What is the general consensus of Standard Cochin Roosters-temperment

[Penske]

Thanks for sharing your experience, Jess. And, your point is well-taken about the height issue for the cochins.

My roost in the coop is at 28" with a droppings board underneath. There are rafters way up high that maybe the bantys will fly up to, but...they are at about 8'. Once the nest boxes are in, the bantys could always fly up to the top of those as well. I have pics posted in a thread about roosts and another about vents/nestboxes.

I'll add a higher roost in the run. They already pop up into the low branches of the trees. Some of the other girls want to, as well, but they are getting a bit heavy and the branch bends!

This is my first experience with chickens. I would not say that any of my chickens are NOT friendly...they follow me around, run to me when they hear my voice and are very curious. One flies up to my shoulder (I have to be pre-pared!!!) and two like to be held and petted. IF I have shorts on with my wellies, they peck at my freckles-OW! They are very content and surprisingly quiet--just little peeping/chicken noises!

What does an un-friendly chicken do?? Attack?

They like it when I sing to them. It is REALLY funny! They all come 'round and sit down and "listen"!! They are like my pre-school kids!!! LOL

How old are your cochins??

Lisa

 

[Rosalind]

My std. Cochin roo, Hugo, is very sweet and loves the ladies...including my small-ish (although bigger than bantam-sized) Buttercup hens. He tolerates being cuddled and petted. Yes, the crow will get a little louder but not much--he'll still sound like a foghorn compared to a regular roo. I used to have two more Cochin roos, but the dog had other ideas.

They were a bit more skittish than Hugo, but they still tolerated being petted and were not at all aggressive.

Yes, they will mount the smaller hens, and the smaller hens will be all but lost under the Cochin feathers. You'll see, like, one little female head poking out through a mess of Cochin fluff before you realize what's going on. I had to put all the girls separate from the boys after a while because the girls were getting barebacked despite having saddles on. But the girls don't seem to be hurt otherwise.

In my experience, the standard Cochin temperament seems to be more assertive than aggressive. They are still very much in charge of things, and will check you out every time you go in their territory to make sure you're behaving, but they won't challenge you much. If your roo gives you any attitude, just pick him up and give him a cuddle, it'll take him down a notch.