Cochin Thread!!!

[chickenluver100]

This is my cochin mix baby chick Daisy!

 

[ihavechickens2]

this is my lemon blue hen and brown red cochin roo

 

[Fancy Feathers]

I know you're excited Stacy!

The eggs in the fridge won't be hatchable because the fridge likely killed them, IF they were fertile. The very first eggs laid are usually not fertile for some reason. When my Sugar started laying, though, I put all of her her first eggs in the 'bator. If I remember right there was only one that wasn't fertile. Her other pullet eggs developed and hatched and her babies are growing up in my barn.
Lots of people don't hatch pullet eggs, but... like you, I bought some 3 week old Silkies in May, and they just started laying last month. I had to hatch their babies! Then my MF Cochin pullets started laying... I couldn't not hatch those ~ I had babies hatching yesterday! I've got 5 Silkies and 5 Cochins, plus whatever's developing in the incubator, to winter in a brooder in my laundry room. I said I wasn't going to hatch during the winter, but I was just lying to myself!

 

[tkay6205]

I'm a guilty winter hatcher also. One of my splash pullets started laying that is out of my blues in my avatar. I could not eat them. But I have a heated office in the horse barn and works great for the babies until they can go to the garage. Good luck with y'all's babies!!

 

[lilcrow]

Those in the fridge are no good for hatching. !st eggs laid are rarely fertile. I sure won't hatch eggs this time of year. If the pullet does it then fine but personally I would not use an incubator unless I wanted to deal with chicks in the house for 4-6 weeks. That's just me.

The bird in your avatar and the above picture sure are nice looking birds.

I'm with Craig on this, I won't hatch eggs now because I hate having chicks in the house in the winter. It never fails that no matter how hard I try to keep them clean, when I leave the house and then come back in....I can SMELL THEM!! It doesn't mean I don't love my birds and if I have a sick one, it will come to the house, but having a bunch of babies in my living room gives true meaning to the statement, "do you live in a barn?"

I've also heard that pullet eggs are rarely any good, but it looks like Nancy has dispelled that myth. I do know that I won't try hatching those little tiny eggs because of the fear that the babies just will be too small and fragile. I hate to have babies die, so I figure why invite disaster.

I know you're excited Stacy!

The eggs in the fridge won't be hatchable because the fridge likely killed them, IF they were fertile. The very first eggs laid are usually not fertile for some reason. When my Sugar started laying, though, I put all of her her first eggs in the 'bator. If I remember right there was only one that wasn't fertile. Her other pullet eggs developed and hatched and her babies are growing up in my barn.
Lots of people don't hatch pullet eggs, but... like you, I bought some 3 week old Silkies in May, and they just started laying last month. I had to hatch their babies! Then my MF Cochin pullets started laying... I couldn't not hatch those ~ I had babies hatching yesterday! I've got 5 Silkies and 5 Cochins, plus whatever's developing in the incubator, to winter in a brooder in my laundry room. I said I wasn't going to hatch during the winter, but I was just lying to myself!

I have also always heard that you can't hatch eggs that have been refrigirated, however one of my good friends who raises Brahmas has told me that he has on occasion put refrigirated eggs in his 'bator to fill out a tray or some such thing and his DO hatch. So my thinking is, if you've got the facilities and energy to have babies in the winter - GO FOR IT!! Otherwise wait until spring, if you're not sure, try it and you'll very quickly find out if your a person that can keep going into the winter with babies. I completely agree with you about seperating Momma and eggs/kids because first time mothers rarely know how to protect their kids from the other hens.

 

[StacyTN]

I know you're excited Stacy

The eggs in the fridge won't be hatchable because the fridge likely killed them, IF they were fertile. The very first eggs laid are usually not fertile for some reason. When my Sugar started laying, though, I put all of her her first eggs in the 'bator. If I remember right there was only one that wasn't fertile. Her other pullet eggs developed and hatched and her babies are growing up in my barn.
Lots of people don't hatch pullet eggs, but... like you, I bought some 3 week old Silkies in May, and they just started laying last month. I had to hatch their babies! Then my MF Cochin pullets started laying... I couldn't not hatch those ~ I had babies hatching yesterday! I've got 5 Silkies and 5 Cochins, plus whatever's developing in the incubator, to winter in a brooder in my laundry room. I said I wasn't going to hatch during the winter, but I was just lying to myself!

Aww, congrats and yes the idea is sooo tempting but really I know probably not the best idea and I said after the last incubator hatch (eggs I bought), 10 weeks old now, that I wouldn't do anymore until until feb. or so. Maybe, I'll give her time to just getting used to laying but I just can't get past thinking just maybe there could be some really pretty babies

 

[StacyTN]

I'm a guilty winter hatcher also. One of my splash pullets started laying that is out of my blues in my avatar. I could not eat them. But I have a heated office in the horse barn and works great for the babies until they can go to the garage. Good luck with y'all's babies!!

Yep, that is one of my issues, just can't bring myself to eat them (maybe my husband will ???). So, in a way I just feel like I should just let her lay and see what she does because again being so new with chickens it's kind of an experiment for me to see what a hen does or doesn't do with eggs etc. etc.

oooo I just don't know - lol

 

[StacyTN]

This is my cochin mix baby chick Daisy!

pretty little thing

 

[StacyTN]

I'm with Craig on this, I won't hatch eggs now because I hate having chicks in the house in the winter. It never fails that no matter how hard I try to keep them clean, when I leave the house and then come back in....I can SMELL THEM!! It doesn't mean I don't love my birds and if I have a sick one, it will come to the house, but having a bunch of babies in my living room gives true meaning to the statement, "do you live in a barn?"

I've also heard that pullet eggs are rarely any good, but it looks like Nancy has dispelled that myth. I do know that I won't try hatching those little tiny eggs because of the fear that the babies just will be too small and fragile. I hate to have babies die, so I figure why invite disaster.


I have also always heard that you can't hatch eggs that have been refrigirated, however one of my good friends who raises Brahmas has told me that he has on occasion put refrigirated eggs in his 'bator to fill out a tray or some such thing and his DO hatch. So my thinking is, if you've got the facilities and energy to have babies in the winter - GO FOR IT!! Otherwise wait until spring, if you're not sure, try it and you'll very quickly find out if your a person that can keep going into the winter with babies. I completely agree with you about seperating Momma and eggs/kids because first time mothers rarely know how to protect their kids from the other hens.

Again, I also appreciate your opinion and view point. You bring up other things I need to think about: 1st eggs, small eggs, fragile babies, maturity of hen etc. etc. etc.

So, this has me asking now (being a newbie) when usually will the eggs be fertile or more fertile for a hen, when you know that there is some action going on? Is it usually the age of the pullet/hen or the cockeral/rooster or a combination of both?

 

[BantyChickenLuv]

Just thought I'd share the pic if my Bantam Cochin Frizzle's first egg:

It was tiny, about the size of a quarter. I wanted to hatch some but she only laid about 4 in a month. She hasn't laid one since August.