Cochin (chicken)

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Cochin hen and rooster.

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The Cochin Chicken or Cochin China, named for the southernmost region of Vietnam formerly called Cochin China, was originally known as the Chinese Shanghai. This chicken was originally bred in China and later exported to Britain and America in the mid 19th century. As a very distinctive breed of chicken, it apparently created a bit of a craze among poultry lovers in the English-speaking world. Not only was this breed one of the largest seen, with cocks weighing up to 11 pounds (5 kg), but also the soft and plentiful plumage makes the bird quite conspicuous by exaggerating its already large size. Once in the United States, the breed underwent considerable development into its current state. A bantam form was also developed, which goes by the name of Pekin bantam (named after the city Beijing) outside of America, where it is simply known as the Cochin Bantam.

Characteristics

As above, the most distinctive feature of the Cochin is the excessive plumage that covers leg and foot. The birds are therefore often kept penned on days of poor weather to avoid ruining their lower feathers (assuming they are kept for ornamental purposes, which is almost always the case). Apparently their thick feathering can even lead to problems with fertility due to sexual organs began literally buried in plumage (though this can be remedied by clipping back the feathers). The skin beneath the feathers is yellow and the egg colour is brown. Standard weight is 11 pounds (5 kg) for a cock, 9 pounds (4 kg) for a cockerel, 8.5 pounds (3.9 kg) for a hen, and 7 pounds (3.2 kg) for a pullet. Colour varieties include buff, black, partridge, and white. Cochins are well known as good mothers, even as foster mothers for other breeds, and they can lay many eggs, but usually not for extended periods of time.

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