Mille fleur bantam cochin spangled pekin project

[Willawong Hill]

Finally update time for me! I set a dozen eggs earlier this month, unfortunately only 3 made it to lockdown and two of those hatched so we have some babies! I have some more under a broody hen at my aunt and uncles that should hatch in a couple of days too. I see the red in Miras comb, but it is still pretty small so you never know. I guess it's been another month now so maybe you know for sure? Anyway here's little red with her two adopted babies that are getting called pip and pop for now.

 

[Fluffer Butters]

Thank you for the invite to this group.
Mom was a Blue Calico
Dad was a Blue Mille Fleur
From what I’m reading Blue is not part of the Mille Fleur color pattern. I appreciate any feedback

 

[Birdie2019]

Thank you for the invite to this group.
Mom was a Blue Calico
Dad was a Blue Mille Fleur
From what I’m reading Blue is not part of the Mille Fleur color pattern. I appreciate any feedback

There can be a blue version. There is original black standard, blue (a dilute of black), and chocolate (also an offset of black).
here are some example pics (blue and chocolate from Chelsey’s Chickens, standard from mine):
Blue:

chocolate:
Standard:

All these are basically the same thing. Same base color, white dipping, and pattern. The black chevron separating the white and buff, however, can be changed into any of these colors.
“Honorable mentions” is Porcelain, which is the standard MF color plus the lavender gene. Here are some Porcelain Duccles courtesy of google:

Same pattern, completely different color. It’s gorgeous.
Also, I would love to see some pics of your stock, the chicks’ parents.

Finally update time for me! I set a dozen eggs earlier this month, unfortunately only 3 made it to lockdown and two of those hatched so we have some babies! I have some more under a broody hen at my aunt and uncles that should hatch in a couple of days too. I see the red in Miras comb, but it is still pretty small so you never know. I guess it's been another month now so maybe you know for sure? Anyway here's little red with her two adopted babies that are getting called pip and pop for now.

I’m so happy for you! Even if they didn’t all hatch, at least you still have some. Little Red is so adorable. I hope for you that those other chicks hatch as well.
I am still battling egg production issues, but it has been suggested a few ways to fix it and I am in the process of treating it. Mira is looking a lot like a cockerel right now, but I am still happy to have him here.
I know hatch day never gets old. Best wishes!

 

[Fluffer Butters]

Thank you for the invite to this group.
Mom was a Blue Calico
Dad was a Blue Mille Fleur
From what I’m reading Blue is not part of the Mille Fleur color pattern. I appreciate any feedback

Below are the parents of my original post. I reuploaded the chicks as well

 

[Fluffer Butters]

I also have these 2 hatched in May 2021. I apologize for all of the pictures. They are both so sweet.

 

[Birdie2019]

The hen mom of the chicks doesn’t look very MF to me. But because you bred her to a MF, look for the chicks who end up with a color more like the male’s. I like your black pullet in the second post. Breed her to the dad from the first and you may get some nice chicks (color wise, not looking at type). Pretty much everyone is lacking in type. I haven’t seen a bird good in both, but that’s what we’re working on here. For you, the breeding that I suggested is probably the best to do. Remember, a Cochin Bantam type is like this:

(this is one of my young pullets at, I was told, around 11 weeks old). But we are far from anything like this, as this is a Black and obviously one of the most developed colors of all the Cochin Bantams. Anyone showing a short back, large cushion, round head, and good shape are valuable. The best typed MF I’ve ever had make it to maturity is this:

But he usually doesn’t look this good. It’s just a good photo of him. Really, it would be good to breed a show quality Mottled (Black or Blue) to this boy to make better shaped (and colored) babies. It’s just a process of years to see any improvement upon color.

Anyways, I am absolutely loving all the pics. Keep em coming! Everyone’s projects are going nicely. It’s great to see all the different place’s birds. Where are you, @Fluffer Butters ? I am in the states- Florida and I know @Willawong Hill is in Australia. It’s always nice to have someone near by in case something goes wrong. Even now, it’s great to see what’s going on with this project in other parts of the world.
Good luck guys!

