Cochin Thread!!!

[Hegatha]

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I usually see that the primaries are longer on pullets and the back feathers on the pullets come in first. you can also tell a difference in the leg thickness of the cockerels, they are much thicker

Yes, the primaries are longer in pullets. I failed to mention that. The leg thickness on my cockerels are much thicker than my pullets. Good observation cochincoop

At what age can you check this for it to work or be accurate?

 

[Tropical Chickies]

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Yes, the primaries are longer in pullets. I failed to mention that. The leg thickness on my cockerels are much thicker than my pullets. Good observation cochincoop

At what age can you check this for it to work or be accurate?

You can check the primary feathers within the first week. There are some video's on youtube that shows sexing chickens. There was an episode from Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe that took him to McMurray Hatchery and he worked with the people that sex them. It was interesting to watch. I was able to really see the difference between sexes by the second week.

 

[joanie_maine]

D'Angelo N Va. :

Hello, I have Partridge Cochins (male in my Avatar), they have been pretty good layers in the past, but this year they are not laying much at all. Maybe it's just too early. I was wondering if anyone else is having this issue? Are they good layers for only about 2 years and then nothing?? what is the deal? I love them so much.

My birds are hit or miss right now too. Cold nights I think are slowing them down.​

 

[Hegatha]

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At what age can you check this for it to work or be accurate?

You can check the primary feathers within the first week. There are some video's on youtube that shows sexing chickens. There was an episode from Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe that took him to McMurray Hatchery and he worked with the people that sex them. It was interesting to watch. I was able to really see the difference between sexes by the second week.

Well I did pick two out with longer primary feathers and they both have pullet traits but one is getting red at the base of the comb and I little at the comb which is the only thing. there both almost five weeks. What do you think? Thanks

 

[dak]

Feather sexing is not accurate in all breeds or all varieties within a breed. The hatcheries maintain certain lines they can feather sex.

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

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congrats on your hatch. That is a great pic of the two of them too. I have a hard time getting good pics of my chicks.
deana

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

Mrs. Fluffy Puffy :

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I've given quiet a few Silkies baths in my time.

I got a medium sized deep bowl and fill it 3/4 full of warm water. Then I placed the chicken in the bowl and got the chicken all wet then I put the shampoo or what ever else you had it and scrub it it. Then just wash it all out and blow dry it..if you have a blow dryer! I don't have one that works so I just held it in a towl for about an hour so it could dry.

that sounds simple enough I will do it as soon as these high winds we are having will ever stop. hopefully in a day or two. Thanks for the tip​

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

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I've given quiet a few Silkies baths in my time.

I got a medium sized deep bowl and fill it 3/4 full of warm water. Then I placed the chicken in the bowl and got the chicken all wet then I put the shampoo or what ever else you had it and scrub it it. Then just wash it all out and blow dry it..if you have a blow dryer! I don't have one that works so I just held it in a towl for about an hour so it could dry.

It's my understanding that you blow dry a Silkie in a different way than regular feathered chickens. A Cochin would be blown dry by aiming the air in the direction that the feathers grow, a Silkie..... I think you blow dry against the direction or at least pointing straight down on the bird. Tom R says to use a tiny bit of fabric softener in the rinse water and I'm just dieing to try it. I bought 4 pullets from John Burgess and I feel almost certain that's what he did to them. Their feathers were the most beautiful, and the softest feeling feathers I'd ever seen. They were/are gorgeous! As soon as the weather warms up, I'm going to bathe a BUNCH of mine just because I want to after this horrible winter.
Nancy

thanks for the hair blowing tip would have not known that. I would have just been blowing all over the place. lol
might have to have one of my dd's hold him while i do that. Not sure if he has had a bath or not. I do know the lady I got him from and she is really good with her birds.

 

[Jayers]

Hi all! I just acquired a "rescue" bantam cochin last weekend. She was the last chicken left from a gal who had ducks and getting picked apart. I don't know her age, just that she is over 2yrs (I suspect much older).
She seems to be settling in nicely (but my big Australorp appears to be terrified of her). So far she's had no interest in leaving the coop and coming out in the yard and has not been in the nesting box. Anyone know how high these bantams can comfortably go? I am hoping that my nesting box isn't too high.

 

[ROCKIN R FARM]

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mine seem to go very high. I was worried about the one that i got as well. I did check on them one night and they were all roosting ontop of the roost that I actually build for my standard size chickens. I had to let my standards free range for now till I can get my silkies, cochins and batams in their own run. I just need to fix some of the wire before I can get them over there. But we are having some really high winds today and no way i can get out there and do that today. So I think it will be fine. But what I had done for mine when I was not sure was to get some milk crates, boxes or what I could find for them to use as nesting boxes and they loved it. I even took an old cat little box the type that look like a dome top and used that as well. Right now I have it in the run as well and my juvies use it to hide out.
not to sure if this helped you or not.
deana