Large Fowl Cochin Thread

[dak]

I was going off this picture. Sorry to cause a stir, I was just reading through.

No stir. That pic appears to have saddle feathers. I good standing side shot would likely be best.

 

[kabhyper1]

By 8 months shouldn't a cockeral have spurs beginning to grow? My 10 month old's are pretty good size.

 

[kabhyper1]

Sonshine aka Sonny(either gender), this morning a foot rinse with neosporin on afterwords- no missing toes, just a very short one with nail on the right and no sign of spurs coming in

That is a good size spur nub there, I would say you have a slow developing little fella there.

 

[Matt A NC]

If he is anything like the line of LF Buffs I had several years ago, then at 8 months in the winter the pullets had NO wattles and only a slight comb that was pink. And their legs were smooth with NO sign of a spur nub, just the tiny little cap that pullets have.

Matt

 

[Bo Garrett]

Many lines of buffs, partridge and other rare varieties are very slow maturing. My buff and partridge lines were so slow that at 10 months the cockerels had yet to crow and still had small combs and wattles, at about 11 to 12 months they would "bloom" and become cockerels. I would have to raise them separate from the other varieties because they feathered so slowly that the blacks and whites would pick them terribly.

 

[artsyrobin]

its not a major issue for me since I don't'live in town, chicken math may strike as he will need his own ladies, if he is a he - like the saying goes, when they crow or lay an egg- can lack of proper nutrition affect a cockerel this way? just wondering as he is very thin


- here are a few shots
these first ones were taken by the lady that bought him at the auction- the auctioneer sold them as a trio-













this shot is from this morning, he has had ointment on his feet, and i have a sheet on top of the towel to make it easier on his feet. He has been drinking alot, and isn't too impressed with scrambled eggs, preferring his crumble

 

[BGMatt]

Improper nutrition can easily lead to slow growth, growing up over the winter can slow birds down too. And Bo mentioned Buffs could be slow developing as is (I wonder if it's linked somehow to the color? My Buff Leghorns are slower to develop then other colors I've had.)

Edit for clarification: The cold weather can slow down sexual maturity, it doesn't really slow down growth too much in my experience.

 

[artsyrobin]

ok, so, how to get weight on him?

 

[BGMatt]

ok, so, how to get weight on him?

First things first, if he hasn't been wormed, worm him, just in case. Then I'd just use a good starter or grower feed (preferably with some sort of meat protein in it) and time.

 

[artsyrobin]

ok, he was wormed with wazine the day before i got him, i use safeguard with my flocks- so that will be in ten days- will get him on grower, i also have put acv and vitamins in the water- hopefully his feet will heal well, i know that takes awhile