Cochin Thread!!!

[homeschoolchick]

I think the main things you watch for is eye color reddish bay not green or green/gray

Why is that? I am asking because I am new to cochins and hadn't seen this before, but have seen the green eyes in a lot of pictures.

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

I think the main things you watch for is eye color reddish bay not green or green/gray

Why is that? I am asking because I am new to cochins and hadn't seen this before, but have seen the green eyes in a lot of pictures.

Reddish Bay is what the standards calls for. Poor eye color is inherited and hard to get rid of once you start breeding it. I know because I have culled over 40 birds in the last 20 months due to eye color. It all started when I thought I could use an outstanding male in all respects except for off color eyes. It came back to bite me. I knew if I kept them I would breed them because their type was good. Off color eyes is not a disqualification but is a deduction. Green eyes are out there but not what we should strive to breed.

Craig

 

[cochinman2005]

I think the main things you watch for is eye color reddish bay not green or green/gray

Why is that? I am asking because I am new to cochins and hadn't seen this before, but have seen the green eyes in a lot of pictures.

To add on to what Craig has provided. Reddish Bay eyes are called for in the standard, and while green/gray/brown eyes are not a DQ, there is a points deductions when considering the overall bird. Since we do not judge using score cards, but by comparison, all things being equal between two birds except one has proper eye color and one does not, the one with proper eye color should win.

Additional breeding considerations. Many times we'll see eye color fade as the birds age. I've had males and females with great eye color as cockerels and pullets, fade to light yellow, or even greenish brown as cocks and hens. From a breeding perspective you'd want to try to use birds that hold their eye color into their 3rd or 4th year if you can. Eye color is certainly hereditary so starting out with a bird with the wrong colored eyes will produce more of the same. Mated to a bird with good eye color you would get some with proper eye color, but they will be carrying the genes for the off colored eyes as well. Food for thought.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Thoughts about my poultry experiences.


The only limiting factors of how large your flock will become will be your spouse, local ordinances, coop(facilities) and finances.

I have come to the conclusion that an inexpensive incubator handled incorrectly will kill many chicks in the shell and frustrates everyone. My advice on inexpensive incubators is to make small adjustments and check again in 2 hrs and to place them in an area with as little temp variation as possible. I have 2 inexpensive incubators that hatched out well for me but required regular monitoring and adjustments. I now have 2 digitally preset Hovabator Genesis units that make them load and forget for 18 days. Then I turn off the egg turner.

Chicks make lots of dust that coats everything in the same room. I really try to keep them out of the house.

If you ever want to show and do well buy from a breeder who has had success hatching and showing his own birds. I see too many 4H kids do an excellent job caring for their birds but never have a chance because the birds are genetically inferior for show purposes. Hatching eggs that are shipped are generally not a good way to get a good hatch rate. There is heat, cold, rough handling , all combining to decrease your chance of a high percentage of eggs shipped ever hatching. Please do not blame the sender because in most cases the damage to the eggs are outside their control.

Showing exhibition birds is a fun hobby but not for everyone. Only a small percentage of birds hatched are good enough to do well in a show. Certain varieties/breeds win more often than some other breeds. Decide if you want to win or just enjoy the experience. It can become expensive but it was a great way for my daughter and me to do something together that we both enjoyed. Her skill at picking which birds I should take is still much better than mine.

Some birds seem to die for no apparent reason. Birds taken to a show and newly purchased birds should be quarantined before introducing them to the flock. When hatching extra birds know what you will do with your culls. Swap meets, butcher, give away, craigslist? No matter what take good care of them.

Do not overcrowd birds.This causes all sorts of problems. Clean pens regularly and keep plenty of water available year round. Mites are a pest that requires regular checking of your flock.

Bantam eggs are smaller but just as good to eat and cook with as Large Fowl eggs. Chickens do not need a feed with a protein level higher than 18% and many do very well on 16%. Chickens love scratch feed but I limit the amount they get to insure proper overall nutrition. I do not expect chicken wire to stop a determined predator. I find 1/2 " hardware cloth gives peace of mind. A top on the run keeps hawks and owls out.

That the least practical birds may also bring the most enjoyment.

Also that no matter how old I get the feelings I have from watching eggs hatch and then develop is quite fulfilling.

