Cochin Thread!!!

[Funky Feathers]

HELLO EVERYONE I AM NEW TO THIS FORUM! DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE I CAN LOOK FOR A BREEDER/SELLER OF SPLASH COCHINS? I HAVE SOME BLUE STANDARD COCHIN CHICKS THAT ARE 1.5 WEEKS OLD SUPER CUTE, AND WILL BE LOOKING FOR A SPLASH ROO (EGGS) AND A "TRUE BLACK" PULLET (NO BLUE IN THE LINAGE). ANY HELP WOULD BE FANTASTIC... WILL POST PICTURES OF MINE SOON
I AM LOCATED ON VANCOUVER ISLAND BC CANADA

I have really nice splash, but I'm not sure if I can ship to Canada. I won't have any birds to sell until late summer.

 

[Scifisarah]

She was actually the easiest I have done yet - didn't even flap her wings once. Usually they do that a couple times and I end up cringing as chicken-poopy water sprays at my face.

I use my collie's sensitive skin oatmeal/aloe shampoo, but I'm sure dish liquid would be better for a very dirty bird. I utilize both sides of the kitchen sink and start by soaking and removing "chunks" in one side. Then I drain the first side and shampoo, and rinse under the faucet and when she is relatively rinsed, I will plug up and fill the second side with fresh water to make sure her undercarriage gets well rinsed. Hah - I filled up the first side too much last night, and learned that Bluebell is so fluffy, she will float like a duck.

 

[TheNuttyChick]

Very Handsome!

 

[lilcrow]

yes the genetics are the same, just the pattern can be different between the birds.

This is not actually correct, the calico came about as people were trying to breed for the Mille Fleur, and they created a very pretty bird that is not of any true recognized color. However a real MF is a true color that is described in the SOP. It is the color pattern that is seen on the Mille Fleur d'Uccle, and the feathers are required to have each color in a very definite pattern on each feather. You will see the calico has a mixture of red or buff, white and black feathers over the body.

 

[dak]

I am making a few of these available if anyone wants to work on a rare variety of LF.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/754060/the-new-crazy-24hr-auction-only-thread/90

 

[ki4got]

Quote: I looked into it, it's not easy or cheap... live birds are worse than eggs, but you're better off finding a local breeder than trying to import.

 

[Sanna]

I got Bluebell all primped up last night - bath, nail trim and blow dry. I'm taking her to the Humane Society of West Michigan this morning for the kids to pet, and the Eight West news crew will be there as well so maybe she'll get to be on tv!

I suppose I better put on some makeup for once...

Hey, that's awesome!

I hope you make it on the news with your beautiful hen also. I had my white rooster on the news for a whole 2 seconds couple weeks ago when channel 8 came to do a short story about our farm.

 

[mcnheff]

actually, i was surprised my first time around... i was told to be prepared to get wet. nope. once they settled into the warm soapy water (about to mid-chest depth), they went to sleep. LOL

i used dish liquid to get some suds going in the sink (big 2x2x2 utility sink), and let them sit for a few minutes, then proceed to completely soak/suds the entire bird. i usually leave the head alone to prevent soap in their eyes/nostrils, and use a rag to wipe off any noticable dirt.

once you're satisfied that they're nice and clean (i've had some rescues that took 2 sudsings to get it all), drain and rinse the sink, and fill it again to the same level with clean warm water, and add a cup or so of white vinegar. rinse the bird again. this helps cut any sudsy residue on the feathers that would cause them to clump together. especially for the under-fluff.

the best part of all is the drying. my cochins LOVE being blow-dried. (on low heat setting). i'd sit there, doing one area, then another, flip em over onto their back to get the belly and legs, roll to the side for under the wings, and they were totally content to be babied...

granted, most of the birds i've washed were rescues/adoptees that came from less than perfect conditions and usually required removal of a bunch of vent/belly feathers (scissors mostly) in order to remove the attached mud clods. i also used a mild flea shampoo, to help get rid of lice and mites. so these guys were, i think, especially appreciative of being clean again.

thank you for this information! I have 2 birds that were rescued (in my opinion). If vent feathers do need to be removed, how do I do that? Won't the feather shafts bleed if I cut too close to the body? Do I cut right where the feather starts to come out of the shaft, or a little above that? Thanks again for helping me with this.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: only growing feathers will bleed when cut... look at the shaft, if it's thick, waxy and you can see red/purple-ish color to it, you're better plucking it. if the shaft is harder and white, the feather is done growing and can be cut. my rescued guys i cut, simply because i didn't want to stress them any more than necessary, for the amount of feathers that had to be trimmed/removed. and i only cut the minimum amount needed to get rid of the clods, after soaking helped remove / loosen it closer to the skin.

 

[jakewelder]

Are Millie fluer , and calico the same bantams ?

yes the genetics are the same, just the pattern can be different between the birds.

thanks. I got some millie fluer eggs, they hatched out many colors . I am happy with them, I was just curious tho.