worth breeding!?

[chickNjake]

this is my birchen Cochin hen, Ginger. we got her along with Gilligan (RIP

) at a show a few years ago and i knew she was old then!
this spring we will have blue Cochins, which I'm new to.
from what the chicken calculator says I'll have blue or black the first generation, but will they leak birchen through?
and I think she's alright, but how is her type? show wise? (I know she's too old but still...

) and she has great yellow feet and heavy feathering, but her breast feathers barely touch the ground, which I think is frowned upon

so tell me what you think!!

click to enlarge

 

[Black Feather]

I think her type looks pretty good actually....minus the color issue.

Have you checked for things like split wing, side sprigs, on her comb and other disqualifying features? It's hard to tell from static picture how good or bad a bird is, but she looks to have good, abundant feather, doesn't stand too high (from the pic), her wings are well tucked, and has a nice round poofy 'bunn' tail.

I don't breed cochins myself, but my friend raises champion birds, so I've developed a bit of an 'eye' for them from seeing his birds all the time.....and of course by being beaten by the slightest of margins by one of his very nice cochin pullets against one of my nearly equally nice rosecomb pullets at our last show.....dang!

Cheers,
Urban Coyote

 

[Blisschick]

I have some blue silver and gold birchen EE's, so yes, the birchen coloring will come through. The birchen pattern is separate from the blue gene.

 

[chickNjake]

well, her comb is a bit of a mess!

I think it was either frost bitten a little at a time over the years or from a game rooster I had with her once that had a thing for Cochins! I think I can see the remains of five good points on the comb, I'll try to find a closer pic...

And I know she is lacking a lot in the silver in the neck

Thanks!!

 

[Blisschick]

If you do decide to breed any time soon, I 'd love to get some eggs from you. I have a nice little silver birchen roo that needs some companions.

 

[moduckman]

Are you going to show? Personally it may be worth breeding her anyway. If they are not the type you want you can sell them. Cochins seem to sell fairly well.

 

[chickNjake]

I don't plan to show her as of now, but I may change my mind

blisschick, I'll probably be trying for some blue birchens this spring, so I'll probably have a bunch of blues and blacks extra (that would carry the gene... i think) I'll keep you in mind!