Cochin Thread!!!

[micheleag2010]

Well you are right I can see 4 roosters right off, maybe 5!!! But you need to consider soon what to do with the roosters. My advice......pick the one that is most like what you are trying to raise and get rid of the rest or put one back in another pen just in case anything should happen to rooster #1.
You do not want to allow them all to run with the hens, it is just not humane [again my opinion and advice] the roosters get way too hard on the hens as they mature.

Yeah that's what we did last time and the black roo was the one we kept. Since they are all Mutt's it's hard to choose. We really only want an egg laying operation but seem to be always one step behind. I have a couple home selected for a couple of the boys and I will do my best to place a couple more. As of right now they all seem to get a long and have a good pecking order but I know as soon as the hens come of age or the younger roo's do I know there is going to be trouble. We just can't seem to catch a break when it comes to picking our chicks.

 

[SonRise Silkies]

Yeah that's what we did last time and the black roo was the one we kept. Since they are all Mutt's it's hard to choose. We really only want an egg laying operation but seem to be always one step behind. I have a couple home selected for a couple of the boys and I will do my best to place a couple more. As of right now they all seem to get a long and have a good pecking order but I know as soon as the hens come of age or the younger roo's do I know there is going to be trouble. We just can't seem to catch a break when it comes to picking our chicks.

Yes its hard to pick when really young, sometimes you can just turn them out. I have mine turned loose to eat bugs and just roam...the ones I want to use are with hens and penned up. That way I still have backup roosters when I want.
They get along once they decide who is Number 1.
I mainly am concerned about the safety and happiness of the hens. One rooster is plenty. I can see some folks keeping two roosters with a larger flock to ensure fertility but I don't like to do that.....I want to KNOW which one sired each chick, it matters when trying to accomplish a breeding program, even with mutts!

 

[micheleag2010]

Yes its hard to pick when really young, sometimes you can just turn them out. I have mine turned loose to eat bugs and just roam...the ones I want to use are with hens and penned up. That way I still have backup roosters when I want.
They get along once they decide who is Number 1.
I mainly am concerned about the safety and happiness of the hens. One rooster is plenty. I can see some folks keeping two roosters with a larger flock to ensure fertility but I don't like to do that.....I want to KNOW which one sired each chick, it matters when trying to accomplish a breeding program, even with mutts!

I hear that and I would love to turn them out in my yard but I have 3 dogs, 2 of which are bird dogs and one has already gotten to one who flew over the top of the coop. I might be able to keep 2 I would love to keep the Cochin's going strong with lots of feathers on their feet.

 

[SonRise Silkies]

I hear that and I would love to turn them out in my yard but I have 3 dogs, 2 of which are bird dogs and one has already gotten to one who flew over the top of the coop. I might be able to keep 2 I would love to keep the Cochin's going strong with lots of feathers on their feet.

i understand all that!!! Here is a few ideas, keep the best rooster, the one who looks most like a Cochin....OR get rid off all those roosters and get a real nice purebred Cochin rooster from someone and start a breeding program with what you have. You only have a few hens, and they are pretty, but you can really improve on them with a good rooster.
Remember they are for YOUR pleasure and YOU buy the feed, no one else....so raise what makes YOU happy!
Don't cost a red cent more to feed the ones you really enjoy. Winter is coming........feed is high $. Be considering a cut right now if that's what you want.

 

[micheleag2010]

i understand all that!!! Here is a few ideas, keep the best rooster, the one who looks most like a Cochin....OR get rid off all those roosters and get a real nice purebred Cochin rooster from someone and start a breeding program with what you have. You only have a few hens, and they are pretty, but you can really improve on them with a good rooster.
Remember they are for YOUR pleasure and YOU buy the feed, no one else....so raise what makes YOU happy!
Don't cost a red cent more to feed the ones you really enjoy. Winter is coming........feed is high $. Be considering a cut right now if that's what you want.

Well then from your Cochin perspective, of the boys you see which do you think represents the Cochin breed the best? The Big White Boy has the most feathers on his feet but I don't know what else to look for.

 

[SonRise Silkies]

Well then from your Cochin perspective, of the boys you see which do you think represents the Cochin breed the best? The Big White Boy has the most feathers on his feet but I don't know what else to look for.

Oh Oh.....to be honest from the PICTURES you posted....none look Cochin at all. Sorry.
Look up Cochins in the SOP or go back through this thread and look at lots of pictures.
Cochins have tons of soft feathers, they look like round balls and have heavy feet feathers too.
NO tails up in the air like regular roosters. They appear round.
This is Cochin thread, lots of extremely fine examples of Cochins here.
Go back and read and look.

You will find some jaw droppers!

 

[micheleag2010]

Oh Oh.....to be honest from the PICTURES you posted....none look Cochin at all. Sorry.
Look up Cochins in the SOP or go back through this thread and look at lots of pictures.
Cochins have tons of soft feathers, they look like round balls and have heavy feet feathers too.
NO tails up in the air like regular roosters. They appear round.
This is Cochin thread, lots of extremely fine examples of Cochins here.
Go back and read and look.

You will find some jaw droppers!

Can I just say holy crap! This whole time I thought they were cochins (because I was unaware there were other feather footed breeds) (NEWBIE). Now that I look at some of the pictures I think mine are (still mutts) but Brahma's with maybe some cochin influence. I swear the lady breeding these chickens swears they are pure cochin but you can tell by my lot they aren't! I love them regardless but still very frustrating!

 

[mindylee]

Yeah unfortunately some folks don't know what they are breeding. And then sell to folks claiming a breed that is not. It happens in every type of animal breeding homes. I see pure dogs that are not and same with horses. Chickens too. But if ya love them thats all that matters. I started off with mixs. Then pures. Then I bounced bred to breed till I settled down with the bantam Cochin as I fell in love with them. Now I'll never own another breed besides the hand full of silkies I have also.

 

[SonRise Silkies]

Frustrating isn't it???
As I always say........do your homework!!!

 

[lilcrow]

Can I just say holy crap! This whole time I thought they were cochins (because I was unaware there were other feather footed breeds) (NEWBIE). Now that I look at some of the pictures I think mine are (still mutts) but Brahma's with maybe some cochin influence. I swear the lady breeding these chickens swears they are pure cochin but you can tell by my lot they aren't! I love them regardless but still very frustrating!

ditto
Too bad, doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your birds, they're just not cochins.