Photo Page 4
  Click on one of the following: * A Little About Medicine Tree Farm | * 2007 Breeding Groups | * Extra pix | MEDICINE TREE FARM | * Some of the colors being bred at Medicine Tree Farm | * Birds Currently For Sale | * Peafowl Youngsters | * Peafowl Chicks | * More Colors and Patterns | Garrett's page | The Medicine Tree Great Pyrenees Page | * Black Shoulder Pattern Comparisons | photoalbum.html | The Medicine Tree Horses | The Mille Fleur Cochin Project  

Breeding the mille fleur pattern into both bantam and standard cochins presented a new genetics challege.

This page iscurrently under construction.

The project began when I realized that it cost just as much to feed a quality broody hen as it did to feed a cross-bred bird which had no value to anyone else. Producing this pattern also presented a challenge to understanding the genetics of chicken colors and patterns which are a lot more complex than peafowl colors and patterns. At least there has been extensive research and documentation of heredity in chickens, which has helped.
Standard blue cochins
This project got started because I began to use cochins to brood my peafowl eggs. They improve the hatchability significantly. I allow the peafowl eggs to remain under the cochins for the first 7-8 days. I then candle these eggs and place the fertile eggs in the incubator. At the peak of hatching season I change the eggs out once a week. Early and late hatches get to spend longer periods under the hens. Ironically, I use a couple silkies to hatch my cochin eggs. They do not seem able to turn the peafowl eggs with as much success as the cochins.
One of the original sires.
Apparently there is a "hackle black" gene which prevents the birds from having the required red hackles and tails. I am not yet sure how to eliminate it at this pont in time.
A buff columbian with blue points
One of the required genes in the mille fleur pattern is the "buff columbian."
One of the trios from the second season: 2009
Another gene required for establishing the mille fleur pattern is the mottling gene.
This is my first blue mille fleur pullet!
I personally like the porcelien mille fleurs the best. This requires the lavender gene as well as all the other mille fleur genes. Blue mille fleurs are almost as appealing and I have been introducing blue as well as lavender into the lines. I have yet to produce an actual porcelein mille fleur cochin.
One fo the original sires.
When I got started I collected stock from five different folks working on this pattern. I also had some foundation mottled  stock with excellent body type which I have been using to improve the overall quality of my birds.
A standard blue cochin cockerel.
To increase the size of bantams towards standard sized birds you have to cross standard cocks onto the bantam hens. At this time I have a number of "half sized" cochins which will be bred back to standard mottled cochins. This "half-size" size is actually my favorite size hen for starting peafowl eggs. They can turn the eggs more successfully, lay bigger eggs themselves, cover more eggs and do not eat nearly as much as those standard cochins. BTW, a standard cochin hen easily eats twice as much as an adult peacock.