Minnesota!

[Minniechickmama]

Who did you get them from? They are lovely!!

 

[cochins1088]

Who did you get them from? They are lovely!!

They are from Mike Geis from Oklahoma.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I thought so! I talked to him a bit during the show and after. He sure does have some nice birds! Seems like a good guy too. He had some Mottled that were nice too but I am not looking for any more breeds or varieties right now. His White Leghorn cockerel was amazing!

 

[cochins1088]

I thought so! I talked to him a bit during the show and after. He sure does have some nice birds! Seems like a good guy too. He had some Mottled that were nice too but I am not looking for any more breeds or varieties right now. His White Leghorn cockerel was amazing!

I loved his mottled hen. She had great type! However, I didn't want to take on any more patterned varieties.

I'm thinking about crossing my best silver laced cochin bantam hen to the cockerel to see if I can improve the type of the silver laced. I'm sure that it will take many generations to bring back the correct pattern, but it's worth a try.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I loved his mottled hen. She had great type! However, I didn't want to take on any more patterned varieties.

I'm thinking about crossing my best silver laced cochin bantam hen to the cockerel to see if I can improve the type of the silver laced. I'm sure that it will take many generations to bring back the correct pattern, but it's worth a try.

That could be disastrous!
I would actually go with an SLW over the hen: hens carry over the type, roosters carry the color. Then breed back your very best to your best colored SLW. I know I had always thought to breed the big boys to get bigger birds, but it is the hens, and may have hurt myself a little. I like keeping the better type and size of both sexes though if I have them.

 

[cochins1088]

Quote:
I didn't know that, thanks for the advice! My SL roosters have horrible type, but nice patterns. If the rooster carries the color and the hen carries the type, than crossing my best patterned rooster to the black hen should give the best chance for positive results.

I originally planned to use the SL hen because she has a great pattern and decent type and I had figured that her decent type would be important. If I have enough space, I could always try it both ways. The key word is IF.

 

[Minniechickmama]

I didn't know that, thanks for the advice! My SL roosters have horrible type, but nice patterns. If the rooster carries the color and the hen carries the type, than crossing my best patterned rooster to the black hen should give the best chance for positive results.

I originally planned to use the SL hen because she has a great pattern and decent type and I had figured that her decent type would be important. If I have enough space, I could always try it both ways. The key word is IF.

Try both, keep records and I recommend toe punching to track who is who. I know it will be difficult with feather footed, but it is easier than leg banding. I do zip ties and changing them or forgetting (which I have done a few times) is not a pleasant thing. I was told about the toe punch and it is my new best friend in tracking birds. Just make sure when you switch out the roos, wait at least 3 weeks to be sure that the eggs are clean again. I am going to try not keeping my roos in the pens constantly like I have in the past. I do want to try different roosters for each breed, so I may keep them out in a separate coop and just bring them in one at a time for a 3 or 4 days each and then check eggs and hatch until it is the next rooster's turn. It is nice to chat with people who have been breeding a long time and get tips from them on how they do thing to be more successful.
Plus, if I don't leave the roo in with them constantly, they won't be bare-backed by Spring.

 

[Anirtj]

Nowthen, MN It's right next to Elk River.

 

[mnhomestead]

Is there anyone in Minnesota that has coronation Sussex? I saw an ad on craigslist for some up in the Brainerd area but I don't think my e-mails are going through! Please, if you know of someone with these birds let me know! I have had a lot of heartbreak and tears over this breed with failed eggs and dead chicks in the mail recently. I got really excited when I saw the ad and am now fretting over whether my e-mails are getting through to them

 

[Minniechickmama]

mnhomestead- your best bet is to order chicks. They are expensive but no moreso than getting dud eggs over and over. They aren't cheap to begin with, but if that is what you gotta have, then you will have to come up with the money.
Theri