Regards,
Andy

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

Hello, sorry this response is so late but the colours/patterns needed would be mottled, columbian, also some patterning is necessary.

To start i would find the best typed buff columbians you can get your hands on and then breed in the mottling gene. For that the best pattern would be mottled partridge/penciled, or mottled columbian if you could find it.

Columbian would have the patterning genes necessary (Pg and Co) so all you would have to do is add in mottling gene (mo) and go from there.

There is a further school of thought that maintains that mottling should be on a wheaton base (ewh) with mottling, patterning and melanotic(Possibly db too). It is a tricky one to get around because there isnt a definitive standard yet and most of the birds dont breed true yet.

If you want more technical advice please dont hesitate to ask

Regards,
Andy

Awesome explanation! I just want to make sure I read it right... So, it's as simple as Buff Columbian (gene Pg & Co) + Mottling gene (mo) = Mille Fleur? All you need to do is choose out the best looking birds of that combination and breed for a quality Mille Fleur pattern? Another question (so sorry for all the questions! Just so curious): Will a 1st generation cross of Buff Columbian + Mottled breed true if bred with another 1st gen Buff Columbian + Mottled?

 

[AndyCap]

Those are the base genes. I have seen better patterned birds with the Melanotic and mahogany genes added in too. The mottling gene pushes out the colour patterns very nicely in partridge birds and gives you a solid base for millie fluer, the columbian gene is there to arrange the patterning into a more stable look.

Here is a buff columbian with mottling. You can see that there is still more required to push out the patterning and darken up the mottling(which is why i would add mahogany, Db or Melanotic).



This is a little partridge pullet i bred mottling into, you can see the effects of mottling in arranging the patterns. Compare that with the "mille fleur" hen also from the same website and you can see that the patterning is a solid base.




Also here is a split Partridge rooster with mottling i was using for my mille project. This guy had melantoic and Db that i was trying to breed into my hens to darken up the colours a bit.



Note how the Melanotic seems to darken the mottles and neaten them up a bit more making appear to pop more.

 

[AndyCap]

Will a 1st generation cross of Buff Columbian + Mottled breed true if bred with another 1st gen Buff Columbian + Mottled?

Sorry i forgot to answer the last question. The Buff Colombian traits will breed true(assuming your Buff Colombians are pure For Pg and Co), but the mottling may not. Mottling is recessive and so will only display if the offspring are pure for it. You will be able to tell within two weeks of the chicks hatching if they are pure for mottling or not. You will get some offspring that are mottled, some that are split for mottling(wont display mottling) and some that have no mottling gene at all(wont display mottling).

Here are some pics i had from the birds crossed in my above post. You can see one pullet pure for mottling (white chest on the right) and other being split or having no mottling.


Here is an example of mottling coming in on a black male chick early on.

and finally it is very obvious when they get a little bit older by their backsides

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

Those are the base genes. I have seen better patterned birds with the Melanotic and mahogany genes added in too. The mottling gene pushes out the colour patterns very nicely in partridge birds and gives you a solid base for millie fluer, the columbian gene is there to arrange the patterning into a more stable look.

Here is a buff columbian with mottling. You can see that there is still more required to push out the patterning and darken up the mottling(which is why i would add mahogany, Db or Melanotic).

View attachment 1344532

This is a little partridge pullet i bred mottling into, you can see the effects of mottling in arranging the patterns. Compare that with the "mille fleur" hen also from the same website and you can see that the patterning is a solid base.

View attachment 1344530
View attachment 1344531

Also here is a split Partridge rooster with mottling i was using for my mille project. This guy had melantoic and Db that i was trying to breed into my hens to darken up the colours a bit.

View attachment 1344533 View attachment 1344534 View attachment 1344535

Note how the Melanotic seems to darken the mottles and neaten them up a bit more making appear to pop more.

Sorry i forgot to answer the last question. The Buff Colombian traits will breed true(assuming your Buff Colombians are pure For Pg and Co), but the mottling may not. Mottling is recessive and so will only display if the offspring are pure for it. You will be able to tell within two weeks of the chicks hatching if they are pure for mottling or not. You will get some offspring that are mottled, some that are split for mottling(wont display mottling) and some that have no mottling gene at all(wont display mottling).

Here are some pics i had from the birds crossed in my above post. You can see one pullet pure for mottling (white chest on the right) and other being split or having no mottling.
View attachment 1344553

Here is an example of mottling coming in on a black male chick early on.
View attachment 1344554
and finally it is very obvious when they get a little bit older by their backsides
View attachment 1344555

Wow, that is fascinating! Thanks so much!