Curious? Giant cochins?

[walkswithdog]

Here and there I've come across references to giant cochins? Is this just a reference to LF, or a larger variety even? If they are larger, what are the averages?

You feather addicts have got me looking at feather foots, darn you all. And I have to say the VARIETY in cochins is flat amazing.

 

[sandspoultry]

We searched and searched on that same question last year and never got a "black and white" answer. We got everything from taller than your knee to bigger than a standard. lol We had a flock of standard Buff Cochins and the roo's were about 12 to 16 inches tall. We also have a flock of giant cochins now and the roo is about 20 inches tall and much bigger overall than the standards were. The biggest one I have ever seen was on ebay last spring and the persons daughter or grand daughter was holding the roo and it was just about as big as she was, I would that one was over 2 feet tall.

Steve in NC

 

[sandspoultry]

We searched and searched on that same question last year and never got a "black and white" answer. We got everything from taller than your knee to bigger than a standard. lol We had a flock of standard Buff Cochins and the roo's were about 12 to 16 inches tall. We also have a flock of giant cochins now and the roo is about 20 inches tall and much bigger overall than the standards were. The biggest one I have ever seen was on ebay last spring and the persons daughter or grand daughter was holding the roo and it was just about as big as she was, I would that one was over 2 feet tall.

Steve in NC

 

[walkswithdog]

Quote:
I thought that might be roughly the case. What color/s do you have? God BLESS (family board) you chicken addicts with your pretty feather foots.

It was a little girl at a show carrying her NJG roo that attracted me to them so I know what that kid carrying a giant roo would have looked like.

Hitting a poultry exhibit this weekend in Lebanon, TN tomorrow - yay, even though I missed the show I can learn something.

 

[sandspoultry]

We sold the Buff Cochins, We have Splash giants.
The Cochins are nice birds, very layed back and calm natured. great sitters and mothers. The do have couple issues though, with the very fluffy feathers they can't dust bath very well so they can be prone to mites (we have an extra large dust bath hole and add sevin from time to time, the biggest roo's get dusted by hand since they don't dust bath very much) , Also because of the fluffy feathers around the vent they can have low fertility (in laying season we clip the feathers around the vent of the hen and that takes care of that), They don't really like the heat of the summer mid 90's +, we have never lost any to heat but you can tell they don't like it.

Steve in NC

 

[walkswithdog]

Splash??? Oh neato. I'm not remembering my color genetics for b/bl/s well right now. Splash produces blue and black or all three? I think the genetics of the group are a hoot and intriguing as all get out.

Do you find much trouble with the feather foots and the damp ground when it's damp out here? I've only moved to TN in the last five years so I don't have my stock experience here.

Color me endlessly curious.

And I've had some success with de with pyrethrins for mites before when it's been absolutely necessary. And I do plan on white washing with food grade DE pretty regularly anyway, too many darn bugs round here.

 

[sandspoultry]

We have gotten all sorts of colors from them.

They will get muddy in the rain but haven't had any problems. We have sand and yellow clay here. They clean up pretty quick, they seem to prefer to sleep outside, they don't like the chicken house except to lay and sit. They will roost outside in all weather, we just moved them to a different area so now they roost with some turkeys on a range roost. The other day I didn't see one of the hens and I thought she was gone but when we went to collect eggs that night she was tucked down between and under two turkey hens. All you could see was just her head. lol

Steve in NC

 

[walkswithdog]

Okay the hen hiding turkeys would have been a great picture, time to take a camera down there. You're in NC... consider selling some of your next crop in 2009?

I've talked about getting in turkeys as well, what kind of roost set up do you have for yours?

Our coop design has ended up being VERY open so that might suit birds that like outdoors well. And I don't have a problem with birds that like outside - the one run actually has a huge box elder in it, covering almost all of it. The second run is the sun run. But they'll all be free range daily for the most part.

I have the option of shutting windows but after reading all the evils of too little ventilation and humidity etc, I ended up building with an eye toward choice. Everything CAN be closed but I get to choose.

I have to wait til after we leave for December, unavoidable trip ughhhh. Then I want to bring in my two groups. When they're available in 09. Once I get the feel for things I'm going to add turkeys. I like bourbons, Laura likes Narragansets... I might indulge her since she rarely shows an interest or preference and we must encourage both in those we love where we can. When I try to talk chicken breeds her eyes cross. Sigh.

At least with turkeys she has a preference. Go turkeys.

This weekend is the fair to look at goats and chooks.

We've got kudzu to obliterate as well.

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

Technically there should be no difference between large fowl cochins and 'giant' cochins. The large fowl cochins should be very large, the ones we had were close to 2' tall. If you want real large fowl cochins go to a private breeder, we got ours from Duane Urch and they were great. We have also gotten large fowl cochins from MM and when we put the hatchery hens with the show roosters the hens looked like bantams.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I have a pair of black Giants and they are just amazing! Amazing isn't even the word. They are so lovey and calm and NEVER pick on anyone. I added three smaller ones in recently and they hung with the giants because they were super nice to them. I got mine from a friend who has show quality birds...I hatched them out and they are SO fluffy and huge. They are not as old as the hens I have but much larger. My roo is the sweetest of them all! I will take pictures of them later and post for you. OH and the way they run!

I just want to grab them up and love on them. They are just TOO darn cute! I DO have to help my male cochin up on the roost as he is to big now to jump up there. He waits for me every night and comes up to my feet to be picked up.

I love him!