Cochin..Rooster or Pullet?

[BorderBrigade]

Hey guys i am kind of new to chickens, i ordered 15 cochin pullets from Ideal poultry. Of all of them this one's comb is a little longer but the same color as the other ones. Any idea if this is a rooster or is this a pullet that is just developing faster than the others? They are five weeks old. If this is a rooster would it be wise to find another home for him? I am only keeping chickens for eggs/pets do not plan to breed them. I've also heard horror stories of aggressive roosters but cochins are usually said to be pretty docile so anyone with experience your help is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much! Kristen

 

[HEChicken]

At this point my guess would be roo. You can keep him without breeding. The only way chicks will develop is if you incubate the eggs. As long as you collect them every day, you can eat them with no problem. However I will warn you that Cochins are not the best choice if a lot of eating eggs is your goal. Cochins go broody - a lot. While broody, they don't lay eggs and will want to sit on a clutch and hatch out chicks instead.

 

[leadwolf1]

That looks like a little roo to me. Cochin roos are normally very sweet and easy going.

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

You have a long time before this chick would start being a nuisance if he's going to, and in that time you can make sure that it's a roo, and you can see how his temperament is. If you live in a place where you can have a rooster, and if this particular rooster isn't aggressive, then you might want to keep him. In my experience, a flock that has a rooster is a calmer place. A good rooster will step in and break up hen fights before there's blood drawn, for instance. And a good rooster is so sweet when you thrown them goodies and he calls his girls over and shows them what he's found. Roosters are also gorgeous, which is a plus.

If you're allowed to have him, give him a chance and see how he turns out. I've had five roosters so far, and not one was aggressive. I know I've been lucky, but not all roosters are menaces.

 

[BorderBrigade]

Thanks everyone! I was kind of thinking it was a rooster but just wanted a more experienced eye! So far he has been a real charmer. If you go in the coop he fly's over and will sit in my lap and jump up on my shoulder. That's why i was so disapointed when i saw the comb start coming in. From the sounds of everyone having a rooster in the group might be a good thing to keep the other ladies in line! I live in a very rural area so we are allowed to have roosters so maybe i will just keep him after all. These guys are pretty much just for whatever eggs they lay and as pets so that is why i chose this breed. Anyone had experience with cochin roosters specifically? Thanks for all the advice.

 

[HEChicken]

Rooster chicks are often very friendly and it comes as a double shock when they hit puberty and turn into jerks. If you can ride through that stage, there's a good chance you will end up with a mature rooster with which you are happy.

I had a bantam cochin roo until 2 days ago when fox got him. Sorry, still raw and hard to talk about. I've neutralized the fox and he won't be bothering us again but it has been a stressful 48 hours.

On a happier note, my cochin roo was just darned cute. His crow was perfect - although screechy because he was a tiny bantam. He loved all of the females in general but set his sights on my head hen (LF) and every night he would dance for her. At 3+ years (he was only about 18 weeks when he fell for her hard), she wasn't interested but he remained undeterred. Every night he would dance for her and she would walk away. Then, being a cockerel going through puberty, he would draw the conclusion that he had danced so she MUST submit and take the attitude "stand still lady, I'm jumping aboard". She was never impressed and ran, with him in hot pursuit. It was hard not to feel sorry for both of them. Her because she is a stately lady who has never had to worry about roosters and he because the love of his life wouldn't give him the time of day.

 

[Joemoe]

Just so I understand (first time chicken owner), if I collect my eggs everyday, I won't, of course, have chicks, but what do I do if one of my girls gets "broody" and won't come off her nest? Does that mean chicks are on the way?
Also, I have a Cochin roo and I think my other Cochin is a pullet but not sure, she/he has more comb that my other girls which are other breeds.
Thanks for the info

 

[donrae]

Just so I understand (first time chicken owner), if I collect my eggs everyday, I won't, of course, have chicks, but what do I do if one of my girls gets "broody" and won't come off her nest? Does that mean chicks are on the way?
Also, I have a Cochin roo and I think my other Cochin is a pullet but not sure, she/he has more comb that my other girls which are other breeds.
Thanks for the info

I've kept roosters in with my layers for 20+ years. I collect eggs every day or every other day and have never once had an embryo in an egg I cracked. So, you're good there.

If you have a hen that goes broody, you do indeed have the opportunity to hatch out some chicks

Some hens will practice being broody before they really settle down to it, so I never count them as well and truely broody until they've been on the nest two nights in a row. After that, I give her the eggs I want her to hatch, and 21 days later I have baby chicks. I's like magic, and so much nicer than stressing over an incubator.

 

[Joemoe]

Thank you so much for this info. I was going to send my guy to the SPCA but I may just keep him even though he gets really rough with the girls.