Update! New Pics~Baby Doll Cochins! My 3 year project is hatching the final Pure Bred generation ton

[BunnyMomma]

Any member is of course free to start a new thread at any time.
Cochins have major cuteness factors going for them already, I can definitely see these little guys being a hit for hobbyists in the backyard. Very happy that temperament is a major factor for you, so those baby dolls can match their name in personality. I may have missed them, but are there any photos of adults? I can't wait to see those! I love project birds...including he muttiest of mutts. I think it is so positively neat to see people trying to breed towards a goal, whether to fit a personal need or desire in a bird, or to appeal to a wider audience. Think these guys have wide range appeal. <3

Hi punk-a-doodle,
There are pics of the adults on my website that show comparison photos of my "Baby Dolls" next to my regular sized bantam cochins. There are close ups of their faces as well.
http://www.hensandfriends.webs.com
I'm going to try to get some photos taken and posted of the offspring from the parents "Levi and Rachel". They are very small, and in fact I think they are going to be even smaller than Levi and Rachel. It is too early to tell what they will weigh. I haven't weighed them yet, but they are as cute as can be. I am really happy with the body types I am getting on the hens especially. Some of the roosters still have a bit of work to do on feather color distribution and some other small details. All in all, I am really tickled at the way they are maturing. Their personality is very sweet as well.
Thanks for looking at my babies! Here is the close-up of Levi and Rachel. I'll post another photo in this thread to show the comparison to the regular bantam cochins. There are a couple of other hens with Levi also. Renea and Lisa. They look like Rachel.
Jody

 

[BunnyMomma]

I couldn't get the other photo to fit in the last reply. Here is the photo that shows Levi and Rachel beside of Emilio, who was the foundation rooster for my Baby Doll project. I placed a quart jar of colored water inside the cage, so that you could have something by which to judge the size of the birds. Rachel would not hold still for the shoot! I don't think they are too shabby! Levi loves to get a bath. I gave them a bath before I took these pictures. They really enjoyed it. It was a first for me giving a chicken a bath. Hehe! They are in a little wagon I built from storage bin panels from Big Lots. The panels are 14.5 inches square and put together with zip ties. I attached the cage to a metal frame with wheels that is used for shelving units. They make great temporary show and tell pens. They were easy to build.

 

[BunnyMomma]

Well, these birds are not bantam cochins.....and they are not LF cochins.

I guess they would be considered a totally new breed.

Which means their acceptance by the APA would mean a totally separate standard.....

Quite a lifelong project.

Hi, That is exactly what I am thinking too. I've been keeping very good records about the birds. From what I have read about having this breed recognized, I would need to write a standard to have the birds judged by. The ABA states: there must be a minimum of 25 birds in each variety to be qualified within the new breed, exhibited in 4 classes (hen,cock, cockerel, pullet) by a minimum of 5 breeders.
There are a lot more requirements as well. Including having affidavits from the 5 breeders that they have bred the breed for not less than 5 years and that it produces not less than 50% of all specimens reasonably true to type, color, size and comb. These are just some of the basic requirements.
Lifelong project indeed! I will definitely be an old lady by the time this might take place. But it will be a fun journey!

You can read more about this at: http://www.apa-abayouthpoultryclub.org/Edu_Material/Adding_Breeds_Varieties_to_Standards.pdf

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Why would Silkie and bantam breeders need to know this? They are busy with their own projects and showing their beautiful award winning birds. This is my project. I don't really think that all the Silkie and Cochin breeders across the country are sitting up at night racking their brains over how I accomplished this!

The people that are interested in my "Baby Doll Cochins will be buying them as pairs and trios, and will be using them for garden pets, breeding stock, and working on the project with a group of other "Baby Doll" enthusiasts. I am going into my 4th year with this project and it would be a step backwards for other breeders to start where I did and work for 3 to 4 years to get to this point. It would be a costly and time consuming venture. It would be more cost effective for them to just acquire a pair or trio to begin with.

Example: I purchased some Foley Line BLRW's early this year. I appreciate the immense amount of work has already been done by other breeders to bring the BLRW project this far. I would never dream to start my own line of BLRW's, since I could enjoy raising some fine birds that have been bred by a knowledgeable breeder. I am happy to have the opportunity to own such nice birds.

