Cochin Thread!!!

[AndyCap]

I am currently the #1 exhibitor of Columbians in the USA using the Cochin International breeders points list. I have to hatch a lot and save a few to get good ones. Some of the best Columbian breeders will not do well in a show. . I absolutely love the Columbian pattern.. When you want to learn about a variety ask questions. I did. Always consider the source.

i couldnt agree more with what has been said. We are indeed very lucky to have someone so knowledgeable, with such great birds, and is willing to help out others.

Thanks for all the answers Craig, i have really enjoyed reading through your posts and pm's, and have learnt a great deal from you and your passion for rare varieties.

 

[mindylee]

Out of all my cochin chicks born 3 weeks ago, got 2 chocolates from my chocolate project. 1 solid and 1 mottled. Feathering is lookin nice so far so time will only tell as they mature.
Others are too cute and some are culled and will be sold as pets to a friend who just likes them as pets. But have a rainbow of colors so far and expecting my 2nd batch to hatch in 5 days!

 

[AndyCap]

Hey all, i have just noticed something rather odd with my recent hatch, i had one late egg that had pipped but not hatched, i took it out to check on it, as the hen had started moving, and noticed there was still movement inside it.

I decided to leave it to the hen, figuring she would know best, so i put it back into the nest. The chick did hatch late(2 days) but is very odd, it hasn't developed proper fluff feathers (at 3 days old)
and still has pin like feathers and looks generally weaker then the rest. i am not sure what to do about this little thing. It is moving around with the others, and following the broody around and looking for food, but looks terrible.

I dont have the capacity to care for it outside of my regular care, and am wondering if it will ever develop proper chick fluff or even feathers like the rest of the gang.
Seeing as i use broodies to hatch i usually go by the hens intuition, if she kicks an egg out i discard it, if she decides it's time to start moving around and leave the rest then i let her do it.

Any thoughts from some of you long time breeders and chicken keepers?

 

[ki4got]

Hey all, i have just noticed something rather odd with my recent hatch, i had one late egg that had pipped but not hatched, i took it out to check on it, as the hen had started moving, and noticed there was still movement inside it.

I decided to leave it to the hen, figuring she would know best, so i put it back into the nest. The chick did hatch late(2 days) but is very odd, it hasn't developed proper fluff feathers (at 3 days old)
and still has pin like feathers and looks generally weaker then the rest. i am not sure what to do about this little thing. It is moving around with the others, and following the broody around and looking for food, but looks terrible.

I dont have the capacity to care for it outside of my regular care, and am wondering if it will ever develop proper chick fluff or even feathers like the rest of the gang.
Seeing as i use broodies to hatch i usually go by the hens intuition, if she kicks an egg out i discard it, if she decides it's time to start moving around and leave the rest then i let her do it.

Any thoughts from some of you long time breeders and chicken keepers?

IMO, if momma's taking care of it and it's keeping up, let it go...

 

[Scifisarah]

I never use broodies to hatch, but at times I've had to rinse chicks off that for some reason or another, get too much dried egg fluids on their feathers so they don't fluff out. I use a digital meat thermometer and get the water right around 98-99 degrees. I would be interested in seeing a picture if you get a chance. I wonder what the first person that had a frizzle mutation thought when their chick started feathering out?

 

[AndyCap]

Thanks both, will try and take a picture this afternoon.

 

[Missyktsm]

Hey all, i have just noticed something rather odd with my recent hatch, i had one late egg that had pipped but not hatched, i took it out to check on it, as the hen had started moving, and noticed there was still movement inside it.

I decided to leave it to the hen, figuring she would know best, so i put it back into the nest. The chick did hatch late(2 days) but is very odd, it hasn't developed proper fluff feathers (at 3 days old)

and still has pin like feathers and looks generally weaker then the rest. i am not sure what to do about this little thing. It is moving around with the others, and following the broody around and looking for food, but looks terrible.

I dont have the capacity to care for it outside of my regular care, and am wondering if it will ever develop proper chick fluff or even feathers like the rest of the gang. 
Seeing as i use broodies to hatch i usually go by the hens intuition, if she kicks an egg out i discard it, if she decides it's time to start moving around and leave the rest then i let her do it.

Any thoughts from some of you long time breeders and chicken keepers?

I'm not a long time breeder, in fact I'm completely new, but I may be able to answer your question.

In my very first hatch I had a chick like you're describing. It was an extremely sad looking thing and didn't think it would make it. However, it was eating and drinking well and grew just like its hatch mates, just with very little feathering. I talked with the man who started this line 25/30 years ago (Star Cochins) and was told I had a "runt" chicken. He said that sometimes they will feather out and sometimes not. I decided to wait and see what happened for education purposes. It took several months but it did feather out. Although it's still smaller than its hatch mates is a beautiful bird. My husband swears it's the prettiest of all my hens. Hope this helps.

U.D. (Ugly Duckling) at about 5 months old with a hen from the same hatch...huge difference

U.D. Now

Size comparison with a cockerel hatched the same day

 

[dak]

Hey all, i have just noticed something rather odd with my recent hatch, i had one late egg that had pipped but not hatched, i took it out to check on it, as the hen had started moving, and noticed there was still movement inside it.

I decided to leave it to the hen, figuring she would know best, so i put it back into the nest. The chick did hatch late(2 days) but is very odd, it hasn't developed proper fluff feathers (at 3 days old)
and still has pin like feathers and looks generally weaker then the rest. i am not sure what to do about this little thing. It is moving around with the others, and following the broody around and looking for food, but looks terrible.

I dont have the capacity to care for it outside of my regular care, and am wondering if it will ever develop proper chick fluff or even feathers like the rest of the gang.
Seeing as i use broodies to hatch i usually go by the hens intuition, if she kicks an egg out i discard it, if she decides it's time to start moving around and leave the rest then i let her do it.

Any thoughts from some of you long time breeders and chicken keepers?

Did it look like this?


Next to a normal hatchmate.

 

[mindylee]

Mine sorta did! Lil more feathering but yeah!
Omgoodness!
I would have never thought of a runt awwwwww!
But makes sence! Mine is tiny compared to everyone else.
I also have about 10 hens that are way smaller then the rest of my other bantam cochins. I wonder if they are runts too. Everyone always coments hot tiny they are and I joked and say mini bantams.... now I wonder.

 

[Cassidy Love]

My whites

My blacks