Large Fowl Cochin Thread

[elaineinspain]

New mama with her rainbow chicks. Can't wait to see final colors. I need better pics but darn they move a lot.

congratulations! They look absolutely gorgeous

 

[Puddin Fluff]

congratulations! They look absolutely gorgeous

Thanks! I am so hoping for all girls. I have a great fear that the 5 boys from the previous hatch are now actually 7/8 boys.

They are 8 weeks now and I only have one who is not redding up around the face.

 

[elaineinspain]

Thanks! I am so hoping for all girls. I have a great fear that the 5 boys from the previous hatch are now actually 7/8 boys.

They are 8 weeks now and I only have one who is not redding up around the face.

oh dear. oh dear
I've got my fingers crossed for you that you are wrong

I so wish I lived closer to you so I could take a couple off your hands...

but if your new hatch are all girls, will you be able to keep them all, I mean keep the boys? Or is the ratio of boys to girls still too high?

 

[elaineinspain]

@Puddin Fluff as promised here are a couple of photos of my one remaining Cochin and two orpingtons. The smaller, less developed cochin died from the heat while you were on holiday just over two weeks ago

it's been over 30ºC here. From the photos it looks like they only have gravel to free range on, but they actually have an area of apple, olive and citrus trees where they spend most of the day. They only come out on the gravel in the evenings when it gets cooler. I lay frozen water bottles around under the trees so they can sit close to them to cool off if they want. And a container with fresh water under each tree. (after I lost the little one I'm being extra vigilant)





The free ranging is working out really well. They all go by themselves into the coop in the evening and I just have to lock the door. They even go upstairs into the 'bedroom'part! But they don't use the roost. There are two roosts in there - one about 6 inches off the floor, the other about 18 inches high. They sleep on the floor. Maybe they'll get the hang of the roosts when they're older...

 

[CHICKEN BUFF]

Mine slept on the floor (or worse, crammed two to six in a nest box!!!) for a long time. After 20 weeks, they finally started using the roosts. Now, they're the first ones up there at night!

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Elaine sorry for your loss. Heat is much harder on them than the cold.

I will have to get rid of some of the boys. Just too much testosterone! I have an early favorite. The bantam Mil Flure is a sweetie. I too hope I am wrong but I think not, sadly.

 

[cabinchicky]

One big crabby broody hen who thinks she can hatch ceramic training eggs. Battle day 3.

 

[Puddin Fluff]

Give her some fertile ones! She wants them!

 

[cabinchicky]

Give her some fertile ones! She wants them!

I knowshe does but i am dead set against her setting on EE eggs. I do not have any LF eggs that are fertile. Do not want to mix my flocks up. My rooster Stumpy has mobility problems so breeding these isn't happening. Want a new rooster but I am attached to Stumpy. Maybe next year I can put eggs under her from a friends stock.

 

[NanaKat]

One big crabby broody hen who thinks she can hatch ceramic training eggs. Battle day 3.

With the heat moving in, do you want to break her broody mood?

With my Cochin girls, one of several methods usually breaks the mood. You want to cool her belly so she loses the temperature that brings on the desire to brood.
Remove the ceramic eggs from her nest as well as any nest material...bare box is what you want.
1) zip some ice cubes into a sealable bag. Cover with a light towel to keep from direct skin contact and slip this under the hen...several times a day for several days.
2) several times a day, set the hen in a 4 inch tall water tub with cold water to cool her down for five minutes.
3) suspend a wire cage from the rafters within easy reach. Attach a water bowl to the inside so she can't tump it over and do the same for a feed bowl. I like the kind that clip on to the wire cage. Remove the bottom tray from the cage if it has one. Put the hen inside the cage for several days. The air circulating around her belly and the swinging motion of the cage will usually break a broody hen.