Cochin Thread!!!

[cochins1088]

Quote:

50 lbs a week? I have 34 chickens (10 LF and 24 bantam) as well as 4 ducks and 2 geese. I go through a total of 50 lbs per week, and they don't get to "free-range" very often. Maybe once a week for a few hours. I feed pellets with 18% protein.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
are you free ranging at all? I have 73 birds (well, before I sold some this weekend, but going with what I calculated last week...). when they were free ranging, I was feeding about 50 pounds a week... with all but 15 penned, going thru about 100 pounds a week of a food from southern states. "Rockin Rooster Growth Booster" LOL love the name. it's basically a 20% feed equivalent to chick feed but in pelleted form. then I offer free choice oyster shell and crushed egg shells. even so at this rate it's costing me about $.43 per bird per week...

the rockin' rooster is a couple dollars more a bag than I was paying for the TSC stuff, but I'm going thru half again less. so cheaper over all.

I switched off the TSC stuff because I feel they needed higher protein. within reason, feeding a higher protein source, if the proteins in it are balanced enough, will decrease the amount being fed because their needs will be satisfied faster... you COULD feed them nothing but corn. but to get the amounts of certain proteins needed they would probably have to eat half their own weight in it.

free ranging even part of the day will cut the consumption of feed some too, since they'll be getting more protein in the form of insects. feeding some scrap animal proteins will also cut feed a good bit IMO. When I find 'rotten meat' specials at the grocery store (stuff dated the next day) if it's under 1.25 a pound I snag it. both for the dog who eats raw and to give the chickens... they will TEAR UP a raw turkey neck. LOL

I should also mention, I don't have just bantams... the majority of my birds are LF (dorkings, EE, SFH, BLRW)

 

[moomoodiddy]

You CULLED him?? OMG, I'm sure someone would have love to give him a good home, HE turned out gorgeous... WTH?

culled doesnt always mean kill but thry may have rehomed him... i hope

 

[moomoodiddy]

If you bought chicks, not every chick will be a show bird.  If you bought started birds that she culled, she culled them for a reason.  If you are buying adult or started birds ask the person why they are selling them.  They might fit into your breeding program, but not theirs.  I am saying this about any breeder.  Not just this particular person.  I am not saying it in a mean or snide way either.  Its like this, someone elses cull could be another persons treasure!

they were almost started birds and they werent her culls ... she said she actually wanted to keep them for herself but had already promised them to me

 

[moomoodiddy]

Hey is anybody inor near winagte ncc? looking for some show quality bantams

 

[ki4got]

Quote: if you read his previous posts, he culled him and sent him to a friend's farm... I believe he's being used for breeding there possibly.

also, nobody in the US could have gotten hold of him anyways, Andy lives in S Africa. LOL

 

[Jharper]

if you read his previous posts, he culled him and sent him to a friend's farm... I believe he's being used for breeding there possibly.

also, nobody in the US could have gotten hold of him anyways, Andy lives in S Africa. LOL

Yeah, haha!

 

[annewandering]

if you read his previous posts, he culled him and sent him to a friend's farm... I believe he's being used for breeding there possibly.

also, nobody in the US could have gotten hold of him anyways, Andy lives in S Africa. LOL

Gosh I hope so. That was a pretty bird even if it didnt fit his breeding program.

 

[Bleenie]

We've got broodies & babies right now. 2 of the cochins are brooding chicks and one more is brooding eggs, she's our cross beaked girl though so we're hoping she decides to be a career broody so we don't have to worry about getting many cross beaked babies.

This girl has mainly cochin chicks but also has a couple polish from some eggs my mother wanted hatched.




We're hoping the frizzled chick is full cochin, the papa of the other two was our frizzled EE(but we also have a frizzle cochin boy)


The broody

one of the frizzled girls.

 

[AndyCap]

if you read his previous posts, he culled him and sent him to a friend's farm... I believe he's being used for breeding there possibly.

also, nobody in the US could have gotten hold of him anyways, Andy lives in S Africa. LOL

Yeah, haha!

Gosh I hope so. That was a pretty bird even if it didnt fit his breeding program.

He has gone to a friends farm, where he is being used in a breeding program there. He is a pretty boy, but the yellow leakage in the hackle feathers means he could never be shown as a mottled. He is being used in a partridge/pencilled program, as his type is okay and he is split on the e locus, E/e^b and should throw partridge in the next generation.

Interesting, this fella gave me a thought.

Brian Reeder says that black birds can be created on eb, that would give great yellow legs and beaks on black birds. I wonder if anyone has actually tried this? i noticed my split birds had much better shank colour then my pure black line. Better beaks too.