which Cochins should I keep?

[AltonaAcres]

Good to know. Do the frizzles look good? (I think there're SO cute)

 

[MagpieDucks]

It's somewhat hard to tell which ones are the same, but this is what i picked out.

The "keepers" are in blue, culls are in red, and "not sure's" are in black.

 

[I Love Layers]

I personally am not a fan of frizzles. If you have the space and have done your research on them they can be easy. However, at first I think they can be a bit hard to have in your program when first starting.

 

[Stick Chicken]

It's somewhat hard to tell which ones are the same, but this is what i picked out.

The "keepers" are in blue, culls are in red, and "not sure's" are in black.
View attachment 1681084

I mostly agree with this list myself, although I'm not real sure about the frizzles, having never had experience with them.
The main goal of a cochin is for it to be a like a ball, or alternately, three balls(the tail and the legs). Coloration can be important too, but form is more essential to a perfect-I use the word lightly-cochin. One of the more important features of a cochin is its tail which should be well rounded.
Your cochin in the third-to-last picture has a poor quality tail that he may or may not(I'm leaning towards may not) grow out of. In contrast, the first smooth barred cochin has a more rounded tail which has a good chance of improving through aging.

These are just my thoughts, do with them what you will.

 

[Ladybird CA]

Do you plan to keep them in one pen or separate? If one then the smooth roo should be kept assuming you want to keep the only two hens, one of which is a frizzle since you probably know, frizzle should not be bred to frizzle, only smoothxfrizzle.

 

[AltonaAcres]

Thanks for all your help! Yes, I have experience with frizzles, so I know how to maintain them. And they all have the same mom, so they won't be in breeding pens together. I have been paying close attention to their tail's shape as I know that's important. Just one question: The barred frizzle rooster which MagpieDucks put an X on, I'm wondering why? It's not like I disagree, I'm just trying to learn what to look for.

 

[MagpieDucks]

Thanks for all your help! Yes, I have experience with frizzles, so I know how to maintain them. And they all have the same mom, so they won't be in breeding pens together. I have been paying close attention to their tail's shape as I know that's important. Just one question: The barred frizzle rooster which MagpieDucks put an X on, I'm wondering why? It's not like I disagree, I'm just trying to learn what to look for.

I would use the smooth feathered cockerel in your main breeding pen as Frizzles shouldn't be bred with frizzles. I don't think your frizzle cockerels are bad, I just think the smooth feathered one is the best for your situation. It can be hard to judge from pictures as well, and it could just be their current feather condition but the first frizzle cockerel I put an x on doesn't seem to have much of cushion ( ) Just some thoughts.

 

[Bo Garrett]

Remember, cochins take time to mature and finish, with that in mind never be too hasty to cull birds until they have reached maturity. I cull for the obvious disqualifications and serious defects at young ages but after that I feed them all to maturity to ensure I have not missed anything. I primarily breed and show large fowl but have worked with bantams for 40+ years and know them well. Several years ago I had a pullet hatched that had no defects but didn't stand out either, I kept her for breeding, three years later I looked in the breeding pen she was in and realized she had blossomed into a fantastic hen. Showed her in the fall of 2010 and she was show champion, reserve show champion, champion asiatic at every show she was shown at and as a pullet she would never have done this.
Cochins should have no concave features, round in all points with a low carried front the top of the cushion bisecting the eye socket. The breast should be round and full but not dragging the ground and the cushion the roundest and widest feature of the bird. Read the Standard and apply the written word to the bird and your program will eventually be successful.

Blessings,

Bo

 

[Stick Chicken]

@Bo Garrett is completely right. Cochins take time and aging to develop. If I had the room, I would raise all of my cochins to maturity. Unfortunately, not everyone has the space for that, though.

And yes, the SOP is your best friend. It can never lead you astray(excepting the errors that they add pages of corrections for).