Red Cochin????

[kennedyscochins]

I bought an order of cochins from ideal poultry. In the order were red cochins-however, that's not what I got. I don't have a picture, but the ones I am asking about look EXACTLY like new hampshire reds, but have feathers on their feet. Any guesses?

 

[BlueMottie]

It's hard to tell you without a picture-but if I remember correctly, Ideal only has paintings for photo referances of their birds. Which means that what you end up looks entirely different.
They probably are cochins, but hatcheries in general have a tendency to throw birds of the same breed in a pen together and sell whatever comes out as the variety they have listed on their website or catalogue, or atleast from my experiences. Red cochins should be a pure, dark red color. No black, no buff, but a straight red.

 

[kennedyscochins]

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Yeah, I expected a solid red COCHIN, but the one I got has black marking around the neck and in the tail feathers- and does not have the rounded bottom of a cochin. I only deal with cochins, so I don't know what I have.

 

[BlueMottie]

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Yeah, I expected a solid red COCHIN, but the one I got has black marking around the neck and in the tail feathers- and does not have the rounded bottom of a cochin. I only deal with cochins, so I don't know what I have.

It sounds like they sent you mixes then, or very bad red cochins at the very least. Three questions; any stiff main tail feathers, what color are their shanks and feet, and do they have feathering down the middle toe?

 

[kennedyscochins]

Well, I haven't paid that close of attention. i will try to post a pic tomorrow. It's pouring down rain here right now, so I can't take pictures. They sent me one with the same markings that was supposed to be a buff cochin, so I sent them pictures (because I was a little angry). They told me it looked like a buff brahma with a single comb. That is the same way this one looks, but it's red! Needless to say, I won't be ordering the red or buff from them again!

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Just went in to check the red cochins in my brooder. I ordered them from Ideal as well. Mine will be 5 weeks on thursday. I only ordered 5 four pullets and a rooster. 3 of the pullets are dark red so far one has black on her neck and tail. The rooster is also dark red so far. This is the first time I ordered from a hatchery but noone seems to have any standard cochins so I tried it. Will be interesting to see what they grow up to be.

 

[kennedyscochins]

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Hope it turns out better for you! I don't mean to talk down ideal poultry, because the barred and black cochins I got are beautiful! But, the red ones aren't red at all- one is like the one I described with the black around the neck and tail feathers-another one is partly red with lots of mix of whitish color and black in all the feathers! I will try to post pics tomorrow!

 

[BlueMottie]

Yup, good quality red cochins are extremely hard to come by anyways, and what the hatcheries throw out are just plain poo if you're trying to make a decent breeding program out of it. Same goes for the buffs, not too many people have show or breeder worthy birds of that variety. But, if you're looking for birds to have that will be pretty, then that suits those people, but I would never ever let a hatchery bird into my breeding program.

 

[kennedyscochins]

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Yeah, I am learning that now! I just got into cochins-and chickens in general- this year after seeing gold laced cochins at an auction. I was not aware of how bad some of the hatchery birds are. Where do you get your birds from?

 

[Sugar Sand Farm]

Kennedy will you post pics of your barred cochin rooster as well. Exactly what color barring are yours. I have a pair of barred that I hatched the cockerel is blue barred not blackish the hen is blackish barred I would be interested to see what one really looks like.