Cochin Chickens: A Beginner's Care Guide
This article provides a comprehensive introduction to caring for Cochin chickens, including shelter, grooming, diet and common FAQs.
What Is a Cochin Chicken?
A Cochin chicken is a domesticated breed known for its heavy feathering and gentle disposition. These engaging birds originated in China’s Shanghai providence and were initially known as Shanghai birds, and later called China-Cochins. Cinochins were brought to Europe and America between 1840-1850, and subsequently started a poultry breeding craze. Unlike other chickens, Cochins were bred for their appearance rather than their eggs or meat, leading to loose plumage and fluffy chickens. Cochin chickens have also been used to develop other American breeds, such as the Plymouth Rock and Rhode Island Red. Nowadays, Cochin chickens are primarily found on farms and kept as family-friendly pets.
How to Care for Cochin Chickens
Shelter
Providing a clean and dry coop, a run, and sufficient space is essential when caring for a Cochin chicken. While providing shelter, make sure to take into account the current weather conditions -- while Cochins are generally cold-resistant, keep their feet clean and dry to prevent frostbite in the winter. In the summer, caring for them is easy -- all you need to do is provide access to water and shade to prevent heat stress.
Grooming
Grooming is essential to keeping Cochin chickens, so providing a space dedicated to dust bathing to keep them clean of parasites and diseases is crucial to their health and well-being. It is also important to clean their feathered feet to prevent matting and dirt buildup.
Diet
When feeding your Cochin chickens, you want to ensure you have a high-quality chicken feed appropriate to their size, activity level, and age. However, while feeding your Cochin chickens, make sure to monitor their weight and ensure you don’t overfeed them. Cochin chickens are prone to obesity due to their laid-back nature.
Common Cochin Chicken FAQs
- Are Cochin chickens good egg layers?
Cochin chickens are not the best egg-laying chickens, but they do produce a moderate amount of brown eggs. Due to their resistance to the cold, Cochin chickens are especially good winter egg layers.
- What is a Cochin chicken good for?
Cochin chickens are often chosen primarily for aesthetics due to their fluffy feathers and striking red combs. These soft, gentle chickens make great pets. In contrast, they are also a great food source for meat and eggs.
- Are Cochin chickens cold-hardy?
Yes, Cochin chickens are cold-hardy because of their thick plumage, but their feathered feet are prone to frostbite. Keeping their feet clean and dry, and providing a dry, sheltered area helps prevent frostbite and keeps them comfortable in winter.
- At what age do Cochins start laying eggs?
Cochins start laying eggs at around 8 months old, however, this age varies from chicken to chicken. Cochins don’t mature very quickly because they are mainly bred for looks, which affects their egg production.
- What color eggs do Black Cochins lay?
Like many other breeds, Black Cochin chickens typically lay brown, cream-colored eggs or have a slightly pinkish tint. However, the shade can vary somewhat from one individual to another and even throughout the laying cycle of a single hen. It's important to note that the color of the eggshell has no impact on the nutritional value of the egg inside. Brown, cream, and slightly pink eggs from Black Cochins all contain the same essential nutrients, including protein, vitamins and minerals.
- How long do Cochins live?
Cochin chickens typically live 8 to 10 years, if kept safe and healthy, although many breeders only keep them for 3-5, which is when they produce the most eggs.
- Do Cochins go broody?
Yes, Cochins are generally regarded as some of the most broody chickens and will breed multiple times a year if given the opportunity. Some signs that a Cochin has gone broody are if it stays in its nesting box, fluffs its feathers, and growls and pecks when you try to remove them.
Overall, Cochin chickens are beautiful, and due to their striking appearance and gentle nature, they make great feathered companions. As a bonus, Cochins are relatively easy to care for, making them suitable for both experienced chicken keepers and beginners alike. While they may not be the best egg layers, their fluffy feathers and unique personalities more than make up for it. Whether you're looking for a backyard pet or an exceptional addition to your flock, a Cochin chicken could be an excellent addition to your family. If you have any questions or need help deciding what feed to use, Kalmbach Feeds is here to help. Feel free to reach out to us via our contact page.