 

[Birdie2019]

I also have these 2 hatched in May.

May I also add that these guys are great in color. Yes, the chevrons are too big, but nice base color and you actually have lots of flowers. The most important part in breeding these guys, according to some other MF breeders, is the flowers on the male’s breast, so nice job there.
My line is definitely lacking in that aspect.

 

[Fluffer Butters]

The hen mom of the chicks doesn’t look very MF to me. But because you bred her to a MF, look for the chicks who end up with a color more like the male’s. I like your black pullet in the second post. Breed her to the dad from the first and you may get some nice chicks (color wise, not looking at type). Pretty much everyone is lacking in type. I haven’t seen a bird good in both, but that’s what we’re working on here. For you, the breeding that I suggested is probably the best to do. Remember, a Cochin Bantam type is like this:
View attachment 2849828
(this is one of my young pullets at, I was told, around 11 weeks old). But we are far from anything like this, as this is a Black and obviously one of the most developed colors of all the Cochin Bantams. Anyone showing a short back, large cushion, round head, and good shape are valuable. The best typed MF I’ve ever had make it to maturity is this:
View attachment 2849829
But he usually doesn’t look this good. It’s just a good photo of him. Really, it would be good to breed a show quality Mottled (Black or Blue) to this boy to make better shaped (and colored) babies. It’s just a process of years to see any improvement upon color.

Anyways, I am absolutely loving all the pics. Keep em coming! Everyone’s projects are going nicely. It’s great to see all the different place’s birds. Where are you, @Fluffer Butters ? I am in the states- Florida and I know @Willawong Hill is in Australia. It’s always nice to have someone near by in case something goes wrong. Even now, it’s great to see what’s going on with this project in other parts of the world.
Good luck guys!

Thank you so much for the feedback! I have fallen in love with this breed. I started with a rooster 2 years ago, he protected his ladies and lost the battle. Since then I’ve been researching and piecing together what is/is not. What I have discovered is there are many different perspectives of what is and is not. Chicks being sold as Mille Fleur but not really true to the breed standard. I don’t know if that makes any sense. I’m in Michigan

 

[Willawong Hill]

Yes mille fleur is still new so there s a way to go before it all gets set in stone. Congrats on your new hatches @Fluffer Butters it will be interesting to see how they grow out. The older two are certainly getting there with the colour, overmarked if anything which is a problem I have on some of mine, the others are undermarked- if it's not one thing it's the other. I agree @Birdie2019 that Mira is looking rather masculine these days. It's always nice to have backups though. Have you tried your rooster with any of the other colours yet to see what you hatch type wise?

 

[Birdie2019]

Hope everyone’s projects are going all right and chicks are growing nicely. Just some information here from FL in my program is I’ve been reading up a lot on the defects, disqualifications, and correct type for Cochin Bantams in the APA standard. Upon closer look on my MFCB, I think they all have what is called “vulture hocks”, a serious disqualification. Casey is still being treated, but I’m unsure she’ll ever lay a single egg ever again. Instead of starting fresh, I think it would be best to get a nicely typed Mottled (frizzled for an added bonus) Cochin Bantam to add to this program. Good thing is, the breeder I got my show quality Cochin Bantams from also has Mottleds, but she is not currently selling any of the hens yet. I wouldn’t expect her to until spring, but it’s great to have her in mind. It will be many years to fix the color which is pretty good now, but for the sake of type, it’s the best I can do. Little Mira is getting older, but he is developing so slowly at 15 weeks old. He still has some fuzz on his head. Though things are going slowly for this project, everything else is smooth sailing at this farm.
a few week old picture for good measure. Mira is on right, in back are Cashew and Casey (losing feathers wherever they go, crazy birds).