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Rebecca,
I assume you are using heavily tufted and bearded Americauna Males? If this is the case you will likely get more than 1/2 of teh First generation tufted and bearded, Feather legs is a Dominant trait so using cochin all offspring will be feather legged.
Now based on how strong the Blue/green egg selection was in the background of teh Americaunas you are using you will likely get some F1 pullets that will lay a green egg. Keep only thise pullets that lay a green egg and are bearded and tufted.
For your second generation birds I would establish 2-3 pens.
Year 2
Pen 1 Headed by an Americauna Rooster and 5-6 Green egg laying, Bearded, tufted F1 Pullets. This pen will strengthen the egg color genetics, Beards, Tufts. Select from here only birds that remain Bearded, Tufted, feather Legged, and lay Green Eggs. Hopefully you will get a Male from this pen that meets these characteristics.
This pen is primarily for a Male, with 90% of your desired traits but needs to have Beard, Tufts, and feathered leggs. Leg feathering may be weak from this pen some will be very well feathered and some not at all.
Pen 2 Headed by a F1 male, and 4-6 F1 Pullets. This mating is for Body shape, and Feather confirmation. All males should be discarded as not all will carry the genes for teh Blue Green egg and you will know if they do or not until they are breed to something and it is raised and starts laying. Using Males from here could ruin teh entire project.
Select from this pen only females that demonstrate the body type, feather type, traits you are looking for, wait for the to begin laying keep only those that meet all your criteria, body shape, size, beards, tufts, egg color.
Year 3
Male from Pen 1 x females from Pen 2.
Egg color will not get lost if only Blue / Green eggs are set to hatch. Body shape will begin to take form but you will see some for the next 5-8 years that varry from your desires.
the Birds will respond very well to the selection process, and wil turn into what ever you select for over a period of time. 1 sacrifice in the breeding pen could ruin teh entire project.