Mille Cochin Info

[chickenlittle32]

They are beautiful Erin!

 

[Msbear]

Thanks, I think so too. I can't wait to get some offspring from them and see if the type will carry on.

My new Nikon makes everything look good, though. Merry Christmas!! Erin

 

[WestKnollAmy]

This is a wealth of information!
I have some eggs setting now that are from MF/buff Cochins to Mottled. It is good to see what I possibly could get from this. And then I will have to figure out where to go once I see those chicks. Great to see photos and hear the plans for the breeding. Thanks!

 

[BluffCountryShepherdess]

They are really beautiful, Erin!

I was wondering if there is any consensus or recommendation regarding what to cross back to if one wants to improve type in their MFC line? Would it be best to cross back to a mottled? Are there Buff Mottled? I have looked but been unable to find any. It's not something I plan on doing in the immediate future but something I've tossed about for future possibilities. I do have access to a local breeder who has some outstanding stock but is not into MFCs. I thought that he might be a good source for outcrosses if I'm strictly looking at improving type.

What do you think?

 

[Msbear]

Quote:
Nadine, these are actually from my millexbuff columbian hen so this IS the cross you will get... or something like this. I cannot wait to see pics of yours. Due to fertility I was only able to hatch out 4... very pitiful. Though Im thankful for the 4, I am still very curious as to what other possible color variations there could be. ...I have one that looks buff columbian w/white and one that looks mottled with some red and 2 chipmunky reversed golden laced something or others

..maybe there could've been some better colored ones. Good Luck!!

 

[JOSHSBANTAMS]

Hey Erin, I've got a dozen of my Mille X Tom's BuffCol in my incubator right now. I don't know if they're fertile yet but will see. I'll get you some pictures to compare if and when they hatch if you're interested in seeing them. One of the BuffCol hens has a ton of white mixed in so I'm interested to see what that does to the Mille. I'm a little worried that it might put way to much white into them but I'm going to experiment with it anyway.

 

[Msbear]

Hey Josh, looking forward to it. This is so awesome that everyone is outcrossing these birds in all different combinations. We may have started with just a handful of different lines but many are creating their own. I just love the genetic diversity.

Josh, I would think you'd have more of a problem with restricted black than excessive white. This should only be a problem in the first and maybe second generations though. I have a problem w/ that now so went for the mottled to help melanize.. we'll see what happens. If you have well-patterned birds to cross the offspring back into, you'll be making great progress.

 

[BluffCountryShepherdess]

As I understand it, the Buff Columbian (Columbian gene, specifically) will also help with the black chevrons ~ is that correct? Perhaps that would be a better cross back than a mottled for my flock in the future?

 

[Msbear]

Quote:
No. The columbian gene restricts black to just the saddle and hackle...Check out my avatar.. if you're having problems w/ lack of black, then you need to melanize.

You may be able to do this by line breeding, Im not sure... or get a jump by crossing w/ overly marked mille.

 

[BluffCountryShepherdess]

Quote:
AHhhhh.
OK, so Mottled = Melanized

So, if I DO decide to outcross, it would make more sense to do it with a mottled if I want to add more black to the breast, back and wings! My other thought regarding outcrossing is that it would enable me to introduce completely unrelated lines to improve vigor in the MFCs. I do realize that it will take several generations to get back to the MFC pattern but I feel that it would be worth it in the long run if the resulting birds are healthier. Not that the current MFC lines are not healthy ~ it's just that most are quite closely related and I think if we're going to continue to breed so closely it would benefit the Variety to outcross occassionaly.

Then again ~ I'm no expert! Heck, I'm not ever "experienced"!! This is just my random thought process regarding "my own line" of birds. I have tried mixing up the lines that I started with but most of them are related anyway ~ hence my thoughts regarding outcrossing to inject "hybred vigor".

One of the things that I love so much about this project is that each step along the way, the reulting birds are quite beautiful! From Amy's little Buff/Mottled crosses to MsBear's beautiful MF/mottled cross, they are all so very pretty!

And of course, I'm still waiting on my "Calico Cochins" to start laying so I can get to work on That project!