Standard or Bantam Cochin

[carolynm]

I was at a 4-h project today and saw the prettiest little banty cochins. I've been wanting cochins and was totally smitten by these. I want to raise birds primarily for eggs, maybe for my daughter to show. If I were to opt for the bantam cochins what size eggs might I expect? I don't mind small eggs but have seen photos where they are really tiny. Has anyone weighed their bantam cochin eggs recently? Then I saw a post where someone commented that their bantams out produced their standards when you factor feed per bird....

I love feather-foots and first chose brahmas. I ordered hatching eggs and of course the only egg to hatch is lovely but a rooster! He's now just about mature and I look at him and wow he's big. I'm not sure I want very many chickens of his size! (and if you live close to North Texas take a look in the buy and sell-he's available free to good home!). I believe standard cochins are about brahma size are they not? If you cross a standard cochin with a bantam do you end up with a middle of the road size bird with a medium size egg or will they tend to take after one side of the family?

I can't imagine that if you get too many eggs that bantam sized eggs are very marketable are they?

If you're reading this thinking don't do it...or she should have xx breed, please post and let me know you're recommendations!

Sorry for such newbie like questions but I'd like to choose the right breed when I purchase my next birds...

 

[carolynm]

Anyone?

 

[Blue]

My bantam cochin hen lays an egg that's about 2/3 the size of the medium eggs some of our standard hens lay. I also have some standard cochins, but mine are only 11 weeks old, so aren't laying yet. They're already the size of some of my smaller standers, though, so I'd say they'll be pretty huge by the time they're mature.

 

[Elinor's chicks]

I have a bantam Brahma hen and a bantam Cochin pullet laying.

I put the Brahma egg side-by-side with a large to x-large store-bought egg, and I was surprised there wasn't all that much difference. The Brahma hen is a little larger (and more solid feeling) than the Cochin, but not by much. I've seen standard Brahmas, and you're right, they are huge. I wonder if your rooster is from stock that is standard, but on the small side, or from a mix of standard and bantam?

The Cochin's egg is a bit smaller than the Brahma's, but not by much. So you have to use 3 instead of 2 - no big deal.

I have a photo of the egg comparison, and photos of the girls, but not next to each other, and the photos aren't on this computer. I'll see what I can do about posting some pix later.

 

[carolynm]

Elinor's chicks :

I have a bantam Brahma hen and a bantam Cochin pullet laying.

I put the Brahma egg side-by-side with a large to x-large store-bought egg, and I was surprised there wasn't all that much difference. The Brahma hen is a little larger (and more solid feeling) than the Cochin, but not by much. I've seen standard Brahmas, and you're right, they are huge. I wonder if your rooster is from stock that is standard, but on the small side, or from a mix of standard and bantam?

The Cochin's egg is a bit smaller than the Brahma's, but not by much. So you have to use 3 instead of 2 - no big deal.

I have a photo of the egg comparison, and photos of the girls, but not next to each other, and the photos aren't on this computer. I'll see what I can do about posting some pix later.

Oh my brahma is big -no mix! LOL, and I'd think I'd just prefer smaller birds. Not sure I want to go right down to banty size though as I'd like decent eggs. I'd love to see your egg pics. How big is your bantam brahma pullet?​