Which Bantam Cochin Cockerels to keep?

[MrsChickendad]

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Yeah, he's got a great personality and is gentle with the girls. He watches out for "the bad kitty" and lets the girls have the treats. I'm waiting for him to try out the "big girls" that ChickenDad bought for layers. They are younger and bigger, but he is full of confidence. That's why he's "Hot Stuff".

 

[MrsChickendad]

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Actually, the hens are much nicer overall. Got a couple with funky tails and crooked feet, but have a nice red frizzle, a nice blue, a splash and a couple nice black ones, all with fat round backsides. They are all shaped like chicken teakettles!

With all the fairs coming up, we were planning to go and see what's there. Getting a SQ bird from a hatchery is akin to getting a show quality dog from a pet store. It ain't gonna happen! Of course, we already had the birds before we discovered this website full of good and helpful info. So we'll enjoy these (and their little bitty eggs-got 2 so far!) and be on the lookout for better stock and try to learn what we're looking for! Thanks for the advice!

 

[LilPeeps]

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You won't usually ever find "good" examples of any breed at a fair. They're not sanctioned shows, and the birds are judged more on merit than the breed standard, and you'll see many mixed breeds being shown as pure.

If you really want to get a good idea as to how they should look, I'd suggest going to a sanctioned show. Look at what's being shown and talk to the exhibitors and get a feel for what they look for when breeding

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

They are all very nice looking. I say you should get more girls.

Seriously, keep the one you think is the nicest and least likely to get mean.

 

[tiki244]

well some of the fairs are sanctioned, I believe, because last year the people at the Chippewa CTY fair were getting 'points' for their wins. That would be sanctioned wouldnt it?

 

[Kanchii]

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You won't usually ever find "good" examples of any breed at a fair. They're not sanctioned shows, and the birds are judged more on merit than the breed standard, and you'll see many mixed breeds being shown as pure.

If you really want to get a good idea as to how they should look, I'd suggest going to a sanctioned show. Look at what's being shown and talk to the exhibitors and get a feel for what they look for when breeding

My county fair isn't very large but it has some extremely nice birds there. About half of the birds shown are great quality that I would put into the stockton show even, and then the other half are obviously hatchery birds. This year there were about 10 outstanding silkies, a couple wonderful bantam cochins and some great old english, barred rocks, and langstans (sp?)

 

[seedcorn]

Actually, the hens are much nicer overall. Got a couple with funky tails and crooked feet, but have a nice red frizzle, a nice blue, a splash and a couple nice black ones, all with fat round backsides. They are all shaped like chicken teakettles!

From your description, there are better examples of the breed. finding decent black cochin bantams shouldn't be that hard. Thing is the hens will pass on the genetics so you will always have this tendancy. This is only a problem in my mind if you plan on selling chicks. I'd be upset to buy cochins that grew up w/those type of tails.

But again, they are your chickens, keep what you like. You asked for opinions, now I'll shut up.

 

[MrsChickendad]

Thanks Seedcorn, I appreciate your directness. I don't have any plans to sell chicks. As I think about it more, it seems that the birds I bought all in the same shipment are probably from the same or closely related parents, which means (going back to my dog breeding) that they are probably pretty inbred and the faults will be fairly dominant. Assuming, of course that chicken genes work somewhat the same way dogs' do. We usually line bred our dogs with an outcross here and there to pick up or strengthen a particular trait. Obviously will have to do some studying on this as pertains to poultry!

Meanwhile, we have a bunch of cute little hens just starting to lay and getting very tame, so I will enjoy them for what they are. I guess the difference is, in dog breeding you can't eat your mistakes—although I would have a hard time with these banties, even if they were more than a mouthful!

 

[seedcorn]

Meanwhile, we have a bunch of cute little hens just starting to lay and getting very tame, so I will enjoy them for what they are.

On this I understand as I have 4 light brahma bantams that are NOT SQ. I just let them run in yard having fun and I'm happy with that. Not all chickens need to be SQ or even pure breds to be injoyed.