Cochins
Soldiers, returning from China, brought the first Cochin bantams to England in the 1860's. They were known as 'Pekin" bantams then and are still referred to as "Pekins" in many parts of Europe today. Cochins are heavily feathered down the shanks and toes and appear to be much larger than they actually are. They are very gentle, excellent setters, require little space, and with their many color varieties are absolutely beautiful to look at. Cochins are one of the most popular of the feather footed bantams.
Breed Standards
The Cochin Bantam Male (Feather Legged Class)
Cochin Breed Characteristics
Bantams - Shape of Male
from the American Bantam Association Standard of Perfection
Origin: Imported to England from China in the 19th Century.
Weight:
Cock: 30 oz Hen: 26 oz
Cockerel: 26 oz Pullet: 24oz
Shape of Male:
COMB: Single - medium size, straight and upright, set firmly and evenly on head. moderately and evenly serrated, having five regular and distinct points, neatly arched, front not to extend beyond point half way between nostrils and point of beak, but extending well over back of head, with tendency to follow shape of neck.
BEAK: Short, stout at base, curving neatly to point.
FACE: Fine in quality, free from wrinkles folds or bristles.
EYES: Prominent, large in comparison to size of bird.
WATTLES: Large, pendant, rather long, fine in texture, free from wrinkles or folds.
EAR LOBES: Medium size, elongated oval, about two thirds length of wattles, fine in texture, free from wrinkles or folds.
HEAD: Short, broad, deep, well feathered over eyes, juncture with neck well defined, carried so that line drawn parallel with top of tail will bisect eyes, beak slightly back of line drawn perpendicular with breast.
NECK: Short, well proportioned, gracefully arched from back to rear of head.
HACKLE: Extremely long and abundant, flowing gracefully and plentifully over back, shoulders and fronts, forming closely joined cape in front of neck.
BACK: Short, broad from shoulders to saddle, quite rounded in entire length.
SADDLE: Rising from back at base of hackle or cape, very broad and round, convexed from side to side, plumage extremely long and profuse, lower saddle feathers flowing over tips of wings and mingling with fluff and underplumage of tail.
TAIL: Short, well spread at base, filled underneath with an abundance of soft feathers which are overlapped by coverts and lesser sickles, the whole forming one unbroken duplex curve with back and saddle.
Main Tail - Feathers very broad, soft and without hard quills.
Sickles and lesser sickles - broad, soft, rounded, without hard quills.
Coverts - abundant, concealing main tail feathers.
WINGS: Small, closely folded, carried very high, above thighs.
Shoulders and fronts - concealed by hackle and breast feathers.
Bows - smooth, exceedingly well rounded.
Coverts - Broad, prominent.
Primaries - Moderate length, concealed by secondaries.
Secondaries - Broad, closely folded, tapering convexly to stern, tips and part of wing bay concealed by saddle feathers.
BREAST: Carried well forward, extremely full, well rounded, of great breadth and depth, heavily feathered.
BODY AND STERN:
Body - medium length, broad, deep, well rounded from point of breast to abdomen; abdomen carried well down between the legs, broad and well rounded from breast bone to tail, depending more for fullness on length of feathers than muscular development.
Stern - very full; fluff, soft and abundant.
LEGS AND TOES:
Legs - short, but not so short as to permit breast feathers to touch the ground where there should be an inch of clearance, stout, parallel to each other without bowing or knock knees, hidden by plentiful fluff, standing out in globular form.
Lower Thighs - moderate length, stout at top and tapering to hocks; plumage, long, soft, outstanding, extending well down the shanks, and covering knee or hock joints.
Hocks - covered with soft flexible feathers, curving inward about the hocks, free from vulture-like feathering.
Shanks - short, stout in bone, nicely scaled; plumage, long beginning just below the hocks and covering front and outsides of shanks, from which it should be outstanding, the underpart growing out from under thigh plumage and continuing into foot feathering. There should be no marked break in the outlines between the plumage of these section; they should merge naturally into each other and blend together.
Spurs - small short, set high.
Toes - four, straight, well and evenly spread, middle and outer toes completely feathered to ends.
APPEARANCE: Bold, rather forward and low; the head very slightly higher than the tail.
DISQUALIFICATIONS:
Vulture hocks - Bare middle and/or outer toe - Bottoms of feet showing complete absence of yellow in all varieties - Shanks and toes of a color other than hereinafter described under the particular variety.
DEFECTS:
Comb that is oversized, twisted or lopped - High carriage of head - Breast so low that feathers touch the ground - Low wing carriage - Stiffness in tail feathers - High carriage of keel - Crooked breast or keel bone - Overall appearance of being a creeper - Concave surface in any section - Lack of down fiber in underfluff - Any semblance of stiltiness.