You meet the nicest people at poultry shows with an occasional @55 that you should just ignore like everyone else. Most importantly do not let that @55 spoil your day.

It is SO much more fun to beat a bad loser than one of your friends.

Predators caught in my coop do not get released to harm other peoples livestock.

Sick birds MUST be separated and quarantined from the flock until healthy or culled to protect the flock.

Listen to people who have done it. What is in a book may or may not work for you. There is a difference between what they have done and what they think. Always consider the source.

Craig

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Great to see you on here again!

 

[homeschoolchick]

Black Cochin and Cochin Man 2005 -

Thank you for your replies. I have a lot to learn and specs to look over. Although I am not intending to show, I still have the desire to breed cochins to their standard. I really thought the chickens looked pretty with green eyes. I didn't realize that was incorrect. I appreciate your help!

 

[Grumpypantsmomma]

I wouldn't try to put a logical reason why birds peck one another. There is a pecking order in poultry. Were they raised together or different ages? As far as trimming I will attach something I have posted before. Perhaps move the Male between cages every 2 days and most eggs will be fertile. Also what is the hen to male ratio. I always have a less than a 5 hen to male ratio when trying to get fertile eggs.

If you want to show them you pluck instead of trimming. Trimmed/cut feathers do not grow back until their next molt. If you pluck you will have 6-8 weeks of fertile egg then the fertility drops as the feathers grow back. They do look more than a little rough for a while.

You pluck/trim the male around his vent and below. Probably farther than you imagine. You want it so his feathers can not bend back and up to block the vent area. Just keep checking as you go.
You pluck/trim the female around the vent and above. You keep checking as you go. Again you go higher than you think. Feathers should not come down and block the vent area.

Good Luck
Craig

Thanks! I have only the two Cochin's, The Roo is a Porcelain D'Uccle and with 12 other bantam hens he is doing his job very well as every egg I have collected from the rest of his girls have been popped in the incubators to check fertility and are all fertile and developing right along. And I mean every egg I collected from all 12 other girls that I have collected I the last 7 days before I popped in the bator are fertile, I did a collection the week before too for my other incubator in both the only eggs that weren't fertile are the egg from my cochin girls.
I am just curious as to what is causing the two cochin girls to gang up on the other girls attacking them one at a time. once I took them out of the pen every one including my little Roo is much calmer and they are able to eat without being attacked.
They are not show quality gals that I know of, they were rescued with the porcelain D'Uccle Roo from a poor situation. They have always been good girls until this incident, come to think of it I only got one fertile egg from the 2 of them when they were younger and had less fluff, the chick only made it a couple hours after hatch. My Roo has always been interested in them until now, i am wondering if he gave up trying to breed them! Who knows, I will take you very helpful advice and trim the feathers around their vents when I am ready to put them back in with the other girls but for now I think it best to keep them seperated from the rest of the flock and see what happens, maybe even start their own pen with a new cochin Roo.

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

Very practical and wise advice - always nice to hear the voice of experience! Have you checked out the BYC article contest? You may consider submitting an essay - "Voice of Experience - words of wisdom from the Chicken Breeding World"?

Thank You
I stay away from the rest of BYC usually. I am always learning so I don't know if I qualify as the voice of experience. I am interested in helping people with Cochins. I have gone off this thread and often don't like what I see I will stay where for the most part I feel my insight is appreciated.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Great to see you on here again!

It's good to be on here again! So much going on lately, there's no time to think too much about the birds. It'll be at least 2 more weeks or so before we get all moved into the new house and get the birds moved (the house was a foreclosure and was winterized - we need to get electric back on and get a LP tank put back in before we'll have heat and running water! Not to mention half of the pens I want to move to the new house are frozen into the ground right now!) - but I got my first Cochin egg of 2012 today!

Not a Columbian egg - it's a Mottled/Mille. The birds are outside with no supplemental heat/light, and it's the first egg I've seen this year - the ducks usually beat the Cochins to it! The incubators are going to be in the FIRST truckload of things we move!

 

[mjgigax]

My Frizzle Cochin, "Shimmer", who is way too sexy for all ya'll and really should have a red carpet. This is my first hatch and I adore them all...I am a new "Crazy Chicken Lady".



Tell me what my color is 'cuz Momma has no idea. lol (again...a noob)

Both too cute for words!
I need some chicks too!!!!!!!!!