Mille fleur bantam cochin spangled pekin project

[Willawong Hill]

Hi all
Since the old thread stopped I thought I'd start a new one for everyone working on this project around the world- hence the multiple names in the tittle. Please introduce your chickens and show us all where you're up to. I'm only just starting with a recently purchased quad. Looking to start breeding in spring here is Australia. This is my rooster, Gregory Peck

I also have a hen, little red, from the same breeder.

And two pullets. The lighter Millie is from the same breeder and the darker Peggy s the only egg I managed to hatch out of 23 from various breeders.

So that s a start. @Birdie2019 And @AngBantamLuv And anyone else working on the project please feel free to join in!

 

[gootziecat]

I'd say you have a great start. They are lovely.

 

[Painted Calls]

Super jealous! If I ever get to breeding them again I'll be looking you up for eggs. They are gorgeous!

 

[Willawong Hill]

Thanks! I'm I Australia though so post might be a bit tricky. I'd still love your opinion on base colour and shape. Do you think the lighter buff or more mahogany colour is more correct?

 

[Painted Calls]

Oh no!

I can't see feet, and profile shots (from the side) are more helpful... But the more buff colored bird appears more correct.

 

[Willawong Hill]

Gregory peck definitely has pinkish feet, but peggys are a nice yellow. I do need to get some better pics once theyve finished their moult, millie in particular is missing some feathers but little red has a better shape still. I know Peggy hatched out dark brown with chipmunk stripes so I'm guess she at least isn't Wheaton based.

 

[Painted Calls]

Gregory peck definitely has pinkish feet, but peggys are a nice yellow. I do need to get some better pics once theyve finished their moult, millie in particular is missing some feathers but little red has a better shape still. I know Peggy hatched out dark brown with chipmunk stripes so I'm guess she at least isn't Wheaton based.

Which one is Peggy?

 

[Willawong Hill]

Peggy is the darker pullet. The one on the right in the pic of the two and also looking quizzically at the camera.

 

[Birdie2019]

Hello. Glad a new one was started. Hope it blows up, just like the old one did.

I got my first chicks from a farm here in Florida, and this is the pair that was their parents:

I was just starting with chickens and didn’t know about chicken type/breeding/the MF color itself. I referred to these guys as Calico, yet they were Millie Fleur. We purchased a trio and after we lost one free ranging, we took the pair and bred them. They are wheaten based.

And though these guys (and their parents) had bad type, you can tell they were hiding something a tad bit better underneath because I got a nice pair out of them before the hen passed away. (We tried breeding the hen to this rooster above but it didn’t work due to issues on both sides.) Introducing Cashew (cock) and Casey (pullet)

I love Cashew’s type. If you take the first rooster and compare him to Cashew, you wouldn’t even think they’re related. (Maybe you would, but he’s improved a lot!)

I know that’s a lot to process, but Cashew and Casey are the most important to remember. I know I’m bad with names, so it will take me a bit to put a name to face (for both people AND chickens), but I’ll figure it out. So glad we got a new thread going

 

[Birdie2019]

Do you think the lighter buff or more mahogany colour is more correct?

Your lighter buff, Millie is a tad too light for me. She’s a little desaturated and if you compare to the D’uccles, you can see the difference. I, personally, would like to stay away from the dark browns of Peggy and mixing wheaten x partridge based as partridge has an undesired color/smutty feather pattern, but many people have done good with that base. It evenly spreads the followers more throughout the feathers.
On the other hand, Little Red looks absolutely amazing! She has the best type of the three, best flowering IMO, plus the correct base color. She will probably make you your best babies, but because you are just starting out (and need to increase numbers), still hatch eggs from all hens. Make sure to cull for type because if you have color, type is nothing.

Just to add something: I may be wrong, I may be right. It’s just my opinion and each has their own.