Mille Cochin Info

[WestKnollAmy]

Yes, a lot like the MF d'Uccles but those are sometimes hard to achieve, as well. Those have been in the works for ages and still sometimes just do not get the correct pattern. But they have it down better than where we are in the bantam Cochins. There are several on this thread that have achieved some very close examples though.

I need to get my pattern better but I think my type is getting close to be sustainable. I use a lot of the same roos and keep crossing their daughters back to those same nice roos.

Fred, my foundation roo.....

Xavier....

Schmoozle....

Tristan.....

A nice roo I am letting go. The new owner will get a lot of really nice youngsters out of this handsome fella. I would have kept him but if someone needs a nice roo I always seem to have extras. There are some I just can't put in the freezer or sell to just anyone.

I am not going so much for pattern right now but every generation gets closer because most of the genes are there, just not totally in place yet. The type is what I want first.

 

[mjgigax]

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Nice tail width on that guy!
I have a question about hackle color - Should hens have hackles that are the same color as their backs and tails?

 

[Reyvaughn]

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I have been wondering this, too. I have seen the girls with the light body/tails and the dark red hackles and then I have seen (and have) a BC girl that has all the same buff color throughout.

 

[wwmicasa1]

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OMG Amy

If you ever tire of any & want to re-home, tell them California Sunshine is the best

 

[WestKnollAmy]

As I have said, I don't really look at color and pattern right now. I am not concerned with the specifics since I am working towards type.
My roos come out really nice but I am still battling for exceptional girls. THEN I will work on pattern and concentrate on getting the colros right. Once I have type I figure the rest will come together a lot easier. The genes are there and I have a lot of birds here to work with.

Although I must say, hackles and tail colors are not always the same on my girls. The buff Columbian is one I had show up a good bit the first few generations. Black hackles and tails gave me a fit but now that is not too bad of a problem in the MF, even though I still have a buff Columbian/MF in breeding. I go with type and am not concerned if I get chicks that aren't the right pattern.

I guess I sound like a broken record but you see what that red roo looks like and I have been breeding these birds for only a little over 2 years. Color and pattern are getting better but type is what I was really after. His wings have very nice pattern but of course, he still needs work. I am not worried as I know he carries what I need for now and his chicks will give me more of what I need. I have been hatching chicks from a Schmoozle daughter crossed to him.

Anyhow, thank you for the compliments on the red roo. I find him to be very handsome and think he will be an asset to breeding programs.

 

[mjgigax]

So far I think my girls are ahead of the boys in type. I want more cushion on the boys!

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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OMG Amy

If you ever tire of any & want to re-home, tell them California Sunshine is the best

Lynne, I expect you to have several like Schmoozle this year, if not better! He is my Mottled/MF cross and still producing so well for me I can't get rid of him. The other boys are doing well, too and I so hope to continue to get very nice roos but improve on my girls.
You know your girls are much more typy than mine! I can't seem to get mine to grow up as nice as your girls.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

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I am not sure how to get my girls any better. Although I have had a few look great but then they don't lay well and fertility is bad, no matter how I trim/pluck them. I am still working on it though. Such is the fun of a project!

 

[wwmicasa1]

Quote:
OMG Amy

If you ever tire of any & want to re-home, tell them California Sunshine is the best

Lynne, I expect you to have several like Schmoozle this year, if not better! He is my Mottled/MF cross and still producing so well for me I can't get rid of him. The other boys are doing well, too and I so hope to continue to get very nice roos but improve on my girls.
You know your girls are much more typy than mine! I can't seem to get mine to grow up as nice as your girls.

Amy, I think the girls look pretty good because I'm still using my BC girl (foundation hen) on occasion, to give me some help in the "bootie" dept.

I have once again retired her but you never know when she might have to perform again. She was my "Bridget's, Mom.

BTW, my 4 little Black Mottled chicks from you are just adorable & growing like weeds. I "still" have my fingers crossed that there are 2 & 2. Won't be too long before I can tell for sure. They are 3 weeks old tomorrow.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Awesome, Lynne! Hope those chicks give you all you ask for and more!
I keep working on the back. The girls seem to have skate board ramp back or ski slopes. The wings, toes, width of body, head and necks seem okay but I can't get a typy body on them. I understand your bringing your lady back out from retirement because she can give you such great offspring. No harm in that!

This is what I am trying to improve. I do not think this girl is as well put together as she should be. She has matured some since this photo but still isn't as nice as I would hope for and her brother is much better looking than she is.

I have a Columbian/MF girl that I keep using because I find her to be nice and typy for my program, too. She produces well and I try to hang on to all her daughters but naturally, it seems I get mostly boys from her. Her daughters are usually nice but not terrific. She was young in this photo and has a fuller bum, although still coming back from a molt right now. This is a photo from last summer.

This Schmoozle daughter, more mature than this now, is an absolute beauty in type but the darn thing won't give me many eggs. I think I have gotten 7 from her and then she stopped laying. I did not set those eggs as they were pullet eggs and I don;t like my chicks to be small and weak but I opened them and only 2 were fertile. She is 9 months old now and I hope to get more from her in the spring.

I try to hang on to all my girls and watch them grow up. You would not believe the folks that get mad at me because I won;t sell them my pretty MF girls. If I did that I would not have much of a program. I sell what I can't use and occasionally let a few go to serious breeders of what I deem nice enough to keep. I may breed a lot of Cochins but a project takes a lot of time and birds, don't you think? I don;t even show a lot of my best birds on here because I then start getting PMs about wanting them. I like to show my birds off but eggs is about all I might sell and I still set a lot of those, too.

I look forward to seeing all you produce this year, Lynne. I am so hopeful you have 2 and 2, if that is what you want. Otherwise, one roo and 3 girls is better! But you probably know what you have already.