Standard
Varieties of Chickens:
Cochins
The four Cochin classes are very popular with
breeders. They are second to the Brahma classes in
the meat breeds, weighing but a pound lighter than
the Light Brahma. Old and experienced breeders of
Cochins are pronounced in praise of their qualities
as profitable fowls, they being hardy, good winter
layers of rich, brown, medium-sized eggs, and fairly
good table fowls. The chicks grow well and develop
rapidly under proper care.
The Buff variety (fig. 11) is the most bred of the
Cochin class; their soft, mellow, buff tone offers
an attraction to fanciers that is hard to resist. In
color the Buff Cochin, male and female, are of rich,
deep, clear buff, uniform in shade throughout except
the tail, which should be a deeper buff or copperish
bronze, undercolor same as surface color, but of
lighter shade and should extend to the skin. In
breeding select females as near as possible to the
desired shade of buff, as free from dark or white in
wing and tail and of as even a color as can be. To
such females mate a cock of deeper shade, with some
little black in wing, and tail of luster. This
mating will produce good results in cockerels and
pullets. The heavy leg and foot feathering so
characteristic of breed should have constant care
and attention. While the feathering should be
abundant, all semblance to vulture hock or stiff
feathering should be avoided.
The Partridge Cochin (fig. 13) is a beautiful yet
difficult fowl to breed, and in plumage is much
after the pattern of the Dark Brahma, the color
being red and brown, instead of the steel-gray
effect of the latter. The head of male in color is
bright red hackle, bright red or orange red, with a
distinct black stripe down the center of each
feather; saddle feathers same as hackle; breast and
body rich deep black; wing bows, red; primaries,
black on inside web, with a bay edging on the
outside web; secondaries, black on the inside web
and rich bay on the outside web, terminating with
greenish-black at the end of each feather; wing
coverts, greenish-black, forming a well-defined bar
of that color across the wing when folded; tail,
black; sickles, coverts, and lesser coverts glossy
greenish black; the latter may be edged with red;
things, black; shanks, yellow and well covered with
black or brownish feathers, the middle toes being
also well feathered.
The female is the prettier of the two. Her head is
small and of a rich brown plumage, with a stout,
well-curved beak, yellow in color. Her eyes are bay
and mild in expression. The head is ornamented with
a small single comb, set perfectly straight upon the
head and bright red in color. The wattles are small,
well rounded and fine in texture; the earlobes are
well developed and are also fine in texture.
The neck is neatly curved, with abundant hackle
flowing well over the shoulders. The plumage is
bright red or orange red, with a broad black stripe
down the middle of each feather. The black stripe in
a good feather should run to a point near the end of
the feather. This stripe should be free from
penciling, but the standard permits a slight
penciling of the black. (See fig. 14.)
A good back and cushion helps make the bird. Her
back should be broad and flat, the broader the
better, and the cushion should rise with a gentle
convex curve and partially cover the tail. The
plumage of back and cushion is reddish-brown in
color. Each feather is penciled with a darker brown;
the outlines of the penciling conform to the shape
of the feather. The breast is one of the most
important points of a good hen, and should be broad
and massive. The plumage is of the same
reddish-brown color as the back. The penciling on
the breast is perhaps a little more distinct and
open than on the back; the outlines of the penciling
should be sharp and conform to the shape of the
feather.
The body is broad and deep behind and of same
plumage as the breast. The fluff is very abundant,
covering the posterior portion of the bird and
standing out about the thighs. Wings are small and
the primaries fold closely under the secondaries;
the bows are covered by the breast feathers and the
fluff conceals the points. The primaries are very
dark brown or blackish-brown in color; the inner web
of the secondaries is a blackish-brown and the outer
web is a blackish-brown penciled with a lighter
brown. The coverts are similar in color and
penciling to the plumage of the breast.
Tail is small, short, and carried almost
horizontally. The tail is partly concealed by the
cushion. In color the tail is black except the two
main tail feathers, which are penciled. The tail
coverts are penciled same as breast and body. Thighs
are large and well covered with soft feathers; the
feathers on the lower part curve inward around the
hock and hide the joint on the outside. The
feathering of the thighs is of the same shade and
color as that of the body. Shanks are short and
yellow and heavily covered with feathers of same
color as thighs. The toes are well spread and yellow
in color, the outer and middle toes being feathered
throughout their entire length.
Black Cochins (fig. 15) are much more easily raised
than are either of the above-named varieties. Being
of one color, the care bestowed in breeding
parti-colored or penciled birds is not necessary,
and the time may be spent in furthering their
general utility in egg production. A one colored
bird is the more practical bird for the farmer and
market poulterer. The Black Cochin is of a rich
glossy black plumage throughout. The White Cochin is
pure white in plumage.
The standard weight of Buff, Partridge, and White
Cochin cocks is 11 pounds (5 kg); hens, 8 ½ pounds
(3.9 kg); cockerels, 9 pounds (4.1 kg); and pullets,
7 pounds(3.2 kg). Black Cochins are of the same
weight, excepting cocks, which should weight 10 ½
pounds (4.8 kg).
FOR
FURTHER READING...
The first three images below come from the Oklahoma State
University Department of Animal Science's Poultry
Breeds pages. The fourth and fifth images are
from the FeatherSite, "an on-line zoological garden of domestic poultry". The Cochin
page at Oklahoma and the Standard Cochins page at FeatherSite contain further information about this breed's
history and more images of these fowl. Clicking on
each image takes you to the page specifically about
that particular variety.
Image Credits
(from left to right):
Copyright © 1996, Oklahoma State University
Board of Regents;
Copyright © 1996, Oklahoma State University
Board of Regents;
Copyright © 1996, Oklahoma State University
Board of Regents;
Courtesy of Barry Koffler;
Courtesy of Barry Koffler
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