Mille Cochin Info

[WestKnollAmy]

I noticed that, too!
I tried to be careful how I pulled the wing out but it was obvious on both of these girls that no matter how I pulled it out the fault was on the white one. I could manipulate the white one to where it wasn't as noticeable but the MF/Mottled girl could not be moved around enough to make it appear split or weak.


Hey, I am all for calling it a weak wing and do look her over on occasion to see if anything has changed.

She is beautiful but I have a few others I can use so I am just holding and petting her and letting her enjoy life. I will check again around Christmas and hope something has changed enough to put her in breeding. I have only one roo that I think may help her unless something growing up is better.

Thanks for joining our conversation. We love all the input. That is how we learn and we do value everyone's opinion!

 

[Reyvaughn]

I am so itching to get my hands on some Mottled and Buff Columbians so I can start working on my own! The trio I got from Erin (Msbear) is a good start (at least I like them), but I have so much improving to do. I should have bid on your last auction, Amy. They would have been lovely mottleds to get going with. I am having issues getting my hands on buff Columbians though. Can anyone point me in the right direction there?

 

[WestKnollAmy]

If you want eggs I think I know where I can get some more.

I have one buff Columbian pullet that popped out from breeding my MFCs. I like her well enough to hang on to her and put her back with either Schmoozle or my new Tristan. I think she came out of Xavier and his mom but would have to go back into my notes to be sure.
Granted, she isn't a pure buff Columbian but I think I can use her some.

She is 6 months old in this photo.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Great discussion on the split wings! Along these lines, it's also very important to remind everyone that tries to feather-sex their chicks - you can do real damage to the wings if you're not careful - especially at that young critical age. ANY improper handling of the chicks can cause wing damage.

 

[Reyvaughn]

Quote:
Really? Where? LOL, j/k. I've been watching the Hatching Eggs forum like a hawk.
I was hoping to get Buff Columbian eggs from Covered Bridge Farm in MD. I won her egg auction on eBay, but I didn't get any. Plus, this hatch has been nothing but miserable failure. Day 23 and no chicks - we had temp issues and a 5hr power outage I was praying they made it through. It doesn't look good.

 

[Msbear]

Hey Rey. I borrowed a really nice BC male to improve my birds this year and also bought two mature breeding hens. I sold the hens when I was finished with them but, have a few birds from that trio. I think I have two males and one female left. I also have a better option for you.. is a buff columbian X black mottled cockerel that is gorgeous. These males look almost all BC but they have white tips. The type is the same as the BC.. maybe even a bit better because of adding the nice mottled into the mix and you're one generation away from getting decently colored birds instead of starting all over with BC

This guy is only about 4 months old

I also have a couple black mottled looking girls that have some brassiness... I would take one of those too to help with breast flowers.

 

[Reyvaughn]

Oh, Erin. How you tempt me. I need a darker female for Milton, and darker male for Millie and Mildred - like the first boy you posted on page 333. That boy you just posted is pretty, too. I need to get new pics of my three. Millie has gotten more buff and one of them has some chest flowers - I think Millie. Milton is so pretty, too. Well, I am no expert, but like I said, I like them. A lot. I don't know how close to type they are though...

 

[jbear]

Quote:

I don't know

I don't know what makes that wing different than:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/31162_33115_wspec.jpg


Not trying to be a brat - just trying to understand.

What is the difference between a weak wing and split wing?


Does the "split" go further up the feather shaft - toward the wing bone? Is there something physical that can be felt - like a twisted bone for example? Is a split wing MISSING the axial feather?

Thank you for entering into this discussion/learning session.

I THINK the picture is just making the axial very clear.. if you look at a 'normal' wing, it is very fan like.. a 'weak' wing is not missing anything, nor is a split wing a physical defect, or missing any feathers. I took some pictures just now.. BUT my regular computer is "in the shop" so I will post some pictures next week? I have a hen (not a cochin) with a split wing, that I was unaware of until she was DQ'd at a show... embarrassing! lol! and some cochins with weak wings. What it looks like to me on the weak wings is there is just too much gap between the primaries and secondaries, because of the way the feathers point at that division. A split wing is divided ALL the way up to the bow, and in the weak wing.. there is still SOME fan left? .

 

[jbear]

i also have to say... looking at all of your BEAUTIFUL birds makes me miss my Mille's something FIERCE~

 

[Msbear]

Your birds are "split for type" .. my own made up saying. One parent was nice typed and one was nice patterned but, lacked type. What I have noticed is that no offspring from that crossing has been much better than the poorer typed parent and, therefore, is hardly worth doing the out-cross. You can't go back to the poor bird for color and lose everything you've gained.. or you have to cross back for type which lose most of the pattern you retained.

Your birds will fill out more and may be better than many out there but, not by much at all. And, that mottled looking male may look OK but, he is about as filled out as he will get and your birds certainly wouldn't benefit from him.

It all boils down to what your personal goal is. Garden pretty? Garden pretty with a tendency toward some sort of ultimate goal but without any real drive? or do you want to help get these birds recognized by having show quality stock that would impress an APA judge? There is no wrong answer but, it just dictates which move you should make next.

I am rather impulsive and impatient so.. to achieve my goal and, at the same time appease myself, I have multiple projects going on within the same goal. I want show quality type and, I cannot get there without using show quality birds... period. I have culled out all of my first breeders so that I am not tempted to cross back but, am keeping a couple of those "split for types" in case I back myself into a corner down the road pattern-wise and I can treat myself to some yard candy at the same time. The majority of my focus is now with the nice typed birds who lack very much pattern at all. I do have plenty more prospects on the ground and a full incubator

as my girls just started back up again. I have noticed a few of these young ones showing more promise than the older ones so, I think it really is just a matter of hatch a hundred or so to keep a few. I believe it would be near impossible to do a project like this and hatch anything less than 50 birds a year.

eta: didn't mean to make things seem so glum. I would get a nice pair and cross your birds to that pair. like a mottled looking hen to your roo and a BC roo to your hens or visa versa. You could also cross the two nice typed birds together then, cull out the starters or retire them to garden duty and work with the next generation and put them back to the nice typed birds.