Cochin versus Wyandotte

[cottagechick]

I am getting some Bantam chicks in a few weeks. I have a variety, but couldn't get all of the breeds I wanted and got some that I wouldn't normally get. I am considering "rehoming" the Quail D'anver and either a White Wyandotte or a Mottled Cochin. They both seem like big fluffy breeds to me...but I haven't actually had either breed. For those of you who have experience with both...what would you say the main differences are. Any drawbacks or advantages to either breed?

 

[cottagechick]

Or tell me what you love/hate about your Wyandotte or Cocin

 

[ChickLover98]

i have large fowl cochins and they are the sweetest things ever!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I love my cochins............very docile, curious, fantastic broodies and mothers, good eaters - slow growers, fair layers and generally very friendly.


I do not have wyandottes.

 

[cottagechick]

Thanks for the replies so far. What is the benefit of slow growing?

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I am not sure there are benefits............many people do not like the time it can take for a cochin to mature - large fowl and even bantams can take more than a year. So this means lots of feed

 

[cottagechick]

Quote:
Makes sense...Does that mean they don't lay until a year old? And what do you consider "fair layer"

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

Some do not lay until a year.........depends if you have hatchery birds or breeder/heritage/apa/aba style birds.


Hatchery will lay sooner - my Large Fowl hatchery cochin started laying at 24 weeks and was broody by 27 weeks. My breeder bantam cochins start laying around 30/32 weeks - some went broody within a week of starting to lay.


My LF hatchery lay about 4 eggs a week - they lay two or three and then take a day off. My breeder cochins about 3 eggs a week - about an egg every other day. When they are laying

 

[CrestedGirl]

We have a couple large and bantam Cochins and they are all so docile!!!!

 

[magicpigeon]

I personally do not like the bantam cochins. For one, they have the feathered feet, just a personal preference they can get scaly leg which is impossible to treat

ETA by impossible I was exaggerating, I meant, "A lot harder than a bird with clean feet"