Is This A Male or Female?? Cochin??

[Last Train Vnyd]

I bought this chicken as a chick in April 2013 from someone who said it was a black copper Marans. Well its no black copper Marans... I think it is a black standard size cochin but not 100% sure about that. It is about 14-15 weeks old. I was thinking it was a hen but now I am not sure at all. I don't have any standard cochins to compare the comb and wattles to. Anyway, I have only seen it be aggressive one time. It was crouched on the back of one of my guineas one day but did not look like it was trying to mate or anything. Here are the best pics I have of her/him.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

That is a black cochin roo.

 

[Last Train Vnyd]

Oh that's so sad and its what I was afraid of! I guess I will hold on to it until it crows or surprises us with an egg. It took forever to stop looking like a baby chick. I'm a little attached to it because it seemed to stay a baby longer the the rest.

 

[Last Train Vnyd]

Thank you!!

 

[CowGrrrl]

That's a Black Cochin- I raise BCMs and they are not as heavily feathered or as HUGE as this bird. The sex of the chicken is definitely male, see the sickle and hackle feathers starting to grow in?

 

[Last Train Vnyd]

Thanks guys. I really hate hearing that but it doesn't surprise me either.

 

[CowGrrrl]

Maybe you can keep him, since in my experience Cochin cocks are sweet towards both humans and hens, even in a diverse flock, and the crow isn't to loud to be disturbing to your neighbors. Or maybe I'm just thinking this about the crow because I've never had close-by neighbors..

 

[Last Train Vnyd]

I've been holding onto this Cochin because I haven't been convinced which sex it is. Some of my hens have just started laying within the last 3 wks or so and this guy still has zero rooster actions what's-so-ever. Actually yesterday, for the first time I saw and heard it cackle like the hens do when they lay or get ready to lay an egg. Can roosters cackle? My other 2 young adult Roos do not.

 

[donrae]

Do you have a current pic?

Being so large, cochins are also slower to mature, so roosters are often on the down-low for quite a while. Makes them nice backyard roosters as they're quiet and not aggressive!

 

[Last Train Vnyd]

Definitely a rooster. He took his time in acting like one and since I didn't have a female to compare him to, I couldn't tell for the longest time! Anyway, he found a new home with a man who raises cochins.