Cochin Thread!!!

[jnmerwin]

Awesome! Congrats!!!

My son went Best Large Fowl of the Youth show at the Four Corners Poultry show. (Also Reserve Champion of the Youth show with bantam Buff Brahma)

 

[davony's chicks]

Tony
There is a show at Iowa City Thanksgiving weekend. Birds can check in Friday with Show on Saturday and auction Sunday AM followed by coop out. 20 miles from my home. We usually have 1500+ birds exhibited.

I just mentioned this to the other half who said absolutely not! LOL I will have to work on this one. I want to go and will make every effort to go. I would really like to see your buff columbians.

 

[ShysCreations]

Wow! its awesome to see the kiddoes so interested in poultry. Parents--be proud of those youngsters!
Thought to share pics of some lemon blue juveniles. I think all are LB just different shades, none seem to be Brown red:

This little guy at right has "shafting" and thinking his pattern isn't correct. But as they're young, may change in molt. I need to learn more about the LB & BRs.

 

[cochins1088]

A couple of questions:
1) Are they brooded inside or outside? If inside, at what age do you put them outside "on the ground"?

2) At what age are they switched from a flock raiser feed to adult feed?

1) They were brooded inside my house for the first 5 weeks until they were nearly fully feathered. I then put them outside in a 6 foot by 6 foot dog kennel in the barn.

2) To be honest, I started them on layers food as soon as I ran out of chick starter. I figured the extra calcium wouldn't hurt them and I wanted to release them with the older chickens. It was probably when they were about 2-3 months old. More towards 3 months. I did the same with this last batch of chicks as well. They are currently 3 months old and have been eating layer pellets for the past couple of weeks. I guess when I think of it, every batch of chicks that I have hatched started the layer food early because I integrated them with the adults at that age and it would be pointless to keep both foods out. Is this the problem? Should I switch anybody under 10 months old back to the chick starter?

Thanks,
Ashley

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Wow! its awesome to see the kiddoes so interested in poultry. Parents--be proud of those youngsters!
Thought to share pics of some lemon blue juveniles. I think all are LB just different shades, none seem to be Brown red:

This little guy at right has "shafting" and thinking his pattern isn't correct. But as they're young, may change in molt. I need to learn more about the LB & BRs.

Shy - so happy to see you working on Lemon Blues! I know you will do right by them, and I look forward to seeing them at the RMFF!

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

I just mentioned this to the other half who said absolutely not! LOL I will have to work on this one. I want to go and will make every effort to go. I would really like to see your buff columbians.

You really don't want her to see my new coop!

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Quote:

 

[JosieChick]

Thanks. I had no where to put her, so I was forced to throw her away. She is still on top in a plastic bag but it's been freezing everynight and I believe it's been too long after death. I will look into this in the case that it happens again. Thanks again for the information. I still don't know what to think. Has anyone else lost birds to a sudden death like this? She was running around happily and eating corn the day before I found her. Is there a posiblity of lethal genes? All the birds that this has happened too came from my original flock of LF cochins. I just keep trying to think of causes of sudden death, the heart attack idea seemed like the right answer until I realized that they all died at the same age.

I know it is hard to deal with when you aren't prepared for it. It is tough to get everything organized when you lose a bird to get them sent out for necropsy. Good of you to remove the sick bird from your property though.

I would keep young birds on starter until they are close to point of lay. I have read that the extra calcium can be hard on their kidneys. I don't know that it would cause death but it is worth being safe and not introducing the extra calcium until they need it.

I lost a very valuable brahma pullet this fall and she died suddenly. Fine one day and dead the next. It was devastating. I sent her in for necropsy. Nothing was found on the gross exam so they recommended further testing and cultures. They cultured a bacteria that causes Fowl Cholera which is contagious, probably spread in the fall by migratory birds and one of the first symptoms is lethargy and sudden death. At the point the bird becomes lethargic it's body is over run with the infection and there is not much that can be done to save it. They usually succumb in 12 hours or less once they start to show symptoms. I was very fortunate that the pathologist was able to isolate this bacteria and recommend treating with sulfa based antibiotics for 6 days for my entire flock of birds. And I was fortunate to not lose anymore birds. This is why necropsy is such a valuable tool. It gives you information to provide intervention in the case of a contagious disease in your flock and potentially save valuable birds. I used to blame myself every time my birds got sick with something but there is no way to control for all the variables they are exposed to unless they are contained in a building with it's own air circulation and supply and you have highly strict bio security measures. I don't let people come onto my property to buy birds. Birds that leave to be sold don't come back into my flock. If I go to a friends house that has chickens I change and wash my cloths and shoes when I get home. I don't wear my chicken shoes to the feed store and then back out to the chicken pens. It is so much work and still migrating birds can get sick and fly over and kill your chickens. They are very sensitive creatures. I hope you find out what is going on with your birds and the rest do well for you. Best of luck and I hope this is helpful.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

There is a serious OPEN discussion being held on the CI Forum right now regarding judging Cochins at our National Meets - if you are a CI member, please let your opinions be heard:

http://showbirdbid.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=cif&thread=4338&page=1#30513

 

[davony's chicks]

You really don't want her to see my new coop!

LOL!
I already showed pictures of your updates...... I got the "You are not going to spend that kind of money on chickens"!

Years ago when I started with 4 chicks and a duck for our daughter I was told that was enough. That grew to about 50 chickens, 2 peacocks and 4 ducks in a year.
We moved last year and I sold everything. This spring I built a nice new coop and started hatching feaverishly! I only have cochins now and that is all I want but I currently have about 50. There are several I have to get rid of because they just aren't good enough.
So we will see about a new coop in about another year.