Silkie vs. Cochin Question

[jcrmadden]

I had heard that Silkies make the best brooders. To the extent that they will hatch other hen's eggs and that even the roos will sit on rare occasion. The hatchery didn't have any available so a friend of my suggested Cochins. He said that they were the next best thing to silkies. Is this true? I have two cochin hens so if it is true I'm in luck. If not I'm back on the hunt for silkies. Thanks all.

 

[misfitfarm]

I was just told that bantams are very broody.

 

[glochis]

I had a cochin who kept going broody all last spring. I put fertilized eggs under her and she sat for exactly 19 days and then refused to sit! Probably just her, she is kinda a flaky chick. None of my others ever went broody and I have a couple of each of 5 different breeds.

 

[teach1rusl]

I don't speak from experience, but cochins are supposed to frequently go broody (similar to silkies), according to the breed chart link along the top of the screen (have you checked it out?).

 

[Whimsy]

I have a little black bantam cochin who has stayed broody this year. She is a year old. I also had a heritage wyndotte that hatched several eggs for me this spring.(Hawk got her

)

None of the hatchery birds I have gotten have gone broody, just the ones I got from breeders. I think that hatchery birds are bred to not want to go broody as much.

I love my cochins, they are so gentle and tame.

 

[KatieBugg]

I have 2 black Bantam Cochins out of the same hatch that layed for a month and then have gone broody together, they are both now on eggs

 

[rescuefirst]

I have bantam Silkies and Cochins - both are excellent mother hens and get broody. The silkies seem to get a bit obsessive broody, however the cochins are right there behind them and tend to be really great with the chicks. Both are excellent options, so I agree you're in luck with having cochins.

 

[Laurajean]

When my Cochin goes broody, she really sticks with it, but I would say my Silkies go broody more frequently. I may just be saying that because I have more Silkies, however, it may just seem that way. Both are great broodies.

 

[infinityyoreo]

Can you keep silkies and cochins together or will it cause problems? Some people were saying they will get along and others were saying they won't because of the silkies poor vision.

 

[holm25]

I my self would take a Cochin over Silkie any day. But thats just me and probably because that is what I breed. I also like them more because my standard Cochins can sit ob WAY more eggs than any banty could. I think they would get along perfectly.