The most indecisive person on BYC strikes again/help me decide what to get

[3KillerBs]

I'd think it's the same as what @3KillerBs said over at my brahma thread, that a poofy bird would kind of be insulated by its feathers for both hot and cold weather

I have a large fowl Cochin -- my son's pet hen -- and she's not a happy camper in the summer.

 

[fluffycrow]

I have a large fowl Cochin -- my son's pet hen -- and she's not a happy camper in the summer.

Wow that much huh? Oh well bantam cochin it is for now. I guess since I've pretty much decided, you all can tag all the bantam cochin experts to help?

 

[fluffycrow]

@Overo Mare convert me to bantam cochin-ism

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Wow that much huh? Oh well bantam cochin it is for now. I guess since I've pretty much decided, you all can tag all the bantam cochin experts to help?

I would not necessarily consider myself an expert, but I have had bantam Cochins for a very long time now and am gearing up to breed them more seriously this year. What do you need help with?

 

[fluffycrow]

I would not necessarily consider myself an expert, but I have had bantam Cochins for a very long time now and am gearing up to breed them more seriously this year. What do you need help with?

Basically, as with my brahma thread, tell me everything! How to raise chicks, how quickly do they mature, their weird antics, how many eggs do they lay, how often do they go broody, how many eggs do they cover, what's the fertility rate, how well do they fly......just to name a few

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

Well, brace yourself.

I don't raise Cochin chicks any differently than any other chicks. Just make sure they have a clean brooder, fresh food and water available, and a heat source, and you're good to go.

They're on the slower side for maturity, generally around 8 months old at the earliest for laying. I would estimate they lay about 5 eggs per week per bird in their first year of laying, obviously less if they go broody. Their broodiness depends a lot on the line; one line I have goes broody and never quits, another goes broody only occasionally, but at least once a year. They can cover a decent number of eggs, I'd say 8-10 depending on if they're bantam or large fowl eggs.

Fertility can be tricky. Sometimes the butt fluff just gets in the way. Trimming the fluff around their vents can help with that, though!

How well do they fly? My experience may not be best to say as most of mine are silkied, which means they fly even worse than a smooth-feathered Cochin would. As youngsters they can fly decently well, but as they mature and fill in they are less able to jump as high and less able to get enough lift under their wings to propel them. Still, mine can get up ~2 feet high to hop up to their perch by themselves, so they aren't totally incapable. They tend to do better with wider perches to sit on in my experience.

As for antics, goodness, where to start! They are the sassiest little fluffballs you'll ever know! Experts at giving the evil eye to the extent that even larger birds cower and flee. They aren't pushovers by any stretch. Bear in mind I have no true gamefowl so I couldn't tell you how well Cochins would handle themselves against them, but in a mixed flock of your average, egg layer or dual-purpose large fowl breeds, they hold their own. They can get sassy with me, too, but it always comes off as saving face for the rest of the flock. They don't want to damage their reputation with the other birds, you know? But if I'm sitting out there, they're perfectly happy to come over and sit in my lap, or they'll wait at my feet for me to pick them up.

Also, they have the cutest vocalizations! The girls are always 'baww-ACK?-ing' at me for my attention, and my boys like to go, 'bookity-bawww' in sort of a low tone. Their crows are adorable as well, sort of higher-pitched and with fewer syllables than the crow of larger breeds.

I especially love how interactive my boys are. Most other breeds I've had, the boys either don't want anything to do with me or they just want to fight me. The Cochin boys definitely go through a phase where they're kinda buttheads, but then they come out the other side of that and they're just the best. Chill, curious about me, tolerant of being handled. Here's Gus on my knee, for example, just checking in on what I was doing out there.

Also nothing, I mean nothing, is cuter than a brooder full of Cochin chickies in their fuzzy footsie pajamas.

I think that covers about everything you were asking about, anyway.

 

[fluffycrow]

Well, brace yourself.

I don't raise Cochin chicks any differently than any other chicks. Just make sure they have a clean brooder, fresh food and water available, and a heat source, and you're good to go.

They're on the slower side for maturity, generally around 8 months old at the earliest for laying. I would estimate they lay about 5 eggs per week per bird in their first year of laying, obviously less if they go broody. Their broodiness depends a lot on the line; one line I have goes broody and never quits, another goes broody only occasionally, but at least once a year. They can cover a decent number of eggs, I'd say 8-10 depending on if they're bantam or large fowl eggs.

Fertility can be tricky. Sometimes the butt fluff just gets in the way. Trimming the fluff around their vents can help with that, though!

How well do they fly? My experience may not be best to say as most of mine are silkied, which means they fly even worse than a smooth-feathered Cochin would. As youngsters they can fly decently well, but as they mature and fill in they are less able to jump as high and less able to get enough lift under their wings to propel them. Still, mine can get up ~2 feet high to hop up to their perch by themselves, so they aren't totally incapable. They tend to do better with wider perches to sit on in my experience.

As for antics, goodness, where to start! They are the sassiest little fluffballs you'll ever know! Experts at giving the evil eye to the extent that even larger birds cower and flee. They aren't pushovers by any stretch. Bear in mind I have no true gamefowl so I couldn't tell you how well Cochins would handle themselves against them, but in a mixed flock of your average, egg layer or dual-purpose large fowl breeds, they hold their own. They can get sassy with me, too, but it always comes off as saving face for the rest of the flock. They don't want to damage their reputation with the other birds, you know? But if I'm sitting out there, they're perfectly happy to come over and sit in my lap, or they'll wait at my feet for me to pick them up.

Also, they have the cutest vocalizations! The girls are always 'baww-ACK?-ing' at me for my attention, and my boys like to go, 'bookity-bawww' in sort of a low tone. Their crows are adorable as well, sort of higher-pitched and with fewer syllables than the crow of larger breeds.

I especially love how interactive my boys are. Most other breeds I've had, the boys either don't want anything to do with me or they just want to fight me. The Cochin boys definitely go through a phase where they're kinda buttheads, but then they come out the other side of that and they're just the best. Chill, curious about me, tolerant of being handled. Here's Gus on my knee, for example, just checking in on what I was doing out there.

View attachment 3408115

Also nothing, I mean nothing, is cuter than a brooder full of Cochin chickies in their fuzzy footsie pajamas.

View attachment 3408125

I think that covers about everything you were asking about, anyway.

Yep, thank you SO much, this was exactly what I was looking for. I definitely won't have them in with my gamefowl, that would not be the smartest of choices. They will either be with the layer flock or by themselves, but since I'm also looking to get yokohama, one of them will have to be with the layer flock. Anyways this was perfect! They are SO dang poofy!

 

[Painted Calls]

@Overo Mare convert me to bantam cochin-ism

Eyelashes.

Round.

Booty.

Floofy.

Graceful.

 

[pipdzipdnreadytogo]

They are SO dang poofy!

Oh yes, they definitely have an abundance of fluff, whether silkied or smooth.

 

[Painted Calls]

In all seriousness, they are the absolute best if you want pets. They are sassy but sweet. Smart and beautiful. Have individual personalities a mile wide. They are a joy to watch and interact with. They're also beyond easy to handle. My daughter (now 7) can walk out and just bend over to pick them up. Their feet never touch the ground when she's outside. They don't mind or complain. Set them down and walk away. Call them and they come running right back. They're the absolute best. Hands down.