Cochin Thread!!!

[AndyCap]

So is a "bunny tail" when the angle of the tail slopes straight up or towards the front of the bird, rather than slightly back? Just trying to get a handle on what makes a bunny tail what it is.

Maybe pics will help.

Bunny tail


non bunny tail






The transition from head to back to tail should be smooth, unlike my white pullet at the top. The black pullet has a softer wider cushion, with a more natural/smoother transition, sorry, best pics i could find on my phone. Have a look at the pics in Joanie's album to see the wider cushion.

Have a look at these two pictures joanie_maine posted a while back. The black birds showing full wide cushions,



And this lovely buff rooster (also joanie_maine), see the smooth transition from the neck to the tail? Compare that to my white pullet at the top, where the tail just leaps out from the back.

 

[aceschix]

So is a "bunny tail" when the angle of the tail slopes straight up or towards the front of the bird, rather than slightly back? Just trying to get a handle on what makes a bunny tail what it is.

Yes, just as Andy said it is about the angle/ break in the line. The way it makes visual sense to me is a bunny tail looks like someone stuck a big cotton ball to their butt. It almost looks "removable" to me. I hope this helps.

 

[Scifisarah]

Thanks, it is helpful to know it has to do with the overall width of the cushion, rather than just the set of the tail. I like how the tail seems to meld into the body completely when cochins go broody and look like one massive ball of fluff. Reminds me of "Fizzgig" if anyone gets the 80's reference.

 

[AmandaAndChicks]

Looks like a cockerel to me, the slow feathering = male is not a set rule, just one of a few indicators. The wattles and comb being swollen here are good indicators this is a cockerel.

Thank you AndyCap, I really appreciate it! I was thinking so, but wishing for a hen.

 

[atotton]

Ok I have another question, sorry for being a pain

what would be possible colour outcomes of crossing a blue roo with a black pulet? Here is a picture of the pullet. Her father was a black mottled and mother a black.

 

[joanie_maine]

Ok I have another question, sorry for being a pain

what would be possible colour outcomes of crossing a blue roo with a black pulet? Here is a picture of the pullet. Her father was a black mottled and mother a black.

black x black = black
black x splash = blue
blue x black = 1/2 blue and 1/2 black
black x black mottled = black chicks with the mottled gene

PS Blacks with white only on their foot feathers and wing tips are not mottled.

 

[atotton]

Thanks. Her father was an actually black mottle. So if I cross her with the blue she has a chance of having mottled chicks because she is a carrier of the mottling?

 

[joanie_maine]

Thanks. Her father was an actually black mottle. So if I cross her with the blue she has a chance of having mottled chicks because she is a carrier of the mottling?

If she carries the mottled gene, you need to breed her to a bird that carries the mottled gene to get mottles

 

[Jharper]

Maybe pics will help. Bunny tail non bunny tail The transition from head to back to tail should be smooth, unlike my white pullet at the top. The black pullet has a softer wider cushion, with a more natural/smoother transition, sorry, best pics i could find on my phone. Have a look at the pics in Joanie's album to see the wider cushion. Have a look at these two pictures joanie_maine posted a while back. The black birds showing full wide cushions, And this lovely buff rooster (also joanie_maine) , see the smooth transition from the neck to the tail? Compare that to my white pullet at the top, where the tail just leaps out from the back.

That's what my black hen looks like!

 

[countrygirl74]

With all that's been going on in my town the past week or so, I got way behind on thread - like over 200 posts!!! I apologize if I'm asking any questions that have already been asked...

This is my first experience with a Cochin.

I have a beautiful splash (blue) Cochin boy. He is definitely a boy as he just started mounting the girls about 3 days ago. Up until then, I started really questioning because he exhibits NO other cockerel behaviors - no attempts at crowing, big scaredy cat, and hasn't learned to be a gentleman by calling the girls to food (he's happy to take it and run). He is 19 weeks old.

Anyway, he seems extremely healthy - beautiful feathering, healthy weight, eats, drinks, runs, mounts, etc. However, when he gets scared or when it's really hot and he's panting, he squeaks. Has anyone else ever experienced that? It's actually pretty loud sometimes - would it help if I got video? He sounds like an asthmatic chicken. I've never seen this before - none of my other chickens do this. It's only when he's panting hard - not when he's calm and cool and breathing normally.