Sunday, September 06, 2009

Did I Ever Mention That I Tend to Throw Myself Into New Ventures???

It all started innocently enough. I was SO enjoying my Backyard Chickens. So I went to a chicken show and fell in love with a trio of Black Cochins and my three Ameraucanas. And THEN, Rayna (who hasn't blogged in longer than me!) sent me links to THIS:

Is she not the prettiest little baby chicken you've ever seen in your LIFE???

This, my Dear friends, is a "Mille Fleur" bantam Cochin pullet (baby girl)! I completely and totally ~ Fell. In. Love. With. Her. Don't worry. I didn't BUY her. Although, now I wish I had! I didn't want to rush into something that I knew nothing about. So I've spent the past week (or has it been two???) compulsively obsessively responsibly searching the Internet for anything and everything I can find about Mille Fleur Cochins. The more I've read and the more breeders I've spoken with (and there have been a LOT!) the more convinced I am that I want to start a breeding program of these remarkable birds.

As I write this blog post, I am in the process of buying this little rooster:

Ah, the wonders of the Internet!
And this lovely, young lady will be his mate...

Don't worry, she'll be much prettier when she finishes feathering out.

This is another, slightly more mature, but still youngsters, started pair that I'm considering.

Or perhaps these beautiful babies?

These chicks are from different breeders, all over the country. I've also got a trio "on order" from a top breeder in Colorado. Then, that's ENOUGH to get me started on my own breeding flock...

I'll also be breeding for show quality Black Cochins. The trio I have are SO beautiful and sweet! My grandsons can walk right up to them and pick them up and pet them. I never knew that chickens could be so pretty and so friendly.

OMG!
I'm having so much FUN!!
Now, I've got to go out and put up more roosts in my CHICKEN BARN.
I'm going to sell Hunter and not keep any rams so that barn will revert to what it originally was ~ a chicken coop! Isn't life amazing?

I hope you're all having a WONDERFUL, LONG, holiday weekend!

DREAM says...

"Even I have to admit: they are kind of cute ~ in a worthless, feathery sort of way..."

;-)

14 comments:

  1. Ooooh Millie Cochins?! (said while wiping the drool from her chin.)

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  2. Anonymous10:29 AM

    My children had the same chickens, they showed in 4 H. Birchen cochins was the other breed we had. You keep doing this and I may get some back again. Children are grown so it would just be me.
    Cindy

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  3. Welcome to the fancy! The world of purebred poultry is just as addicting as Shetlands are! I've been debating getting back into it myself. Check out the APA and ABA, plus there are breed clubs as well!
    Showing is a LOT more cut throat, though.

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  4. I REALLY like the 4th photo down pullet. She's got VERY nice coloring, someone's been doing very well with their program. I've seen lots of birds that are over marked or under marked or still have partridge feathering in them, she's very nice. I think you will do very well with that pair. I may even have to buy a few chicks in the spring from you! :) The more people who own and show them, the sooner they'll be accepted into the standard! Yay! Congrats, can't wait to see photos of the trio.... :)

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  5. Wow - absolutely gorgeous! I wonder if Emma would like to have a chick for a friend?

    Nancy in Iowa

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  6. Gosh, this is going to be the "Poultry Woman's Voice" soon. Dream won't be impressed! ;o)

    These are beautiful birds, no wonder you've fallen in love with them. I can't wait for the first chicken photos!

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  7. Anonymous6:58 PM

    Love Dream's words, "..worthless, feathery sort of way.."
    Diane L./Bloomington,IN

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  8. Ooh - they are darling Nancy. I see you've really been bitten by the bug.

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  9. Oh you have it bad! They are beautiful. Congrats!

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  10. I want some of those chickens so much! I've wanted them for months. I hope I can get some some day. They are so beautiful.

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  11. Well, I guess I have to admit they ARE sorta' pretty ;-).

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  12. We bred d'Uccles, some in the Mille Fleur, for a few years. Here is a link to some good articles about chicken health.
    http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/contents.htm

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