Mille Cochin Info

[Fancy Feathers]

Amy those frizzle chicks are fantastic!

 

[Fancy Feathers]

That is a shame. Did they move on from the forum or quit the project?

As far as I know some not breeding at all, some have moved on to other varieties or breeds. This is a daunting project getting the type to come together with the correct pattern and color. You concentrate too much on one and totally lose the other... Getting it all to come together is a real challenge.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

To me it seems like a fun way to distract me from my "all too serious" breeding of Langshans. Langshans are my life but every so often you have to take a break and look at another bird or you'll go insane! What better way to lose yourself than to get started in a new variety like this!

I so look forward to your birds to start breeding! I am so excited about them! They are gonna be a great start!

 

[Chickengirl47]

Yes, Fancy Feathers plz post pictures of your new baby!!!

 

[ShysCreations]

Thank you.
As far as I know Lynne has been breeding the MF Cochins the longest. There are not many breeders who started this project - or who were there at the beginning - who are still around; Erin and maybe Shy?














Edited for grammar. sheesh.

 

[wwmicasa1]

Here's a summer hatch cockerel, not yet breeding. He needs more chevrons. I'd like to see him with more mass in the tail. Funny, his sisters have better body type but darn if I can produce an MFC roo with good type. Maybe matched to some nicely typed hens he'll throw some keepers.

This is a split pullet 1/2 mottled 1/2 MFC
Hoping these 2 pullets help put in chevrons & continue to better the type.

Slowly trucking along with the MFC....

Shylee,

With all the different topics that have been discussed in the last few days, I totally neglected to comment on your post. I think your boy as serious possibilities & I "love" your 1/2 & 1/2 girl. The mottled has certainly added to type & pattern. I have to thank Amy for pointing that out to me over a year ago & encouraging me to go that route. I will have my first babies for that cross hatching on Christmas Eve & New Years Eve. I hope I have as good a luck as you did with your girl. I seem to have no problems in type with my girls but getting that into the boys has certainly been a struggle. Thanks so much for sharing your pics.

 

[Fancy Feathers]

I agree Shylee I absolutely love it when you post. I so look forward to your pictures

 

[Msbear]

Hey everyone, I am hatching like crazy right now. I had a nasty bout with cocci last year too. I didn't understand what was going on for a good bit and lost a lot of chicks.. so depressing so, I plugged in in the dead of winter to drive myself crazy in a game of catch up. It was interesting reading back some of these pages. The reason I wasn't suspecting cocci was because my chicks were indoors on shavings and not exposed to ground. Some pens were affected, some were not. I would take sick ones out and then more would come up sick. I was using medicated starter and started them on antibiotics then switched to corrid but, didn't see and results (I think the chicks were too far gone) so I switched back to the antibiotic. ..anyway, it was devastating the amount of babies I lost. Im so happy I got an early start this year. Cool temps and new shavings and medicated feed have me with bouncing little fluff butts! I'll get some pics today.

As for the great d'uccle battle, I definitely have something to say about that!

#1 Ebay, isn't where I would search for a reputable breeder so please don't consider that a valid source. Many folks on there are just egg sellers and aren't concerned with breeding quality but, rather quantity. They see something take off (like MFC) and they run with it! ...muffs and all. LOL

#2 Many don't realize how easy it is to create MFC. There really is no need for d'uccle. It's actually a HUGE waste of time. The harsh remnants of d'uccle will be clearly visible for a good decade. By simply crossing mottled to buff columbian (both varieties can be found rather easily in the US) you will have decent colored birds in just a few years. Breed dark to light and you'll get there.

#3 Anyone who has any sense would do a tiny bit of research when starting their program and select the best stock available.. BUT, with MFC there has been this rush of folks purely interested in yard candy. They don't even want a roo.. just some cute speckled pullets with feathered feets to love on. This has caused the flood of proud pics of their backyard beauties that may not be up to snuff and sheds a negative light on the entire project.

Rodriguez, I am not against stirring the pot and think Im rather good at it myself .. it's just we've heard this song before and it hits a sour note to those who have spent much longer than a year and a half working on them. Split wing, split breast, squirrel tail are all things that need to be battled but breeding to other birds who are similar won't help. I suggest buying from a show breeder either some mottled or buff columbian and heal your flock. Or better yet, buy a pair of each and start fresh. That way there is no one to blame

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Wow! All the beauties on here!

To see how far it all has come in the last 3 1/2 years since I got started is a real thrill. I could not have done all that I have without the support and encouragement from everyone, especially Lynne! She certainly has been a great cheering section! And a fantastic role model in what to look for in the birds.
Anyone that has read any of my posts knows I breed for type first. Select for type first, then color and pattern and it should all come together. I hate to sound like a broken record but we have to get these birds in front of the public at some point and without type there isn't much use to put them in a show.
A judge may remark on pattern but without type there isn't much use to have that pattern, even once accepted into the standard we could not move forward in this variety without that awesome type as we see on whites, blacks and Mottleds.

And then after type, we have to work on those hard feathers. Cochins have to be fluffy, those feathers should not lay tight to the body. That is another reason I breed in so much of my MF/Mottleds.
I look in my breeding pen with Xavier and his 8 MF/Mottled hens and pullets. I see his feathering laying close to his body and the girls mostly have those light fluffy appearance and hope that my birds from this cross give me something to work with.

I think I will start selling a lot of my kids that do have the tight feathering. If not, then I will wind up breeding gorgeous birds that still would not be competitive. Oh, my........That is a LOT of my birds. Oh my!

 

[Chickengirl47]

Msbear, I can't wait until you post pictures of your new babies!!!