Cochin Bantams and Frizzle Cochin Bantams!!

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Cochins are hardy. I never heated when I had my old bldg. Too high of humidity and extreme cold are not a great combination though. I live in Iowa. I have frostbitten combs on males in extreme conditions.Frizzles do not do well in wet conditions but then no Cochin does well in damp conditions. Frizzles are not as well suited for drafts but drafts are bad for all poultry. Ventilation and drafts are not the same thing. Cochins are good moms. Any more questions please ask.

 

[DuckRaiser]

Cochins are hardy. I never heated when I had my old bldg. Too high of humidity and extreme cold are not a great combination though. I live in Iowa. I have frostbitten combs on males in extreme conditions.Frizzles do not do well in wet conditions but then no Cochin does well in damp conditions. Frizzles are not as well suited for drafts but drafts are bad for all poultry. Ventilation and drafts are not the same thing. Cochins are good moms. Any more questions please ask.

Hmm...Is it better to have a frizzle Pekin bantam as a show/pet/farm bird or is a smooth one better?

 

[SilkiesForEver]

 

[jajeanpierre]

Cochins are hardy. I never heated when I had my old bldg. Too high of humidity and extreme cold are not a great combination though. I live in Iowa. I have frostbitten combs on males in extreme conditions.Frizzles do not do well in wet conditions but then no Cochin does well in damp conditions. Frizzles are not as well suited for drafts but drafts are bad for all poultry. Ventilation and drafts are not the same thing. Cochins are good moms. Any more questions please ask.

I have questions about how to deal with my Cochins during the extreme summer heat in south central Texas. Last year was wickedly hot--we had temps up to 107F.

Last year I went outside and misted and hosed off birds (not Cochins) and an area under the trees where they could lie in the cool, damp ground. They really suffered last year, but they were all young birds. My property is mostly covered in live oak, so there is plenty of shade.

I would really appreciate some suggestions on how to set up my pens so they can cope with the heat even if I am not home to check on them. I was thinking of setting up some misters on a timer. I imagine it will trash their foot feathering, but better trashed feathers than dead birds.

Suggestions, please. Thank you.

 

[Frizzled Pink]

Hmm...Is it better to have a frizzle Pekin bantam as a show/pet/farm bird or is a smooth one better?

I think it really depends on what your desire is for the bird. If you want to show then you want to make sure you are getting a recognized color variety otherwise you are limiting the categories you can be judged in. I love the frizzles but i have not seen one yet that will win over a good type smooth feather bird. If its just for pet /yard art then i would say go with what makes you smile.

I have questions about how to deal with my Cochins during the extreme summer heat in south central Texas. Last year was wickedly hot--we had temps up to 107F.

Last year I went outside and misted and hosed off birds (not Cochins) and an area under the trees where they could lie in the cool, damp ground. They really suffered last year, but they were all young birds. My property is mostly covered in live oak, so there is plenty of shade.

I would really appreciate some suggestions on how to set up my pens so they can cope with the heat even if I am not home to check on them. I was thinking of setting up some misters on a timer. I imagine it will trash their foot feathering, but better trashed feathers than dead birds.

Suggestions, please. Thank you.

I am very careful with misters, the water will heat up in the hose and will mist hot water for a bit first, mine seem to like to "play" with large blocks of ice (or freeze 1/2 gallon milk jugs) when its hot, as long as shade is available and ventilation. I am of the thinking that there is something to be said for letting the birds acclimate to the outside temps but there are times when you want to take preventive measures.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I have questions about how to deal with my Cochins during the extreme summer heat in south central Texas. Last year was wickedly hot--we had temps up to 107F.

Last year I went outside and misted and hosed off birds (not Cochins) and an area under the trees where they could lie in the cool, damp ground. They really suffered last year, but they were all young birds. My property is mostly covered in live oak, so there is plenty of shade.

I would really appreciate some suggestions on how to set up my pens so they can cope with the heat even if I am not home to check on them. I was thinking of setting up some misters on a timer. I imagine it will trash their foot feathering, but better trashed feathers than dead birds.

Suggestions, please. Thank you.

