Family owned and operated since 1998
Our Story
Wow, let me tell you a story! Back in 1997, my son sold his first market hog in 4H and discovered a new passion for Cochins. We searched high and low for these unique animals and finally found an exhibition breeder named John at our local feed store. After winning a variety prize at an open poultry show, my son met Marjorie Best and she sold him bantam and Large Fowl Cochins in Partridge variety. We even tracked down Bob Anderson for other varieties and with some words of advice and $60, my son got blacks and blues. Today, 26+ years later, I'm proud to say that I've kept these birds in honor of that little boy who once was.
Is The Cochin Right For You?
If you are looking for a hen that is more of a pet than a ‘working girl,’ the Cochin maybe your ideal bird. They are not great layers but make fabulous pets and lap chickens. They are well suited for children as they are friendly and extremely mellow, even the roosters. They can become very tame and tolerate a wide variety of situations. Pictures of Cochins in hen strollers have circulated on social media for some time!They are also an excellent material for exhibitions and shows since they are tolerant and straightforward to handle. They always seem to attract a crowd at the shows, too, with their profusion of feathers and personality – especially if they are frizzled! The frizzle gene – an incomplete dominant, causes the feathers to curl forward instead of lying flat and meshing together as they normally would.Frizzle X ‘normal’ hen = 50/50 (frizzle/normal).A frizzle should never be bred to another frizzle – this makes a ‘frazzle.’ Frazzles have extremely delicate feathers and can, in some cases, be almost bald or exhibit patchy feathering. They do not survive very well without constant care and attention. Frizzled birds do not tolerate the cold well since the curled feathers do a poor job of insulating the hen or even protecting it from the rain or snow. They also cannot fly, so perches need to be set lower for them to access. Otherwise, they pile on the floor.Needless to say, frizzles do get picked on by the more dominant hens, so bullying and feather picking can quickly become a problem unless it is carefully watched.In terms of confinement, they tolerate it well, but if allowed to free-range, they will spend most of their time hanging out by the feeders – they tend to be lazy.The tendency towards laziness and obesity makes them easy targets for predators, so they should remain in a fenced area safe from predation.They aren’t well known for their laying eggs. You will be lucky to see 180-200 eggs/year from these ladies, but the good news is that, like the Brahma, these ladies prefer to lay through the winter months! The eggs are described as small to medium size, brown in color, although some folks report them as moderate to large eggs.These birds need 20% protein feed or higher, dry conditions, deep shavings to care for feet feathering and avoid health problems. Meal worms and fresh greens are great treats. Important to keep them dry. If they get wet, dry them and keep them inside. Show birds can be spoiled rotten and I am hoping they will be one of your most prized possessions. SHOW COCHINS HATCHERY, I will be there after the sale for mentoring and questions, always…
DISCLAIMER: Although we strive to provide you with the highest quality hatching eggs available, we do not guarantee fertility or hatchability. In addition, although we ship the eggs in the most effective manner necessary to help ensure that the eggs arrive in good condition, it is important to note that shipping can greatly reduce the hatchability of eggs.
There is NO Guarantee of hatchability when you purchase fertile eggs through the mail or in person. There is a reasonable expectation for your eggs to arrive intact; not broken or cracked, and that they are actually fertile or at least EXTREMELY likely to be fertile. There is no way for breeders to test each egg for fertility prior to shipping, most fertile egg sellers take time to incubate & hatch from their own supply regularly to verify fertility. It is safe to assume that if their eggs are hatching, that all or most of the eggs will be fertile. If your experienced you can also check for fertility by cracking a few of the eggs and taking a good look at the yolk. By checking some of the eggs for fertility it’s safe to assume all or most of the eggs will be fertile.
Although hatching eggs are assumed fertile, be aware that NO hatching eggs are guaranteed to hatch. There are too many factors involved on both sides of the fence. Please be aware of the risks of buying hatching eggs through the mail.
Understand that YOU, the buyer, bears ALL the responsibility for your purchase of hatching eggs!!!
SAY IT AGAIN~ There are no guarantees on hatching eggs. Please buy only if you are willing to risk that they may not hatch. Your eggs can be rendered infertile, be damaged during shipping, or subject to temperature extremes. These are issues beyond my control and are an inherent risk of mailed hatching eggs.
You agree you will not eat the eggs as they are not food grade. You acknowledge that when gathered and mailed to you, the eggs may have contaminants on them. You should wash your hands before and after handling the eggs. DO NOT WASH THEM. You further accept there may be delays in mailing or processing.
Also, I am not responsible for any loss incurred by your purchase. If you cut your hand on the box, if you claim the eggs had some sort of disease on them, if the birds hatch and kill your other birds, if an alien hatches from the eggs and eats your barn, if the birds have a communicable disease, if you are injured in any way, if the egg explodes and blows the lid of your incubator through a window, or knocks you on the head, if you suffer any losses in any way as the result of buying my products, you agree to hold me harmless.
Guarantees. There are none. Please read the full page. I want your return business. I want you to tell folks how great the hatching eggs were. I value a good reputation in this or any other business. A man is only as good as his word. I take pride in my word. However, there is a risk involved. I will do what I can to make things right, but I don't know what you use for an incubator. Maybe you forgot to turn the eggs. Maybe they were damaged in transit. Maybe the Department of Homeland Security X-rayed the package. I believe the USPS is the best in the world, by far. Things happen however. Machines toss boxes, crush them, shake them. They could be left in extreme temperatures for extended periods.
