Cochin

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Black Rock®, Brahma, Brown Rocks ®, Chicken Breeds, Cochin, Dayold chicks, Faverolles, Leghorn, Sussex, Swedish Flower Hen / By

Latest Stock for sale

This post is here to show you at a glance what we have going on and what is the latest chicken availability for sale.

  • Splash Cochin and Brahma
    Cochin and Brahma
  • Blue Salmon Faverolles
    Blue Salmon Faverolles
  • Swedish Flower Cockerel
    Swedish Flower in yellow based black
  • White Leghorn Cockerel
    Leggie the White Leghorn
  • Salmon Faverolles Boy
    Salmon Faverolles boy
  • Very young Brown Rock
    Brown Rock Grower
  • Black Rock Hens
    Young Black Rock hens
  • Cockerel Group
    Araucana Brahma and Cochin Cockerels
  • Sussex group
    Example of Coronation Sussex
  • Hatching Eggs
    Hatching Eggs
  • Chicks and Hen
    Various Chicks

Breeds available as at 9th October 2020

We have been having a busy year as it seems COVID 19 has encouraged people to begin to keep chickens in the garden. In order to try to satisfy the demand we have been hatching as fast as nature will allow whilst still being mindful that we need to give them the best care possible.

We normally stop hatching round about August but we have set a few low number hatches just to keep some in stock. Our egg numbers are growing less as the hens are starting their annual moult so this further reduces our ability to even have fertile eggs available. The hens will stop laying for the duration of their moult which can last for up to 8 weeks.

The short days will affect their hormone levels and often laying won’t start again till the days start to get longer. Some breeders keep the lights on to fool the hormone system into a continued laying pattern but we allow our garden girls to roll with nature and have a well earned rest, so please bear with us.

We are still running a waiting list if you want to be told when we have hens available. Please register on our contact form to go on the waiting list to be notified as soon as the available to be released for sale. See stock list below

Breeds Available On Our Stock List

Join our mailing list to be informed of our latest chicken availability. How it works

Breaking News!!!!

Exciting development. We have been unable to run our face to face chicken keeping courses due to the restrictions of COVID 19 so we have been busy setting up an online version. It has been a tough steep learning curve with the technicalities on the IT side of things but we have gone live with it as of 1st December 2020. See our Chicken Keeping Courses Page for details.

We are hoping that people will find the easy-to-follow bite size chunks an enjoyable experience. It is crammed with masses of information you should know about keeping chickens. It will take you on a deep dive into the fascinating world of this wonderful creature. We guarantee that you will learn things that will make you think about chickens in a totally new light.

It will help you make good equipment choices, avoid illnesses, and be able to spot them before they get out of hand.

Getting the right coop for example will make the cleaning out of your chickens a 10 minute job rather than a real thankless task. We help you get it right, first time. This will save you money and time and who doesn’t need some of that? Chickens are enjoyable but making poor choices takes the shine off it very quickly.

We cover things like the law, regulations, and welfare. Feeding and watering and ways to make it more efficient. Pest and predator control are covered, as is security and behaviour. We have quizzes as you go along to test your accumulating knowledge. Each lesson is easy to pick up and leave off where you like with no time pressure.

Book your online course here £35
Blue Cochin

Cochin

Cochin are an old breed with no bantam equivalent

The Cochin is huge, and there is no denying their beauty and adorability. They are the giant fluffballs of the chicken world. We keep them in Blue Splash, Blue and Black.

Breed Description

A Cochin is the largest of the heavy breeds of chicken. Queen Victoria, of all people, is responsible for the original popularity of this monumental chicken. They were originally documented way back in the early 1850’s when they were known as Shanghai’s or Cochin-China. It is believed that the Chinese bred them with such profuse feathering for filling duvets. This phenomenal bird has no sharp angles and is very rounded in appearance. A single comb, feathery “pantaloons” and feathered feet are all classic features of this breed.

The Cochin genes have been used in the makeup of several breeds, the most notable being the Brahma, and the Orpingtons. This breed have been highly prized as show birds and have been selectively bred over generations for their feather quality and quantity. They are very hardy birds in winter, but need plenty of shade in the summer as they risk overheating due to the feather duvet they carry around with them. A non-muddy environment is the best for keeping this breed, as their feathery feet will generate quite substantial mud balls. As they have such feathering they are not overly destructive to your prized begonias either!! Although with any chickens, never say never – ahem.

They are reputed to be quite long lived in chicken terms compared to their egg machine cousins. The cock birds can weigh up to 12lb but are very placid and totally magnificent to look at as they are large, round and tall.

These are a dual purpose bird if that is your bag.

Cochin Breed Temperament

Cochins are a very placid and mild-mannered giant. These chickens are calm and love to be cuddled too, and it happens that there is a lot to cuddle. A boisterous flock is not really a good situation for a Cochin as they are quite placid. Some hens may go broody occasionally.

Breed Size

Despite what the Americans say there is no bantam version of this chicken. Cochins are classified as large fowl – heavy therefore will mix with other quieter heavy breeds. She is also happy in groups with smaller hens too.

Eggs

Profuse feather quality is much admired in show Cochins. Egg numbers have suffered as a consequence of their show achievements. The hen is an average layer in most specimens, however, we have found that our flock is actually rather good and I would class mine as good layers. They are producing 4-5 eggs a week each, and they are a very reasonable size. Eggs are a medium size and pale cream tinted in colour. She will need to be at least 35 weeks old before being mature enough to lay for the first time

Further reading

More info on our birds for sale can be found here. If you are looking to join us on one of our courses please check out our courses page

Cochin eggs
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