Mille Cochin Info

[BluffCountryShepherdess]

Holy S#@ &, Lynne!!
Those (especially the FIRST one) are awesome!!!!

EGGS ~ I want eggs!

 

[Krys109uk]

Thanks Lynne,

I know some of my parent birds would have only had one columbian gene as they were from black mottled crosses. Some of this season's offspring must be without columbian, so I'm trying to ascertain which do not have columbian & which are just heavily melanised. I also have heavily melanised females but the number of columbian genes, or lack of, in pullets is easier to spot.

Your birds have much nicer markings than mine. I'm hoping mine will improve as they mature. Your top male photo has columbian & melanisers. The second male also has a fair bit of colour in the breast too, it appears to be more more than those of mine which I think are questionable for columbian. Has the amount of colour present these male's breasts increased with age?

If it is of any interest. I did a cross between, average to light red male onto females which are black mottled X millie colour. My helpful hens gave me just over half red offspring, but these reds are many shades darker than their red father (I think I'll use them in the red project too.

).

 

[wwmicasa1]

Krys,

I have to be very honest, I really don't have a clue about genetics.

I am getting great breast mottling (all 3 colors) on the majority of my boys. I'm just not happy with the black hackles...is that something I'm worrying too much about??? These boys are the 3rd generation of a MFC roo bred to a Buff Columbian hen. All the pullets from the first & 2nd crosses were bred back to their father to produce these cockerels.

 

[Krys109uk]

I'm just not happy with the black hackles...is that something I'm worrying too much about???

You must have picked up melanisers from the buff columbian. I think it will work itself out by selection, at least if you have the melanisers you have to reduce....logically they would be easier to reduce than to increase. Also your culls would be very helpful for people with lack of melaniser problems. From the cross described it you are unlikely to get lack of columbian, which is a far geater problem.
You have lovely birds Lynne; I wish the colour & pattern of mine could be where yours are now. Some of mine are even more melanised than yours & I also know I have a columbian gene missing in some.

 

[BluffCountryShepherdess]

Krys ~ how can you tell that the melanizer gene is missing from some of your birds?

 

[wwmicasa1]

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You must have picked up melanisers from the buff columbian. I think it will work itself out by selection, at least if you have the melanisers you have to reduce....logically they would be easier to reduce than to increase. Also your culls would be very helpful for people with lack of melaniser problems. From the cross described it you are unlikely to get lack of columbian, which is a far geater problem.
You have lovely birds Lynne; I wish the colour & pattern of mine could be where yours are now. Some of mine are even more melanised than yours & I also know I have a columbian gene missing in some.

Krys,

Thank you so much for the compliment. It means so much since you are so well versed in genetics. I will quit worrying about excessive black & just move on with the wonderful mottling on the cockerels I have.

 

[Camelot Farms]

I just had to share.... I GOT EGGS!

The trio I picked up from Amazondoc is laying.

 

[Krys109uk]

how can you tell that the melanizer gene is missing from some of your birds?

It is the columbian gene which is missing from some of mine.
First, some of mine would have to lack one or both columbian genes because they had a black mottled in their background. Black mottled does not usually have colombian genes.
Second by sight. If a male has one columbian gene one cannot easily tell by sight, but might with offspring depending upon whether the female carried one or two.
If a male has no columbian genes it will have a black mottled breast (I have not ascertained whether it might have any colour at all) most likely, if it didn't have melanisers, it would have mille fleur colour in the places where males usually have gold, but would be black mottled in parts where males are usully black.
A pullet without columbian is easier. With one columbian gene there is quite a bit of black marking on the back often in the cushion area. With no columbian it would look the colour usual for the e-allele only with mottling, most often with a black line, possibly with more black if melanised.

I always intend to get photos, it is much easier to show rather than describe. Unfortunately my skills as a photographer are so poor that it is rather offputting.

 

[KellyHM]

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Hatch those babies!!! And then send me some!

 

[pamperedpoultry]

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you lucky lucky "lovely, sweet, kind lady!! (did you hint the suckin up) LOL