BANTAM COCHINS CLUB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[speckledhen]

My oldest buff Orpington rooster is 5 this year, he is my oldest large fowl. When we catch and pick him up for spur and nail maintenance he gets all purple in his comb and wattles, which scares me. I'm sure one day he will just be dead. Most of my roosters go that way, so your thoughts on bad hearts might be the best answer for many of them.

I too really like bantam cochin roosters. They usually are all good roosters, but can be stinkers when young. Almost all of mine have spent months in rooster, but emerge as good little gentlemen. Mine even help raise the chicks, something only my oldest buff Orpington rooster will do too. I currently have 3 purebred Cochin roosters and 4 mixed slightly with d'uccle. They are also very entertaining.

My blue Orp Suede lived to be 5 yrs 8 mos old. I remember that day in July when his crow was weak. He just got worse, lost a lot of weight, slept all the time, on the ground or in the coop, then he passed in September, most definitely just old age. I think the really big guys, if they live that long, are quite lucky. It's sort of like big dogs are usually not as long lived as the little tiny ones (usually).

 

[TheTwoRoos]

I know he is a rooster I knew he was when we got him.We are thinking about letting one of our bantams hatch so yeah.He crows and etc,also has been mating the poor pullets.Might have to separate him.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Young Cochin roosters can be too eager and almost always needs some time out.

 

[DIYgirl]

Hi, there. My Columbian Cochin Bantam, Jules, was about 3 yrs old when he died. He went blind first and faded from there. His brother was taken by a fox a year earlier. Interesting observation you have!

 

[speckledhen]

Hi, there. My Columbian Cochin Bantam, Jules, was about 3 yrs old when he died. He went blind first and faded from there. His brother was taken by a fox a year earlier. Interesting observation you have!

Sorry you lost Jules. I was afraid that the life expectancy for males like Xander would not be a long one. He's still in the pet carrier. I'm beginning to wonder, though, if I got a bad bag of feed. It's the same one I've been using for many years, does not show any mold, but so far, my 9 yr old blue Orp has had sour crop, Xander's issue (he lives with her) and now, a young BR pullet is acting "off". She laid an egg, but acts like she feels bad. Her crop seems okay, but this is an odd string of occurrences. Everyone is on the same feed, though. Not sure if it would be the 13 way scratch or the layer feed, if it is the feed at all. I can throw the scratch mix out into the pasture to sprout but the layer, not sure. I have about 1/2 bag before I have to open the one we just bought.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It is starting to be a bit odd with all your troubles lately. Does it smell off? Feed should smell fresh and good.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

My oldest buff Orpington rooster is 5 this year, he is my oldest large fowl. When we catch and pick him up for spur and nail maintenance he gets all purple in his comb and wattles, which scares me. I'm sure one day he will just be dead. Most of my roosters go that way, so your thoughts on bad hearts might be the best answer for many of them.

I too really like bantam cochin roosters. They usually are all good roosters, but can be stinkers when young. Almost all of mine have spent months in rooster jail, but emerge as good little gentlemen. Mine even help raise the chicks, something only my oldest buff Orpington rooster will do too. I currently have 3 purebred Cochin roosters and 4 mixed slightly with d'uccle. They are also very entertaining.

Xander is gorgeous. Some hatchery stock turns out good. Hope he does well.

My eldest is a Cochin d'uccle cross, the guy was trying to bring mille Fleur into bantam Cochin, who's almost 2. He has been an great boy to his girls-the of his fav-but a brat to me. Nor that I've the younger groups, he's chilled out. He runs from the dang oegb bantam boys!

I do agree these boys are great. 1 has been my sheriff til he got ganged up on last week. I've got to get breed pens & thin out the boys. Plus, just get more girls period. My penguin, black roo, will block & guard the nestbox for 1 of the self blue girls.

The laying question: this last batch about 6 months. My Cochin with a bit d'uccle girl close to a year. So it can vary.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

D'uccle can sometimes have the Napoleon complex, so maybe that bit of d'uccle has gotten him feisty. Though I did have one black Cochin frizzle rooster who was the son of Satan and wouldn't stop attacking me no matter what I did. He unfortunately had to go.

 

[bunsnpupsnchick]

D'uccle can sometimes have the Napoleon complex, so maybe that bit of d'uccle has gotten him feisty. Though I did have one black Cochin frizzle rooster who was the son of Satan and wouldn't stop attacking me no matter what I did. He unfortunately had to go.

Yeah, Fancy Pants had only stayed because of how good he's been with his girls. Though I'd late it's gone to him first-he used to make sure they got the treats. I think the lil ones who've been running him off have him off his game.

So, I'm setting up jail for 2 oegb bantam boys who chase off a bantam Cochin-d'uccle boy that's about 3 times their size. Sheesh. He should just kick their lil butts. It's primarily with any food, any time. They could be bursting full & I toss scratch out then they still do it. As I said: pens, girls, & thin out. Jail as needed too.

Who do love these lil buggers don't we?

 

[DIYgirl]

Are your birds free range? If not, I would suspect food or water issues, assuming, of course, that all is clean, dry and lice/mite free. If free range, they could have gotten into something they should not have. Table scraps?