Mille Cochin Info

[Msbear]

FF, that first rooster you posted is incredible.. very nice head and beautiful color. Of the teenagers, if that second photo turns out to be a pullet, she may be the best out of them all. I would almost bet the farm at this point that she is. She'll have nice type and you can see all of her chevrons coming in. very nice

Lynne, I know what you mean about pattern loss. I had it, lost it, had it again, lost it again and, hopefully, with these new boys.. I'll be able to get it back... again. It's funny how this project can bring you all the way up.. starting with incubation season when the anticipation rises with curiousity of down color at hatch time... to the constant changing of feather color during the juvenile stages. We get to see who's poofy ... and who's not and we're already pointing out our potential keepers. Then, to see them in their full glory around 7 months.. ohh... that's my favorite. That's when I bust out the nikon and do a photo shoot worth of Cosmo-Pulleton !!! ....Then, you lose that special chick.. or that special hen or rooster or you have a rough hatching season and you feel like you've lost so much ground (me this spring) It can be devastating. That's how I know I'm in it for the long haul. I've invested so much emotionally into these birds these passed 4 years, that I just can't give up. It's become my thing... like it is with you, Lynne and a lot of you on here.

Bobbi, I should have eggs at the spring swap... definitely would like to help you out.

 

[wwmicasa1]

FF, that first rooster you posted is incredible.. very nice head and beautiful color. Of the teenagers, if that second photo turns out to be a pullet, she may be the best out of them all. I would almost bet the farm at this point that she is. She'll have nice type and you can see all of her chevrons coming in. very nice

Lynne, I know what you mean about pattern loss. I had it, lost it, had it again, lost it again and, hopefully, with these new boys.. I'll be able to get it back... again. It's funny how this project can bring you all the way up.. starting with incubation season when the anticipation rises with curiousity of down color at hatch time... to the constant changing of feather color during the juvenile stages. We get to see who's poofy ... and who's not and we're already pointing out our potential keepers. Then, to see them in their full glory around 7 months.. ohh... that's my favorite. That's when I bust out the nikon and do a photo shoot worth of Cosmo-Pulleton !!! ....Then, you lose that special chick.. or that special hen or rooster or you have a rough hatching season and you feel like you've lost so much ground (me this spring) It can be devastating. That's how I know I'm in it for the long haul. I've invested so much emotionally into these birds these passed 4 years, that I just can't give up. It's become my thing... like it is with you, Lynne and a lot of you on here.

Bobbi, I should have eggs at the spring swap... definitely would like to help you out.

Nancy, I totally agree with everything Erin said regarding the first roo..AWESOME~!!!!!!! & the 2nd little pullet. Of course, I would keep everything until they go to graduate school as I don't want to throw out the baby with the bath water. I'm in the process of culling cockerels & at first I had 15 that had to go. Now I'm thinking I can hang on to 2 or 3 of them for another month to see how they mature. My gosh this is an addiction~!

Erin, I have my good days & bad with this project. However, I'm getting a better eye for "type" & pattern & "trying" to keep only the best of the best. Ironically, one of my first roos, Santiago, (now almost 4 yrs old) has the BEST pattern & type combo of all the roos I have hatched. I have retired him & now he is the leader of the house bantams complete with his own palapa here at the hacienda..


However, I have decided to put him back into service to cover Manolete's granddaughters. They have awesome type but lack good color & chevrons. Santiago is dark with an amazing pattern on his chest so I think the marriage should be great. I won't cage him again but AI so that he can continues his duties. He has such personality that I hope he passes it on to his kids.


Santiago

For those of us that are still plugging along with this project, I can see such tremendous progress in just the last year. Amy has some gorgeous birds & now I have 2 of her beautiful black mottled pullets & 2 roos. I'm going to experiment using them with some of my very light girls from Manolete. I haven't hatched at all this Summer due to heavy harvest & heat. But I'm getting the bug & hope the weather cooperates in the next few weeks so I can get this ball rolling.

Congrats to everyone on their determination to have the "best of the best". Hope I live long enough to see some of our great- great-grandkids on winners row~!

 

[Fancy Feathers]

Thank you so much Erin and Lynne for your comments. I can't take any credit for the roo, Brandon, as he comes from Twyla/Wildwood

The pullet, are you guys talking about Darcy? Yes, she is definately a keeper. She is out of my original pair, Ruby Rod and Inky, a black mottled F3 hen from Amy

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Okay, I have just had the best time reading the last 4 pages and trying to catch up!
ALL the photos of the birds are just amazing! You all are truly an inspiration!
Erin, thank you for those words of wisdom! Sometimes I just lose track of what I am doing with all my breeding pens but reading your words has helped me make some great decisions for a few of them. Always great to read the words of others that have a clear mind. I wish I could articulate so well.
And Nancy! OMG! You have some real beauties. I know you are going to have a fabulous spring with pairing, placing and hatching.
Lynne, you know I always love your birds. I agree with about Santiago! He has so much to give! Keep using him!
Everyone's birds are fantastic! There are too many pages for me to respond about how much fun and delight in reading and seeing the photos. I seriously feel like I need to get out and snap some photos now!

Here are 2 photos from the keeper pen the other day....




And finally a Calico! She is 6 months old.



I have a lot more girls but getting photos is more difficult for me. I have to lay on my stomach and at my age I don't get back up well. I have never mastered the art of putting them in a box and getting good photos. Mine jump out or fly off or jump around. So I just go in the tractor or pen and lay down. However, I then wind up with chickens on my head, back or in my face. Cochins are cool!

 

[wwmicasa1]

Quote:

 

[Msbear]

What a small world. I thought that bird looked familiar. It's the head and the feather quality which came from Cochinman here on BYC.. though a few generations removed. I sent this (below) cockerel to Twyla last year and a buff columbian male that looked similar to this guy (below).. .and I'll bet one is the baby daddy .. Here's a little side by side. Twyla has definitely done well with them. That roo is really something. Keep him safe this winter!

This is the pullet I was referring to. She's going to be fantastic.



Lynne and Amy... both looking really good. I've always loved Santiago Love seeing all of your photos!!

 

[dajen]

New to chickens and new to Cochins. Here are a few pictures of my bantams. From what I was told they should be around 6 months now. None are laying as of yet. Critic away....

 

[Fancy Feathers]

Erin, I don't think Monet is Brandon's father, maybe the buff columbian? Twyla will have to answer that one.. Monet is the father, I think, to all 3 of the pullets I got from her, so that means that he is the grandfather to this little pullet!

 

[Fancy Feathers]

New to chickens and new to Cochins. Here are a few pictures of my bantams. From what I was told they should be around 6 months now. None are laying as of yet. Critic away....

Pretty birds, decent pattern to start with, you certainly have something you can work with!



Quote: Thanks Amy Gorgeous girls, as always.

 

[dajen]

Pretty birds, decent pattern to start with, you certainly have something you can work with!

Thank you. Where can I find info on correct patterning?