Cochins

                     The Chinese Shanghai fowl came to England and America in 1845.  The name of this Asiatic breed was later changed to Cochin.  The earliest were more or less buff in color.  Its striking appearance, due to great size and profuse soft feathering, distinguished it from all other breeds at the early period. Cochins created a sensation in England, resulting in a great boom for the "Cochin   China," as it was called in the days of "Cochin craze."
 In England Cochins  are called Pekins ,  Cochins come in bantam and standard both make excellent pets  there also good for meat and eggs and come in many colors including Buff, Blue, White , Black,   Splash, Lemon Blue, and many more . there are also frizzled Cochins. Cochins are also the second most popular bantam breed after the Old English game. Info above is from the   American Standard of Perfection.

                                      This is my Grandmas flock of Cochin bantams which include Black, Barred, and Red Cochins.                                    

                This is a photo of her frizzled white Cochins.

The Three Amigos~ Bantam Black Cochins

 The 3 amigos, bantam Cochin roosters who live together in our vegetable garden. When released from their pen in the morning...

 ...they spend the day scratching around the garden for bugs , worms, anything tasty.

 They sometimes jump the garden fence to follow

 the ducks. The ducks know even better places to find food. Under the bird feeders, in the sheep pens.

It is fun to watch the chickens watching the ducks who watch me to see if I am handing out food. In the evening the roosters watch the ducks pen themselves up and receive their nightly grain or bread, then the roosters run to their pen to receive the same. Routine rewarded by treats keeps them safe for the next days' happy wandering around Cedar Pond.( And for my viewing pleasure)

Delaware Chickens As Illustrated by Bugs

Delaware rooster, illustrated by Bugs. I have 2 Delaware hens that are laying now. They are vigorous, beautiful, and the history of the breed is worthy of mention. The Delaware chicken is a good breed for the farm or homestead.

Sultan Chickens

Breed Profile:  Breed: Sultan.  A very old, ornamental race  of poultry, listed in the first American Standard of Excellence in 1874. Sultans came to England in 1854 from Istanbul. They originated in Southeastern Europe, but were bred in Turkey under the name of "Sultan's Fowl" the breed evidently enjoying the favor of Turkish rulers, possibly due to there attractive appearance. They have  for there most distinguishing characteristics the novel features of a full crest, muff, and beard, combined with vulture hocks or feathered hocks and profuse toe and shank feathering, along with five toes on each foot.  Economic Qualities. Bred primarily for exhibition, the Sultan is not classed among production fowls, although the hens are good layers of medium- sized eggs. Sultans come in Standard and bantam sizes and come in White Black and Blue. Above is a drawing I did of a White Sultan rooster.

Western Washington Junior Poultry Show 2012

At the end of September  I went to the Puyallup Fair, all of my birds did pretty good. Two got best of  variety and one got reserve of variety . I also did pretty well at fit and show I answered all of the questions right but I got a red because my bird's feet weren't the  cleanest and the judge also said my bird's feathers were all over the place , which really didn't matter to me because she was in moult. Also , it's been a real challenge to keep my breed's foot feathers from getting broken ,shredded, and dirty, but over all I'm happy with how my birds did.  Above is me and my friends before we went to fit and show.

Eggs, Glorious Eggs!

I gathered these eggs from my new laying flock yesterday afternoon.The chocolate brown eggs are from my Cuckoo Marans, the blue-green eggs from my Americaunas. Collecting eggs from my chickens never ceases to excite me. Like an Easter egg hunt every day !

New chicken pen!

 This year for my birthday we built a new chicken pen at our new house. This is the front of one side of the pen.

 This is the back view of the pen, in total length its 24 feet long, we got the lumber from my Papa, my Mom and Dad got the metal and front wire, and I bought the inside wire , paint and locks.

 My Porcelain rooster is enjoying the new space.

 My porcelain hen Silver Mist  also enjoys the new new pen.

 All my hens but one are laying in my Mille Fleur pen.

 My laying hens are also laying well in there new pen.

 My flock of Mille Fleur's enjoying there new pen.

 The other three hens in the corner.

 Now that my other chickens are in another pen my trio got to move into the small coop I was using for chicks.

The new pen after it was finished and before it was painted, it is split into three pens for breeding and so the roosters don't fight.