Like you said it may ruin their feathers, but feathers grow back and birds don't come back to life. I think misters/sprinklers in an area of the run is a great idea. But I would also have some dry area so that they can get away from the water if they want. Another option, but not as good IMO, would be to put pans of water in the run so they can stand in them. But many will likely be afraid to step in it and it only gets their feet wet. 107F is terrible! I would probably die. One year in late June I went to TN. it was 107F the whole time I was there. Never again. I am not a summer person, I complain about 75F. I feel for you and your chickens

 

[DuckRaiser]

I think it really depends on what your desire is for the bird. If you want to show then you want to make sure you are getting a recognized color variety otherwise you are limiting the categories you can be judged in. I love the frizzles but i have not seen one yet that will win over a good type smooth feather bird. If its just for pet /yard art then i would say go with what makes you smile.


I am very careful with misters, the water will heat up in the hose and will mist hot water for a bit first, mine seem to like to "play" with large blocks of ice (or freeze 1/2 gallon milk jugs) when its hot, as long as shade is available and ventilation. I am of the thinking that there is something to be said for letting the birds acclimate to the outside temps but there are times when you want to take preventive measures.

Good advice!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Like you said it may ruin their feathers, but feathers grow back and birds don't come back to life. I think misters/sprinklers in an area of the run is a great idea. But I would also have some dry area so that they can get away from the water if they want. Another option, but not as good IMO, would be to put pans of water in the run so they can stand in them. But many will likely be afraid to step in it and it only gets their feet wet. 107F is terrible! I would probably die. One year in late June I went to TN. it was 107F the whole time I was there. Never again. I am not a summer person, I complain about 75F. I feel for you and your chickens

I used to hate the heat and, like you would complain about 75F. Then I moved to the Middle East and then to the Caribbean. Now after more than 20 years in the tropics, I'm freezing unless it is in the 80s.

I used to live in Saudi Arabia, which is hotter than Texas, where I visited the largest dairy farm in the world just outside Riyadh. They had misters set up to go off at regular intervals. I'm not worried about the heat of the water, since the act of evaporating will make it cold. My hoses will be in the shade except for maybe 20 feet. You might have a point about the hot water with droplets, but I'm not o worried about mist. When I got out of a pool in Riyadh in the summer I would freeze as the water quickly evaporated from my skin in 115F weather. In humid weather (which I can get) it won't work well.

I'm just worried about the Cochins. Once they start to overheat, they are so well insulated that they can't cool off. I almost lost an Ameraucana who ended up overheated and collapsed in the one small spot of the pen that had sun. He's really lucky I found him--I just dunked him in water and got him cooled off.

I think with all this crazy weather, the summer might be awful, and with the jet stream not behaving the way it should, whatever the weather is will stay for a long time.

 

[CCCCCCCCHICKENS]

I used to hate the heat and, like you would complain about 75F.  Then I moved to the Middle East and then to the Caribbean.  Now after more than 20 years in the tropics, I'm freezing unless it is in the 80s. 

I used to live in Saudi Arabia, which is hotter than Texas,  where I visited the largest dairy farm in the world just outside Riyadh.  They had misters set up to go off at regular intervals.  I'm not worried about the heat of the water, since the act of evaporating will make it cold.  My hoses will be in the shade except for maybe 20 feet.  You might have a point about the hot water with droplets, but I'm not o worried about mist.  When I got out of a pool in Riyadh in the summer I would freeze as the water quickly evaporated from my skin in 115F weather.  In humid weather (which I can get) it won't work well.


I'm just worried about the Cochins.  Once they start to overheat, they are so well insulated that they can't cool off.  I almost lost an Ameraucana who ended up overheated and collapsed in the one small spot of the pen that had sun.   He's really lucky I found him--I just dunked him in water and got him cooled off.

I think with all this crazy weather, the summer might be awful, and with the jet stream not behaving the way it should, whatever the weather is will stay for a long time.

What an experience I bet that was, but there is no way I could deal with the heat. I used to never be cold, sometimes not where a coat in winter. Know sometimes I can just be sitting down inside and get cold. Which a year ago so would f not been like me. Not sure what changed but now I get cold from time to time. My ideal day is 65f and cloudy with a breeze. What a lucky catch with you Ameraucana. That could if been bad. I like your idea of misters

 

[DuckRaiser]

I would also like to know, do Pekin bantam hens get aggressive to their owners once they hatch eggs?