Large Fowl Cochin Thread

[Ashdoes]

I didn't trim feathers, and my Cochins bred just fine. But, I have read that some people trim.
I used food coloring to see which eggs each girl laid. Pick up the hen, turn her upside down, and drip food coloring into her vent. Each hen had a different color, and it was quite easy after that.

 

[Knetiknrga]

I didn't trim feathers, and my Cochins bred just fine. But, I have read that some people trim.
I used food coloring to see which eggs each girl laid. Pick up the hen, turn her upside down, and drip food coloring into her vent. Each hen had a different color, and it was quite easy after that.

Thanks, Ashdoes. I had heard of the food coloring method. I wasn't sure it was really safe. Good to hear from someone who has actually done it. How long does the color stay with them before you would reapply?

 

[Ashdoes]

Sometimes they poo out a lot of the color, but the Cochins are super fluffy and the color gets on their feathers and stays for a while. Getting it on and in their vent seems to mark eggs for a bit longer.

 

[wife2abirdman]

Quote:
Don't worry we have a Barred Plymouth Rock we call Rock and we got more. We still call our hen Rock and it still fits!

 

[wife2abirdman]

Hey everyone talking about frostbite on combs. I have Leghorns and other large single combed breeds. I was told to use Redkote(cote sp?) on their combs. It is WONDERFUL. I had a hen who had her whole comb white, I used the redkote and it came back within a week. I forgot to spray it again so she got frostbite again and did lose some points but not really too bad, originally she would have lost the whole comb. It stays on for several days. I am still not sure about a couple of my roos as they all got the damage before I got the advice. But it has been working pretty well for me. Just make sure you don't get it in their eyes and try not to put them down with it dripping off the comb. I put one roo down before it stopped dripping and the others started picking at him because they thought it was blood(it's a red oil)

 

[Beekissed]

Castor oil works wonders as well, protective and also in restoring circulation to areas already frostbit a good bit. Great skin conditioner, antibacterial, antifungal and antimicrobial properties. Also good to have around for scale mites, to regrow feathers to bare skin, and for wounds.

 

[Bo Garrett]

A couple of questions for you all...

I'm curious as to opinions about breeding practices... trim feathers, pluck feathers, a.i.? If trimmed, is it uncomfortable for them to breed? It seems like there would be some sharp stubs down there. I've never had do do any of these things before.

Also, I have a couple of hens I'd really like to keep track of the eggs from. What would you recommend as a method for doing so? Would it be emotionally disturbing for them if I penned them individually until they laid?

I guess the no brainer easiest way would be to get some white egg layers to put in the breeding pen and have just one Cochin girl in at a time with the rooster and the white layers. Problem is, I just have brown laying breeds. I really don't want to be hatching Cochin/Brahma crosses. I've only got two Cochin hens. And three boys. Each of the boys has his merits. I can put brahmas with them to keep them happy but I only want to hatch the Cochin eggs.

Anyone want to trade some farm store light brahmas for some good looking blue large fowl Cochins? ;-)

1. Having bred and shown large and bantam cochins for many years I can say that I would never recommend plucking the feathers, I always clip the feathers and they have no issues breeding. If left to their own devices they wear their feathers down to short stubs during the breeding process, so I am just speeding up the process by clipping and getting chicks faster. If you pluck they may bleed, if they bleed and the other birds see the blood they will pick at the blood and eventually cannibalize the bird.
2. Pen them, chickens that will eat each other lack emotion on our level. Too often we attribute human emotions to animals, we are not animals and they are not humans. It is not cruel to pen them and in most cases prolongs their lives and protects them from predation. My birds are all penned, lay well and live up to 10 years or more.
I have several breeds and several varieties within each breed and all are kept separate for breeding purposes, each egg is marked according to breed and family line to ensure they are tracked, each chick is marked at hatch to ensure the family lines and breeding programs are adhered to for each breed and variety.

 

[clucktastic]

Hey everyone! I bought a few buff cochins 2 years ago, and I've been hooked since. I have blacks, buffs, a red, and these new boys out of a lemon blue pair...

 

[clucktastic]

Not really sure what the blue tailed gent would be called, but I LOVE the buff columbian!

 

[Knetiknrga]

1. Having bred and shown large and bantam cochins for many years I can say that I would never recommend plucking the feathers, I always clip the feathers and they have no issues breeding.  If left to their own devices they wear their feathers down to short stubs during the breeding process, so I am just speeding up the process by clipping and getting chicks faster.  If you pluck they may bleed, if they bleed and the other birds see the blood they will pick at the blood and eventually cannibalize the bird.
2.  Pen them, chickens that will eat each other lack emotion on our level.  Too often we attribute human emotions to animals, we are not animals and they are not humans.  It is not cruel to pen them and in most cases prolongs their lives and protects them from predation.  My birds are all penned, lay well and live up to 10 years or more.
I have several breeds and several varieties within each breed and all are kept separate for breeding purposes, each egg is marked according to breed and family line to ensure they are tracked, each chick is marked at hatch to ensure the family lines and breeding programs are adhered to for each breed and variety.

Thank you, Bo. I hadn't thought of the potential for bleeding from plucking. I wont even try it now that you have pointed out what should have been obvious.

I do have three seperate breeding pens and two for brooding. I can even use plastic dog cages i use for travel as isolation cages/ nest boxes with a door to close. I didn't know if I might upset the girls to the point of stopping laying or something like that if I were to close a door between them and the rest of their flock waiting for an egg. It would be ideal, of course, if i had several beautiful girls to put in with each boy, but i am not there yet. Maybe next year if i can get the eggs to hatch from these two this year. Meanwhile I'm keeping my eyes open for good hens I could add to the flock this year as well.

I do very much appreciate the advice. Thank you again!