Pipd's Peeps!

[Crazy Maizie]

In other news one of my crele oegbs started doing the feather dance for me and started following me around last night. He is the one that got himself caught in the fencing. He's the one that has shown his true self since day one.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Naughty boy! Mine like to do that, too. Very intimidating from a one-pound rooster, right? Just keep an eye on him, especially once he really starts getting spurs. Following doesn't necessarily lead to outright aggression, most of mine just follow me around and keep an eye on what I'm doing, but it can be an early sign of it and those spurs can cause some nasty wounds no matter how small the bird.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Naughty boy! Mine like to do that, too. Very intimidating from a one-pound rooster, right? Just keep an eye on him, especially once he really starts getting spurs. Following doesn't necessarily lead to outright aggression, most of mine just follow me around and keep an eye on what I'm doing, but it can be an early sign of it and those spurs can cause some nasty wounds no matter how small the bird.

Speaking of spurs, do you ever trim the bantams - cochin or oegb?

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Popcorn, my young bantam cochin, found a new home today. It was bittersweet, but he was becoming a bully to the oegbs and the pullets. Of course with the pullets, he was pulling neck feathers. I haven't set up their own pen yet, but also still trying to find homes for the ones I don't need. *sigh* Its so easy to get attached.
Something interesting that I noticed is that he was a bit taller than Cheddar.

.

One other question, do cochins generally have a dirty bum? I clean and cut away feathers, but it seems like the both of them have a bit of a dirty bum. I've checked for parasites of course.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Speaking of spurs, do you ever trim the bantams - cochin or oegb?

I do, maybe about once a year. My Cochin boys (and the Silkie boys) get super weird spurs that curl instead of growing out, so in their case it's more to prevent their spurs from growing into their legs than anything! I'll take the sharp point off of the OEGB boys' spurs just in case if they start getting feisty, though, and trim them if they get to be too long and are a danger of tripping them up or something. You can usually see where the quick is in them because of their light skin, so just be careful to avoid that when you snip. I just use dog nail trimmers for mine, though I've heard of using a dremel for the job as well.

Popcorn, my young bantam cochin, found a new home today. It was bittersweet, but he was becoming a bully to the oegbs and the pullets. Of course with the pullets, he was pulling neck feathers. I haven't set up their own pen yet, but also still trying to find homes for the ones I don't need. *sigh* Its so easy to get attached.
Something interesting that I noticed is that he was a bit taller than Cheddar.

. View attachment 3520363

Ah, bittersweet, but I'll bet it's much more peaceful out there without him harassing everyone.

Popcorn does look quite tall for a Cochin in that picture! Since he was a feed store baby, he's most likely just hatchery quality, which often differ from the proper breed just a little bit in some way or another.

One other question, do cochins generally have a dirty bum? I clean and cut away feathers, but it seems like the both of them have a bit of a dirty bum. I've checked for parasites of course.

Sometimes, yes. Not all the time and not every one of them, but with more frequency than birds with less fluffy butts in my experience. What I do when they get like that is I just take a set of scissors and trim it out. Usually trimming the poop out shortens the feathers enough that it doesn't get as bad again, at least until they molt and the feathers regrow. I do it on my own, but if you have someone to hold the bird while you trim, it goes a lot faster. Just be careful if you need to trim close to the skin or vent on any of them!

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

 

[Crazy Maizie]

So sweet.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I do, maybe about once a year. My Cochin boys (and the Silkie boys) get super weird spurs that curl instead of growing out, so in their case it's more to prevent their spurs from growing into their legs than anything! I'll take the sharp point off of the OEGB boys' spurs just in case if they start getting feisty, though, and trim them if they get to be too long and are a danger of tripping them up or something. You can usually see where the quick is in them because of their light skin, so just be careful to avoid that when you snip. I just use dog nail trimmers for mine, though I've heard of using a dremel for the job as well.




Ah, bittersweet, but I'll bet it's much more peaceful out there without him harassing everyone.

Popcorn does look quite tall for a Cochin in that picture! Since he was a feed store baby, he's most likely just hatchery quality, which often differ from the proper breed just a little bit in some way or another.




Sometimes, yes. Not all the time and not every one of them, but with more frequency than birds with less fluffy butts in my experience. What I do when they get like that is I just take a set of scissors and trim it out. Usually trimming the poop out shortens the feathers enough that it doesn't get as bad again, at least until they molt and the feathers regrow. I do it on my own, but if you have someone to hold the bird while you trim, it goes a lot faster. Just be careful if you need to trim close to the skin or vent on any of them!

Thank you for the advice. I trim dog nails and am very careful not to get to the quick. As well, I'm pretty much solo in taking care of my birds. My hubby tolerates that I have them and is amused by them, but would be happy enough if I didn't have them.
As for Popcorn, it is a bit of a relief as he wasn't letting the oegb cockerels in the coop. So, I've had to put them in every night and separate him. Last night they were all in by the time I got out there.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Aww, I'm glad the remaining boys were able to go to bed when they were ready!

Good luck with the solo butt trimmings then! I have had some success with doing it after dark once the birds are perched, if your coop allows for that. Some of them fight and squirm the whole time, though, so for them I sit them in my lap and kind of pin them under my arm so that I can use that hand to move clean feathers aside and the other hand to trim the messy feathers.