It is very similar to a cake recipe. Even if I gave you the recipe,(and I'm not going to do that, by the way) the ingredients that another baker uses, might not give the same results. Most people do not ask how to accomplish a project like this in such a short amount of time.The majority of people that I talk to about this just appreciate the work that I have done.
~Jody

It is my opinion that you missed the whole point of Casey's earlier post. As a fellow Cochin breeder I can say nothing you have done with your breeding helps anyone in any variety or breed except Birchen Cochins. If someone wants smaller whites, blacks, partridge, ect. you can't and apparently won't help us. You are correct that we are not sitting up racking our brains over this. Yes everyone would be 4-5 years behind you if what you do works on other varieties. I talk so straight I can get kicked off for speaking the truth so I am filtering it.. Casey was telling the truth about some show line birds getting too large and that we would like to shrink them back to the SOP. We are not trying to steal your thunder but to help the birds.
Craig

 

[BunnyMomma]

It is my opinion that you missed the whole point of Casey's earlier post. As a fellow Cochin breeder I can say nothing you have done with your breeding helps anyone in any variety or breed except Birchen Cochins. If someone wants smaller whites, blacks, partridge, ect. you can't and apparently won't help us. You are correct that we are not sitting up racking our brains over this. Yes everyone would be 4-5 years behind you if what you do works on other varieties. I talk so straight I can get kicked off for speaking the truth so I am filtering it.. Casey was telling the truth about some show line birds getting too large and that we would like to shrink them back to the SOP. We are not trying to steal your thunder but to help the birds.
Craig

There is no reason to be gettin' your feathers all ruffled Craig! Dear Lord! I can't believe you are asking for my help? After all of the snide remarks you both have made about my cute little chickies! I do understand that some show lines of birds are getting too large and you would like to shrink them back to the SOP. I WILL try to help you, however, if you and Casey would be a little bit nicer it would certainly be appreciated. I've made my apologies both publicly and privately to you both (about the mistake I made) and neither of you would consider forgiving me and putting my dumb mistake in the past. Now, you are both stomping your feet trying to get my help? Go figure....
If it is too hard for you to sincerely forgive and be nice to me, then you should try to get help elsewhere. I've had all I can stand of people making unrealistic demands from me. I don't have a magic wand, or pixie cochin dust, or an electronic cochin shrinker. If you will both bury the hatchet, and treat me with a tiny bit of respect I will consider trying to help you. Good enough?

Questions: What is the average weight of your cochins? How much larger are they than the standard calls for? What have you done, to date, to try to get the size reduced? What do you feed your birds?

 

[SierraView]

Quote: This is why I don't understand the secrecy, you already established you created these. Why would anyone want to start breeding these from scratch? As far as making money once you sell pairs you won't have a monopoly on these.

I had previously posted pic of a small sized bantam Cochin I hatched and was curious if this was how you created these. I can be overly direct sometimes, sorry if I offended anyone.

 

[BunnyMomma]

This is why I don't understand the secrecy, you already established you created these. Why would anyone want to start breeding these from scratch? As far as making money once you sell pairs you won't have a monopoly on these.

I had previously posted pic of a small sized bantam Cochin I hatched and was curious if this was how you created these. I can be overly direct sometimes, sorry if I offended anyone.

Hi, I'm not offended. It is easy to understand why I have kept the project a secret and will continue to. It is easy to understand that some people are upset that I don't wish to share the "Secret" It is simply a smart thing to do. If I were to tell someone how to start from scratch with this project, and they did not follow the exact directions, they would not get the same results. Even if they followed the directions, they might not get the same results.
Then, I would be subject to ridicule and problems that I don't need in my life right now. I am having a ball! Who needs problems. I don't really want a monopoly with them either. I am in the process of developing an entire colorline of different varieties to share with the world. I want to share them with people that love them as much as I do. I dearly love cochins, and I especially love my "Baby Dolls". I am protective of my recipe for very good reasons that some people might not understand. That is OK, I am a big girl, and I can defend myself when I need to. I'll give up the secret when they pry it from my cold, dead, hands.

 

[sutillman]

YOU GO GIRL!!!!!

 

[BunnyMomma]

Hi, I took some photos today of "Baby Dolls" Owen, and Delila! They only weigh 9 ounces and are starting to grow out some nice adult feathering. Keep in mind that they are just now 2 months old. Their feathers haven't grown in completely. I believe these will be smaller than their parents. I hope you enjoy seeing this generation of my project. I have been waiting so long for this day, to see what these little darlings would look like. I am very pleased. (I might have to post the pics on two separate windows, so that you can see them up close!)
~Jody

 

[BunnyMomma]

Here is Owen! Check out his yummy foot feathering and his cute face! He is so sweet, but he was so wiggly. I must have had to take 20 pics to get this one decent photo. What a "Baby Doll"

Please forgive my excitement, I just can't help myself. Thanks everyone for letting me share my project with you!
~ Jody