Cochin Thread!!!

[Jharper]

nope... this is an e+/e+ trio... 1 roo 2 hens in the foreground are silver, the 'normal' ie red, roo is in the background and his hen is the one chopped off on the right. what you have is likely E (extended black) check out the link in my sig for my article on genetics...

Ok thanks!

 

[LuvMyChicks27]

Any suggestions as to what I should add to my cochins' food if I am hoping to condition them for showing? I've got coupons for 13 free bags of Purina Layena plus Omega-3 food, so I'd like to feed that but wondered if there should be something else I add to their water or food to get them nice and conditioned?

I feed mine food grade diatomaceous earth. It not only makes them healthier it kills any worms or parasites they might have. So many uses!!

 

[sbucciarel]

Chicks!! I finally hatched some chicks! I was starting to lose hope.

Beautiful. Congrats!

 

[krzy4klukkluks]

Anyone want to try and play "Sex that Cochin" ??
I have 4 silver laced Cochins from Murray McMurray they are about 5 weeks old now (wow, seems longer, maybe i'll have to wait until they're a lot older to figure this out!)
3 of the 4 seem to be feathering out pretty much exactly the same but the forth little one looks like he's been in a cat fight, bald spots and way slower to feather out. Anyway without further ado here are my guys/girls

Here is a good comparison of of odd balls lack of feathering compared to how the other's look (odd ball right)



odd ball




Back feathering of how 3 of 4 look (I could only get two in any one picture, they're quick!)


This is Molly, a Blue Cochin, she was supposed to be a pullet, but I keep looking at Snowy (in following picture) and comparing her, and Molly is looking more like a Mike with her shorter wing feathers

(Although she is also a MUCH smaller bird) Thoughts? (She/he may be to young I suppose)



And finally Snowy, our other blue cochin pullet (hatched the same day as Molly above, and is about double her size?) She is a beautiful ball of fluff and so docile and friendly, probably our favorite

Thanks for checking out my lovies!

 

[dak]

I feed mine food grade diatomaceous earth. It not only makes them healthier it kills any worms or parasites they might have. So many uses!!

Can you please cite the study that was done to prove that.

 

[AndyCap]

Anyone want to try and play "Sex that Cochin" ?? I have 4 silver laced Cochins from Murray McMurray they are about 5 weeks old now (wow, seems longer, maybe i'll have to wait until they're a lot older to figure this out!) 3 of the 4 seem to be feathering out pretty much exactly the same but the forth little one looks like he's been in a cat fight, bald spots and way slower to feather out. Anyway without further ado here are my guys/girls Here is a good comparison of of odd balls lack of feathering compared to how the other's look (odd ball right) odd ball Back feathering of how 3 of 4 look (I could only get two in any one picture, they're quick!) This is Molly, a Blue Cochin, she was supposed to be a pullet, but I keep looking at Snowy (in following picture) and comparing her, and Molly is looking more like a Mike with her shorter wing feathers

(Although she is also a MUCH smaller bird) Thoughts? (She/he may be to young I suppose) And finally Snowy, our other blue cochin pullet (hatched the same day as Molly above, and is about double her size?) She is a beautiful ball of fluff and so docile and friendly, probably our favorite

Thanks for checking out my lovies!

Oddball looks like a cockerel to me.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: personally I don't know of any studies, but have heard some people swear by it, others swear AT it...
it's also marketed to help, but personal opinion is that it might help, but by itself I don't think it does all that it's touted to.

for dust baths, some people add DE, wood ashes, or sevin dust to help with external parasites. personal experience has shown me that dust bathing in ANYTHING seems to help the birds keep parasites under control, but the biggest help with them is proper management of their coop/pen areas... my own birds use areas on my property that are mostly dried red clay. yeah white turns to tan pretty rapidly, but I also don't have a problem with mites/lice/scaly foot. even the dog who is regularly dusty hasn't ever had a flea when allowed to roam at will during the day.

internally, I've heard people tout the benefits of DE, chewing tobacco and other more questionable substances, but I don't think there's much scientific evidence that any of them do much good...

personally I use ivermectin injectable (fed orally) to eliminate internal and external blood-sucking parasites. or as a spot on under one wing for external parasites of any sort. I treat all birds twice a year, and any newcomers as soon as I get them home.

I know the question was aimed more at conditioning birds for show, but I free range them all as much as possible and don't show at all yet...

 

[krzy4klukkluks]

Thanks!
I was thinking the same thing, but also thinking that would be to good to be true, we wanted one rooster, I can't believe we would actually only end up with one! I was so sure they would all be

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

I feed mine food grade diatomaceous earth. It not only makes them healthier it kills any worms or parasites they might have. So many uses!!

I keep seeing this sort of claim but have never seen any data to back it up. Ki4got gave good insight into dust baths. I doubt the validity of the claims that it kills any worm or parasites they might have.
.

 

[Scifisarah]

I keep seeing this sort of claim but have never seen any data to back it up. Ki4got gave good insight into dust baths. I doubt the validity of the claims that it kills any worm or parasites they might have.
.

I agree - I have a big bag so I still add it to the bottom of the coops before I put in the bedding, but I really don't know how affective it is. I know when I put some on top of an ant hill, they just moved it out of the way, and crawled over it like it was regular soil. I'd rather stick to ivermectin or Frontline for parasites. Really, my question was more about nutrition, rather than parasite control. I have the coupons for 12 bags of free Purina Layena + Omega, but don't know what else, if anything, I should add to that diet to really make them shine.