Giant cochin

[Athiena14]

So once again I made a buy without doing my research. Luckily they are currently eggs. So I got 7 but one was cracked too badly. So down to 6 eggs. Is there anything I should know about this breed, like high mortality in chicks? I know that cochins are supposed to be good broody hens but ya... that's all i know... oh and they have feathery feet and look cute lol

 

[tacothechicken]

I'm not overly experienced in Cochin but I have raised them!(one of which is raising a brood of 4 for me ) but Cochin are a very docile breed like the orpington but definitely more cold hardy than heat hardy so summertime requires a lot of shady places and water refills. And during the winter before and after freezing you may want to change your bedding in coop or run as they will make those feathered feet into snowshoes of mud!!! They're not vest observant that I've seen so I'd advise more observative breeds in a flock to watch for danger so the fluffs aren't taken. I had a sickness break out in my coop and hit all my birds but In the end it claimed one Cochin and a Leghorn two veeery different breeds so I wouldn't say they're any more prone to health risks due to small size. That's what info I have to give! Goodluck on youre hatch

 

[Athiena14]

I'm not overly experienced in Cochin but I have raised them!(one of which is raising a brood of 4 for me ) but Cochin are a very docile breed like the orpington but definitely more cold hardy than heat hardy so summertime requires a lot of shady places and water refills. And during the winter before and after freezing you may want to change your bedding in coop or run as they will make those feathered feet into snowshoes of mud!!! They're not vest observant that I've seen so I'd advise more observative breeds in a flock to watch for danger so the fluffs aren't taken. I had a sickness break out in my coop and hit all my birds but In the end it claimed one Cochin and a Leghorn two veeery different breeds so I wouldn't say they're any more prone to health risks due to small size. That's what info I have to give! Goodluck on youre hatch

Well shade and water will be no problem that's for sure, live in the middle of the woods. I love cochin by the looks. And wanting more broody hens so I'm not having to use incubators all the time and keep chicks with the hen.

 

[tacothechicken]

@Athiena14 haha that's why we got em! Our Banty girl got 4 store bought chicks slipped under her a few weeks ago, shes great! The littles experienced rain for the first time today and were very confused for a bit

 

[Athiena14]

@Athiena14 haha that's why we got em! Our Banty girl got 4 store bought chicks slipped under her a few weeks ago, shes great! The littles experienced rain for the first time today and were very confused for a bit
View attachment 1515280

So cute

 

[BellePoule]

My bantam Cochin roo is the hens favorite (have 3 roos total, and he's my one and only bantam). He let's the girls know where there are tasty snacks, escorts them to the nesting box, and is very gentle when breeding them... And keeps the SLW roo who is 3x his size away from them (the SLW is not gentle at all). And he's gorgeous.

 

[Athiena14]

My bantam Cochin roo is the hens favorite (have 3 roos total, and he's my one and only bantam). He let's the girls know where there are tasty snacks, escorts them to the nesting box, and is very gentle when breeding them... And keeps the SLW roo who is 3x his size away from them (the SLW is not gentle at all). And he's gorgeous. View attachment 1515284

He is pretty. Right now I have an Ee roo who is the lower roo. Some how 4 out of 6 eggs hatched out his lol
My other is a barred rock

 

[BellePoule]

He is pretty. Right now I have an Ee roo who is the lower roo. Some how 4 out of 6 eggs hatched out his lol
My other is a barred rock

I also have an EE cockerel, but his hormones haven't kicked in yet, so he doesn't harass the hens yet. But I have a feeling that he's still gonna be higher in the pecking order than the SLW... Especially if the SLW ends up in the soup pot...

 

[Athiena14]

I also have an EE cockerel, but his hormones haven't kicked in yet, so he doesn't harass the hens yet. But I have a feeling that he's still gonna be higher in the pecking order than the SLW... Especially if the SLW ends up in the soup pot...

Lol that mean huh?

 

[varidgerunner]

I kept standard Cochins for several years. Never had but a couple go broody and those were not very good at it. If you want broody, you need the bantam cochins. And yes, they need lots of bedding in the winter or they will be pretty miserable, unless you live in a dry area. Could always pick out their pointy eggs, which they didn't lay the most of for the amount of feed they put away. If you need to fence them out of something, three feet is high enough.