Two new Cochins - what gender?

[CoopedInn]

I think I've decided to keep the black Cochin cockerel and take the splash one back and see if I can pick out a pullet to swap him for. Hopefully I'll do a better job picking this one!

 

[donrae]

If you're looking at something in the blue/black/splash family, avoid a bird with red or darker coloring on the wing/shoulders. that's a male trait.

 

[CoopedInn]

I'll be sure to remember that. I'm pretty sure that I remember seeing a blue pullet when I picked these two. I already have one blue cochin, and I was hoping to add a little variety to my flock, so I went with a black and splash. When I go back, if I don't see a pullet that I like at their age (around four months), he had about ten chicks about three weeks old, so I may hold out for one of them. All my other birds are about five months, so I don't want to put any small chicks in with them yet.

 

[Rhandi74]

Good advice. Thanks! Fortunately, I know the individual I got these from, and he has several more. He said I can swap them if they turn out to be Roos. Should I keep one, and swap the other one for a hen? That would put me at one Cochin roo to six pullets (2 each Cochins, barred rocks, and buff orps). I've read the best ratio is around 1:10. My pullets are about 5 months old now. Not interested in hatching any eggs, just wanted decent layers that are docile. I do have to admit that I love hearing a rooster crowing in the morning though, and there are no restrictions where I live. Decisions, decisions! LOL

I love my cochin Roo. He is great with my hens and it is very fun to watch him show them yummy tidbits and he even showed a lot of support to my pullets when they started laying and was great with his chicks one of my cochin hens hatched.

 

[CoopedInn]

The cochin cockerels I've had so far seem to be very good natured. I originally had a gold laced and a buff. We couldn't decide which one to keep and which one to re-home, so we decided to re-home them both and try to get two more cochin pullets, which seems to have back-fired on me. Of these two cockerels, both are really gentle, but the black one seems to love to be petted more than the splash, so I think we've decided to keep him.

 

[CoopedInn]

I traded for another Splash Cochin this afternoon. Started a new thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...t-cooped-inn-splash-cochin-pullet-or-cockerel