Cochin Thread!!!

[WestKnollAmy]

I made this one a few years ago. Cages are 24" x 24" x24" and the birds are on 1" x 1" pvc coated wire. Works well, has clean out drawers.

Very nice!
I have a lot of extra cages that work like this but since I do not show I seldom use them. I love my birds outside on the ground so I only use the cages when I have stuff for sale and people are coming to look. Then at the end of the day what is left goes back out onto the ground and into sweet fresh grass.
This is a great set up though for housing birds with wounds or for shows or for "bad birds time out!" LOL

 

[wildwoodcochins]

I made this one a few years ago. Cages are 24" x 24" x24" and the birds are on 1" x 1" pvc coated wire. Works well, has clean out drawers.

Very nice set up, I especially like the clean out drawers. I do like mine in bigger pens though, even if it's just a roo by himself, at least a 3 x 3 foot pen~

 

[tiki244]

This is very nice! Love it! I have one somewhat similar, but I am not that good of a carpenter. Mine is a little more patchworky.

When I first started out with my cochins; I built a nice 6 pen/stall coop. I thought this would be sufficient.....wrong! I ended up taking over the garden tool shed too. I started out last year with 6 pens about 3' x 3', this year I added 3 3' x 3' pens, 2 double 6' x 3' pens and a brooder box 3' x 6'
All these new pens are for my babies and young started birds coming up. It is so nice to have a place for everyone without little cages stacked everywhere.
I built all the new cages this year with hardware cloth to keep any rodents etc out. I still need to change out the wire on the cages I built last year. I am also going to add a sky light to add extra light~
Not very good pictures...

 

[bethdos]

My nine year old son just got started with bantam cochins in 4H. He wants to show and breed blues, splash and mottled...and maybe try the fun of Mille Fluer bantam cochin project too. he has a pet rooster Anikin, that is supposed to be a mille fluer.
We need to build a small building to house them. We already have a small hen house for the layer hens...but Im curious what works best for show birds/breeding pairs? Are there other show breeders out there that would be willing to share pictures of their set ups? We like our birds to be able to get out in the grass, weather permitting, during the day too. Im planning to make simple PVC tractors for that purpose...so each bird or pair can take turns getting "out time." What do you guys do and what dont you do, and why? I want to help my son get off to a good start.

This is Owen's new Mottled Cochin pair...they are just a year old....the mottling will increase with maturity. Their names are Asoka and Luke. (Star Wars) the blue rooster above is six months old. He is paired with my son's splash hen....you can barely see her behind him. (she is molting...so she is tiny looking right now)


Anikin, the pet rooster. Handsome sweet boy. He hangs out with the layer hens. he is just a year old....should get more red as he matures.

 

[tiki244]

Nice pictures!! I love the blue pair. The Millie Fleur is very colorful too. Nice cushion on the mottled.

I have had bantam cochins for over 5 years and only been to 2 shows that were our local shows. I know that you need to take extra care of their foot feathers.( ie; lots of clean shavings in their coop area) Also seperateing the roosters so they don't fight and ruin their combs and wattles. And then there is the diet which should be maintained year round. A friend of mine feeds chick feed, a bit of wheat, and fruits and vegies as treats. Then feeds layer when they are breeding. But she always maintains a bit of wheat in their diet. I try to follow her diet regimen with my birds. Someone else told me they feed chick starter and handful of sunflower seeds. I am interested to know what other people feed. I like to let mine run on the grass too.

 

[tiki244]

I have some photos of my three cockerels. I would really like to get some feedback on them, good or bad. I have 2 photos of each. So it is ckl#1(7mths?) ckl#2(5mths?) ckl#3(9mths?) no names yet. l. Ckl#2 seems still young enough to be small. At what age would they mature to their right weight? ok here goes nothin'

I think I like number 2 best. I put him in with some hens. Boy somebody has been chomping on his tail feathers. They are getting rowdy now that the hens are laying. I still can't figure out if I like number1 or number 3 for second best.

 

[tiki244]

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And here is ckl #3 He is the oldest~thats number 1 in the back~and my dog~and some silkie X dUcles Ugh I speant too long on these pictures. I think there is something wrong with my computer and the writing just goes where ever it wants to.

 

[County Boy]

How can you inprove cochins fluffiness. In their offspring or just themself.

 

[Reyvaughn]

Is there anyone selling hatching eggs from SQ/BQ black
Bantam Cochins? I am looking to purchase some after
March 24th. I need between 12-36, depending on the price.
I'd like to get from at least two different breeders, as well.

I may even spring for chicks if anyone ships...
Thanks!​

 

[tiki244]

There is a list of people who sell eggs and chicks in someones signature line on here.

As far as fluffiness goes, I think the best way is to buy birds that are fluffy and/or breed it into your birds. Or just keep the new birds.

As far as keeping for shows, some people use sand in their runs for the cochins feet. And some people keep them on wire in separate pens. I am really not an expert on any of this, I am just repeating what I have read.

A few years ago I had some very nice cochins and I just didn't really pay attention to breeding or anything. I had a bunch of them I gave to people because I had so many roosters. This year I am trying to breed as many as I can and hopefully gain back the good attributes my birds had. It is still the same bloodlines. I had collected about 50 eggs but then realised my AI methods must not have been working. I have trimmed their bumms a little now and am hoping for the best. But, right now my hens are on a hiatus. At least it is still cool enough here in Wisconsin to be able to breed. I haev 2 hens I really like, and I like the roos. Just none of them seem to be a complete package. I think I will try a few different roos, one at a time, and see what happens. I still have my older roosters too.