does this cochin look SQ

[greenfamilyfarms]

Here are some auctions on Eggbid:

http://www.eggbid.com/listings/details/index.cfm?itemnum=1261696725

http://www.eggbid.com/listings/details/index.cfm?itemnum=1261726631

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
Tom's a good source. Here's a link that will lead you to him & several others as well

http://www.cochinsrule.com/

 

[cochinman2005]

I do indeed have Whites in both Bantams and Large Fowl. Nothing available at the moment since I've already culled the Whites for breeding season (which is just around the corner).

Most breeders have extra birds available in the fall. Sometimes in late spring after they are done with breeding season.

Obviously I can't speak for all Cochin breeders, but most will not sell eggs or chicks. And of course this leads to the question of "why not?" Best I can do is offer my reasoning. I do not run a hatchery. As such, I set goals for hatch numbers for each of the varieties I raise. Once I've set enough eggs to reach those goals, I do not save eggs from those birds any more. Since I AI my Cochins, this also means that I quit that process as well, which is quite labor intensive when you have several varieties in both large and bantam. So I am very eager to have hatching season over and done with. The other factor relative to shipping/selling chicks is that I also use stud matings for all my Cochins, so that I can identify both sire and dam (wing banding each chick 2 weeks after hatch), and I usually use 4 or 5 different females depending on variety, sometimes fewer. Setting eggs every other week doesn't result in a large enough group of any given color to warrant shipping chicks, and of course I am hatching a specific number to reach my personal goals. Finally, since breeders operate on a very small scale relative to a hatchery operation, they target a specific trait for improvement any given year. Providing hatching eggs or chicks from their respective breeding programs may mean they are sending that one bird that has the desired outcome of that year's breeding goals to someone else.

I agree with NYREDS. Learning your respective breed via the Standard of Perfection and visiting shows/talking to breeders in your area is the best way to learn about exhibition poultry. Even if you never intend to show, it doesn't cost any more to feed a bird that conforms to the standard than it does one that lacks breed characteristics.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[iluvmychicks]

To anyone interested in breeding quality birds I give the same advice. Learn the breed before you buy. Go to some shows & see what the winning birds look like. Talk to some breeders at the shows. Most will talk about their breed all day & love to help newcomers get started. Buy or borrow a Standard of Perfection & study it. The black & white version is only $12 & it will save the expense of replacing those "SQ' birds you bought from someone who was either dishonest or didn't know any more than you did.
Breeding & showing can be a lot of fun but it can be heartbreaking to go to a show & not place at all or be disqualified. I see alot of people get started in exhibition poultry that soon disappear because they got frustrated & they got frustrated because they didn't do their homework.

I TOTALLY AGREE!!! Lot's of scammers out there trying to make a buck, many misrepesent not only themselves but the breed. When first started breeding cochins, I studied not only the SOP but read anything I could find about cochins. Going to shows and seeing actual "show quality" cochins is a great lesson and I've personally never met a exhibitor at a show who wasn't willing to "talk chickens" the wealth of information from actually spending time with a breeder is priceless. Good luck.......

Edited to add: the Cochin International website also has some excellent pictures of cochins both standard and bantam for reference.
Shari​