Cochin Thread!!!

[HooverHenHouse]

Here are my three cochin girls, with many more to come! The frizzle barred seems to have some width, but the other girl doesn't have much subtance, if anything she will still be a pet.
My new black pullet from Joan is hesitant about being put in the coop, but she was pacing in her cage so I'm letting her try it out.

 

[LeBlehBleh]

I'm quite new to chickens (as well as this site, since I posted the same question to the wrong thread..oops.) I was wondering if someone could help me identify which color pattern best suits my bantam cochin, The Colonel? I'd like to try and show him when he gets a bit older (he's about 4 months old now). Any help is greatly appreciated, and I can post more pictures if I need to.

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/374479_433677640050801_409836054_n.jpg

 

[lilcrow]

I'm quite new to chickens (as well as this site, since I posted the same question to the wrong thread..oops.) I was wondering if someone could help me identify which color pattern best suits my bantam cochin, The Colonel? I'd like to try and show him when he gets a bit older (he's about 4 months old now). Any help is greatly appreciated, and I can post more pictures if I need to.

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/374479_433677640050801_409836054_n.jpg

Hope I don't hurt your feelings, but your bird is a mixture of colors, and not the best type. He may be a mix of mottled/birchen, but it's kind of hard to tell. He'll make a very sweet pet.

 

[Mr. Ree]

They were not fertile or they would have developed and hatched like the other eggs. Fertility in Cochins is not something that counted on without our assistance.

I have to say that I dont fully agree with that. For the past two years I have never once trimmed or plucked a feather or even began to AI and had decent fertility. I set 6 dz eggs last year, the first 4 never hatched due to incubator issues, out of the 50 set, 37 that we checked were fertile and a couple we were unsure of just yet. After getting the issues fixed, ended up setting 34 more eggs, and hatched 28 to give me 40 chicks counting what the hens hatched and raised. BUT, I also agree with you because that doesnt mean that letting my birds breed naturally will always work. You never know when knowing how to AI or when plucking/trimming feathers will come in handy with this breed. (Especially the frizzles, they seem to have an extra layer of fluff.)

~Casey

 

[lilcrow]

I have to say that I dont fully agree with that. For the past two years I have never once trimmed or plucked a feather or even began to AI and had decent fertility. I set 6 dz eggs last year, the first 4 never hatched due to incubator issues, out of the 50 set, 37 that we checked were fertile and a couple we were unsure of just yet. After getting the issues fixed, ended up setting 34 more eggs, and hatched 28 to give me 40 chicks counting what the hens hatched and raised. BUT, I also agree with you because that doesnt mean that letting my birds breed naturally will always work. You never know when knowing how to AI or when plucking/trimming feathers will come in handy with this breed. (Especially the frizzles, they seem to have an extra layer of fluff.)

~Casey

Casey, you're so lucky, wish I could get some fertile eggs without doing anything. Last year I couldn't get much of anything to hatch........that I really wanted. I also was a miserable failure at AI-ing. I've GOT to do better than that this year AND I must keep better records.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: I agree 100% casey... i didn't trim or ai or anything, and had near 100% hatch with my mfc pen. hatched out probably 70 chicks from them over the course of the year. they're just now starting to lay, including my 2 pullets, so once they've been laying a couple weeks i'll start incubating (unless i can't resist then i may put the pullet eggs in too LOL)

i'm hesitant to switch roos with the girls. LOL they work so well together.

 

[Reyvaughn]

I let mine go naturally but I have had to trim tushies when my fertility goes to 50%. Usually I have a 80-90% fertility rate from my Cochins.

-sigh- I let cute little chicks get the better of me. I bought 3 buff bantam Cochins from TSC. I know, I know. But, they can be a resale project!

 

[LeBlehBleh]

Hope I don't hurt your feelings, but your bird is a mixture of colors, and not the best type. He may be a mix of mottled/birchen, but it's kind of hard to tell. He'll make a very sweet pet.

Oh well. I think he's very handsome, regardless of being able to show him or not.

 

[davony's chicks]

I agree 100% casey... i didn't trim or ai or anything, and had near 100% hatch with my mfc pen. hatched out probably 70 chicks from them over the course of the year. they're just now starting to lay, including my 2 pullets, so once they've been laying a couple weeks i'll start incubating (unless i can't resist then i may put the pullet eggs in too LOL)

i'm hesitant to switch roos with the girls. LOL they work so well together.

I have yet to trim or AI but have prepared myself to and so far have 99% hatch rate. This last hatch should have been 100% but the last one just stopped zipping and died in the shell.

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

I try to hatch without assisting fertility on my 1st test hatch. I plucked lightly for the 2nd test hatch and have a higher % of fertile eggs but nowhere close to an acceptable level.. Plucked more and have started to AI certain birds. Will do another test run about Sunday. I also find the younger birds tend to be more fertile than the older birds. I had 1 year where I hatched after the spring show and some birds molted around the time I wanted to hatch. Great natural hatch that year. The next year I didn't have a fertile egg out of the 1st 60. I intervened and eventually got plenty of chicks. I only want people to understand what they can do to improve the percentage of fertile eggs if they have trouble. I still have 1 pen that is not giving me fertile eggs. My older Columbian male may need more daylight for a longer period of time or may need to be replaced as a breeder.by a cockerel.