Mille Fleur Cochin project, F1 update pix

[SGM]

Your project is well under way! Can't wait to see the end results when you get your milles! Good luck! Gorgeous chicks!!!

 

[tadkerson]

Quote:
What is the next step in your breeding regimen?

Tim

 

[Msbear]

Bantyman, you know Im lurking on this page checkin out a mille project.
Got my eye on you too!

 

[onthespot]

Quote:
I plan to take F1 pullets back to the mille fleur`cochin father bird. I also plan to keep back one or two cockerels if they show good cochin phenotype, attractive combs, sound feet and legs, good temperament and decent markings. It/they maybe useful in later crosses on pullets resulting from crosses of this batch back on their father.

I also am working out trading eggs with others who are working on the mille fleur cochin project to vastly widen my gene pool. Every person I have been contacted by have gotten their milles directly or indirectly from Ralph. There are several people also working on this, and they have already acquired high quality show type birds in buff, mottled, columbian and mille crossed birds, from breeders like Tom Roebuck, Jamie Matts, Judy Gant (sp) and other well known breeders of show quality cochins.

My mottled cochins are not show quality but they have a gerneralized hardiness, fertility, strong eggs and other traits that are sometimes lost in generations of show breeding and will be an asset as a way to transport genes around the country and inject initial hardiness and "toughness" into the project at this time.

Any and all suggestions from you and other experts will be most welcome and appreciated. Thanks for all the help you have extended already. Any who are already working on mille fleur cochins and are interested in egg swaps, please do PM me so we can start trading!

 

[spook]

Wow, this is such an interesting site. I am just getting into the Cochin's, don't know that I'm into showing or developing a "line" but this is a work of passion.
This summer I had 3 Cochin with the vulture look- interesting as I couldn't imagine what they would grow up to look like with that band of feathers. Its great that I ran across your explanation! Thanks!!!
Also Great that your sharing your knowledge.
Kel

 

[Melilem]

I have some millies from Ralph, you don't have to worry about vulture hocks... they will grow out of it. I have had cochins (not Ralphs, I got those in May) for many years, and the little ones always look like they have vulture hocks. I am getting some with what appears to be a slight wry tail with Ralph's birds though. The type on these birds isn't show quality (as in, no obvious flaws, but no comparison to the stunning birds I got from Karl Rau), but I have some mottleds from Karl Rau for improvement. I spoke to Ralph in person and he swore up and down that he did not use d'uccles in his breeding program. The type is so different between the two breeds, I believe him. He said he has been working on the variety for 8 years. Ive hatched out around 100 this summer, they all look very much like cochins.

 

[onthespot]

Hi Milliem, I have heard that Ralph swears he did not use D'uccles, but I still STRONGLY suspect someone did, maybe whoever he got his from, generations back, as these birds have such upright, tall necks, drooping wing tips, two sickles that stand up from the cusion, long, hard feet feathering, longer and harder than most cochins.

Personally I don't care if he used genetically modified baboon DNA. I absolutely LOVE my boy. Other than two of his feathers stand up just a half inch above the rest of his tail, His tail is straight as an arrow and nice and cushy! His feet are great, his markings are acceptable to me at this stage of the game and I will be forever thankful to Ralph for making these available to all of us. That man deserves a medal!

THANK YOU RALPH!

Bantyman, you are still on the list, but only one pullet is laying right now. She is my favorite, but her eggs are kind of narrow.

 

[bantyman]

Hey Patty

Still anxious about getting those eggs and still waiting on pins and needles Im as excited as the proverbial duck after a june bug

You will get some of my millies back

Hey Melissa

Your boy is looking better all the time He has some black starting to come in Cant wait to see what his final color is going to be Again thank you

Mike

 

[Msbear]

Hey Bantyman

If you have a list, please put me on it. Im getting mottleds this Friday! Im thrilled and am going to take the buff columbian route. I would love to cross a few back to yours and kinda jump start my stock.

Onthespot, I'd love eggs from you as well but I've noticed you're from CA. I've shipped eggs to GA and they did ok...anything farther than that, did horribly. Two people had 0% hatches. They were also very young hens so maybe that could've been part of the problem. Im replacing one order in the spring but have found out how stressful long trips are.

Maybe I can eventually mix in some of that blood once it travels across the country but not quite yet.

 

[SGM]

I'd like to be on both your lists too. Bantyman I think I'm on your list for mille eggs right? I just love my cochins!!!! I can't wait to start hatching eggs from my birds.