Cochin Thread!!!

[BantyChickenLuv]

Not from what the top breeders said. Here is what a good tail looks like: male female I took these pics off the CI FB page, these are other people's birds.

Thanks for clearing that up. I always thought you wanted a bunny tail. I learn something new everyday.

 

[Funky Feathers]

Yeah, a bunny tail (like this bird) is not a good thing.

 

[annewandering]

I think bunny tails are cute as heck but the ones without are very beautiful. From the little I have seen in photos the bantams are not as strict on that are they?

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

I was told (on the CI FB group) that a bunny tail is a no-no, a DQ.

She is correct that Bunny Tail is not the desired tail. However she was incorrect in telling you it is a DQ. IT IS NOT A DQ!! The buff above is not a great show bird but does not have ANY obvious DQ's. The tail is not well shown from the side but I do not call this the desired tail but also is not a bunny tail.

What was said on CI FB was this posted by Coopa Cabana:
My interpretation of the SOP says yes - you want to avoid bunny tails. per the SOP, tails should "form one UNBROKEN duplex curve with the back and saddle/cushion". To my eye, the deep "V" breaks that duplex curve.

That description does not mention any DQ nor can I find it in my SOP or Bantam Standard.

 

[AndyCap]

Are the mottled? Cochins hard to get or are the a little more common? I love them and am thinking about getting some. Just wondering how hard they are to get and can they only be bred to each other?

They are not hard to get, but finding good ones can be tricky, look at Matt McCammon's birds, he has fantastic mottled birds.

You can breed them to good quality black birds, to get more mottled, but because the mottling gene is recessive you need to get two copies.

Put simply, A mottled bird to a pure black will not give you mottled, but it will give you birds split for mottled, that when mated back together or back to a mottled, will give you more mottled birds.

Hope that helps, if you need any further info then shout

 

[AndyCap]

Hi Everyone!

I'm pleased to introduce you to my new Cochin bantam chicks who turned 4 weeks old today! They are from Ideal Poultry.

I was thinking that the one in photo 1 could be a roo, but it feathered out much quicker than the others so maybe a hen? I'd love to hear what you all think as far as sex goes!

Looks like a cockerel to me, the slow feathering = male is not a set rule, just one of a few indicators. The wattles and comb being swollen here are good indicators this is a cockerel.

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Are the mottled? Cochins hard to get or are the a little more common? I love them and am thinking about getting some. Just wondering how hard they are to get and can they only be bred to each other?

I can name 3 Breeders of quality mottled bantam Cochins off the top of my head. Matt McCammon in Indiana, Judy Gaant in the Carolinas, Jamie Matts from New York. To get good mottleds it is best to breed to each other but you can breed to Black and get a recognized variety.. I have to remind everyone that mottleds change with every molt. There are other breeders of them too but these people have done it well for years.

 

[joanie_maine]

Quote: A "Bunny Tail" is not desirable in cochins.

The tail area (cushion) should blend into to the total roundness of the bird.

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

They are not hard to get, but finding good ones can be tricky, look at Matt McCammon's birds, he has fantastic mottled birds.

You can breed them to good quality black birds, to get more mottled, but because the mottling gene is recessive you need to get two copies.

Put simply, A mottled bird to a pure black will not give you mottled, but it will give you birds split for mottled, that when mated back together or back to a mottled, will give you more mottled birds.

Hope that helps, if you need any further info then shout

I can name 3 Breeders of quality mottled bantam Cochins off the top of my head. Matt McCammon in Indiana, Judy Gaant in the Carolinas, Jamie Matts from New York. To get good mottleds it is best to breed to each other but you can breed to Black and get a recognized variety.. I have to remind everyone that mottleds change with every molt. There are other breeders of them too but these people have done it well for years.

Thank you!! We had one from TSC that wasn't the best if course but he was very sweet and we loved the coloring. Unfortunately he did not live very long. He belonged to my 7 year old son who loved him very much.

 

[Scifisarah]

So is a "bunny tail" when the angle of the tail slopes straight up or towards the front of the bird, rather than slightly back? Just trying to get a handle on what makes a bunny tail what it is.