What do you think of this bantam cochin cockerel?

jossanne

Crowing
14 Years
Jul 11, 2008
3,109
24
326
Gila, New Mexico
Out of my 5 Ideal bantam cochins (10 weeks old), this is the one I think I'm going to keep. The other 4 have really big vulture hocks, and this one doesn't seem to have any. I don't think his comb is really great, but I'm thinking that a comb would be easier to work on than breeding vulture hocks out of future generations. Right?

I've really considered keeping a second one, but I don't think I want to perpetuate the vulture hocks, so I'm going to chance it and keep just him. There is one pullet with larger vulture hocks, but I have an acquaintance that wants a pair of bantam blue cochins, and I am going to send her that one. She doesn't give a hoot about standards. The rest of the pullets seem to be developing nice cushions and no vulture hocks.

So what do you think? Can anyone tell me about this bird's strengths and weaknesses? I know he's just a baby and has a lot of developing to do, but what do I watch him for?
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I would like to see more "cushion" on him. Exactly how old is he? It's really very early to tell. Below I'm posting a pic of our white bantam cochin at exactly 8 weeks, 12 weeks and then again at 16 weeks. He is entered in the ABA national show in Lake City, Fl. on Jan 10.

Hopefully this will help you in evaluating your handsome boy!

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He's a typical hatchery cochin and the weeknesses far outweigh any qualities. It will take more years than you would probably want to spend developing a show line from him. If you're interested in that, I would suggest going to cochinsrule.com and do a bit of research. There are many top breeders on that website located around the country. There are also bycers whom have excellent quality to purchase stock from. If you are heart-set on him, order quality eggs, then breed those hatched hens to him. It will, at least, give you a fighting chance.
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I live nowhere near any shows. I'm in the middle of nowhere. I am sure I'll never show because of that. The only "show" we have here is the county fair, and our judge seems to know nothing about chickens - I've seen mis-labeled birds and crossbreeds win best of show. That is my only possibility to show, and I'm not going there. Did it once, won't go back.

I do, however, want to have the nicest birds I can. Right now this is what I have to work with. I'm wanting to get some nice quality eggs in the spring for my little girls to hatch (hoping they go broody), but that's down the road a little ways.

Oltimegator, your little guy is gorgeous! Thanks for sharing the development of your beautiful little boy. That helps me see just how far off we are.

Still, I'd like a little more clear answers to my questions. Anyone else?
 
If your handsome blue boy was mine, I would look for the "typey-ist" cochine hens/pullets I could find. Lots of cushion, tons of underfeathers and great foot feathering....and breed them to him. This cross should produce some nice babies. Breed the males from this breeding back to the hens and this will further improve the "type". Breed the females back to your blue boy.

Line breeding can be used for many generations with no problems. Good luck to you...I think he's so cute!!
 
Still wondering about this little cockerel in my original post. I am aware that he's not a perfect specimen, and will never be show quality. I'm okay with that. I appreciate all of you with nicer quality birds chiming in, but your answers aren't exactly what I'm looking for.

I pretty much promised DH today that I will not buy any more babies this spring, as our bantam coop is going to be pretty small when we get it finished.

I do want to know if this little guy would be better to keep than one with a nicer cushion and comb, but huge vulture hocks. Which will give me prettier babies in the long run? Which would be easier to work on? More cushion or less vulture hocks?

This second cockerel has huge vulture hocks, but otherwise is shaped more nicely. This picture is a couple of weeks old, but his shape was already better than the first one is now.
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While you certainly don't want to breed from a Cochin with vulture hocks I don't see much point in using this bird either. You say you want to have the nicest birds you can but birds of this quality won't get you there. You can't make a silk purse from a sows ear, as the saying goes. I assume the females you have from the same source are just as bad as the males so I don't see how breeding from them could result in anything but more of the same or even worse.
You really have just 2 choices: resign yourself to having a flock of perfectly servicable but poorly bred chickens or start over with better stock.
 
While you certainly don't want to breed from a Cochin with vulture hocks I don't see much point in using this bird either. You say you want to have the nicest birds you can but birds of this quality won't get you there. You can't make a silk purse from a sows ear, as the saying goes. I assume the females you have from the same source are just as bad as the males so I don't see how breeding from them could result in anything but more of the same or even worse.
You really have just 2 choices: resign yourself to having a flock of perfectly servicable but poorly bred chickens or start over with better stock.
 
Thanks NY, I understand they're not marvelous, but they're what I've got. Which of the two would you go with? Please someone answer that question. I really did promise DH yesterday that I wouldn't get more chicks this spring.
 

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