Am I REALLY a Cochin?!

[aoxa]

Well, I was sold a pair of cochins two weeks ago (apparently), but I am having my doubts... The female has very little feathering on her legs, and neither are as friendly or easy to catch as I imagined. They are supposedly 4 months old... I don't really care if they are mix, just wondering

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Freckles

Arnold with Mable, my 10 week old cochin.. She is buff/partridge..

Hope someone can help!

 

[fshinggrl]

If I understand right, they are cochins if feathers are on the outside AND inside of the legs. Whereas my light brahmas only have feathers on the outsides.

 

[mama24]

brahmas have pea combs, too.

They look like cochins to me, but I am no expert. Maybe just hatchery, not SQ so they aren't as feathered and fluffy. They're still pretty, whatever they are!

 

[AccentOnHakes]

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x2

 

[hdowden]

i know that they are self blues as for breed i'm not sure

 

[RhodeRunner]

They are not pure Cochins, probably crosses. Pretty sure I see a pea comb, and skin color is wrong. Pure Cochins have a very different physical appearance. Quality ones look like round soccer balls with a head. They shouldn't have long tails, and shouldn't be tall and skinny. There are of course hatchery, or poorer quality Cochins like your cute Mable. However, those blue birds are so far away in type that they have to be crossed.

These are self blue (lavender) Cochins https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=310801

 

[aoxa]

Quote:
That's what I thought. Glad at least Mable is cochin though. She is sweet as a button. Freckles looks way too small for her age. Mable has grown a ton in two weeks! She's bigger than the blue/grey female now, and she's only 10 weeks.

Good thing they were not expensive. I knew those tails seemed kind of long for cochins! Thanks so much for your help!

ETA: I really dislike how some breeders take advantage of the newbies who really don't know the difference yet!

 

[MaransGuy]

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This is why it is so important to learn what they should look like before you buy. They may not be taking advantage as they are probably completely ignorant as to what they have as well. This is the problem of poor information being passed on from person to person. They bought them as cochins so they must be cochins...doesn't matter what they look like... As quality drops and the birds get further and further away from what they are supposed to look like, but the owners keep calling them by the breed name, this is the result. When birds are not bred to standard they eventually stop being the breed their ancesters once were. The only thing that makes a chicken any particular breed is looking like that breed. When people insist on calling them something that they do not look like, this will happen. You are your best defense.

 

[hokankai]

I would not attribute the birds' lack of friendliness to the fact that they aren't cochins. I got a pair of cochins that were 9 months old and they were the meanest little spits I've ever had. I think it has to do with getting older birds that you didn't raise yourself. Most breeders don't have time to handle and socialize their birds, which leads to unfriendly or flighty birds for the most part. It took me 2 months just to get my 1 month old pullets to enjoy my company because they hadn't had much human interaction! That's why I prefer hatching/raising my own from chicks

 

[WhiteCochinLover]

Yes. Its a standard blue cochin