The Cochin Bantam Female (Feather Legged Class) Cochin Breed Characteristics
Bantams - Shape of Female
from the American Bantam Association Standard of Perfection
Origin: Imported to England from China in the 19th Century.
Weight:
Cock: 30 oz Hen: 26 oz
Cockerel: 26 oz Pullet: 24oz
Shape of Female:
COMB: Single - medium size, straight and upright, set firmly and evenly on head. moderately and evenly serrated, having five regular and distinct points, neatly arched, free from wrinkles or folds.
BEAK: Short, stout at base, curving neatly to point.
FACE: Fine in quality, free from wrinkles folds or bristles.
EYES: Prominent, large in comparison to size of bird.
WATTLES: Small, well rounded,, free from wrinkles or folds.
EAR LOBES: Medium size, elongated oval, fine in texture, free from wrinkles or folds.
HEAD: Short, fairly full in skull, well feathered over eyes, carried so that top of comb will be on a parallel line drawn from top of tail, beak slightly back of line drawn perpendicular with front of breast.
NECK: Short, nicely arched.
HACKLE: Very full, flowing well over cape and shoulders.
BACK: Short, broad from shoulders to cushion, quite rounded its entire length.
CUSHION: Rising very full from back at base of hackle, very large and round; plumage, abundant, flowing over wing tips and into thigh plumage.
TAIL: Short, well spread at base, carried fairly low, well filled underneath with an abundance of soft feathers which are overlapped by tail coverts, the whole forming one unbroken duplex curve with back and cushion.
Main Tail - feathers broad, soft and without hard quills.
Sickles and lesser sickles - broad, soft, rounded, without hard quills.
Coverts - abundant, almost hiding main tail feathers.
WINGS: Small, closely folded, carried very high, above thighs.
Shoulders and fronts - concealed by hackle and breast feathers.
Bows - smooth, exceedingly well rounded.
Coverts - Broad, prominent.
Primaries - Moderate length, concealed by secondaries.
Secondaries - Broad, closely folded, tips concealed by cushion plumage.
BREAST: Carried well forward, extremely full, well rounded, of great breadth and depth.
BODY AND STERN:
Body - medium length, broad, full and well rounded from point of breast to abdomen; abdomen carried well down between the legs, broad and well rounded from breast bone to tail, with great length and abundance of feather.
Stern - very full; fluff, soft and abundant.
LEGS AND TOES:
Legs - short, but not so short as to permit breast feathers to touch the ground where there should be an inch of clearance, stout, parallel to each other without bowing or knock knees, hidden by plentiful fluff, standing out in globular form.
Lower Thighs - moderate length, with abundance of long. soft, outstanding fluff plumage, extending well down the shanks and covering knee or hock joints.
Hocks - covered with soft flexible feathers, curving inward about the hocks, free from vulture-like feathering.
Shanks - short, stout in bone, nicely scaled; plumage long, beginning just below the hocks and covering front and outsides of shanks, from which it should be outstanding, the under part growing out from under thigh plumage and continuing into foot feathering. There should be no marked break in the outlines between the plumage of these section; they should merge naturally into each other and blend together.
Toes - four, straight, well and evenly spread, middle and outer toes completely feathered to ends.
APPEARANCE: Dignified, rather forward and low; head carried on a level with the tail.
DISQUALIFICATIONS:
Vulture Hocks - Bare middle and/or outer toe - Bottoms of feet showing complete absence of yellow in all varieties - Shanks and toes of a color other than hereinafter described under the particular variety.
DEFECTS:
Comb that is oversized, twisted or lopped - High carriage of head - Breast so low that feathers touch the ground - Low wing carriage - Stiffness in tail feathers - High carriage of keel - Crooked breast or keel bone - Overall appearance of being a creeper - Concave surfaces in any section - Lack of down fiber in underfluff - Any semblance of stiltiness.
Cochin Breed Characteristics
Bantams - Shape of Male
from the American Bantam Association Standard of Perfection
Origin: Imported to England from China in the 19th Century.
Weight:
Cock: 30 oz Hen: 26 oz
Cockerel: 26 oz Pullet: 24oz
Shape of Male:
COMB: Single - medium size, straight and upright, set firmly and evenly on head. moderately and evenly serrated, having five regular and distinct points, neatly arched, front not to extend beyond point half way between nostrils and point of beak, but extending well over back of head, with tendency to follow shape of neck.
BEAK: Short, stout at base, curving neatly to point.
FACE: Fine in quality, free from wrinkles folds or bristles.
EYES: Prominent, large in comparison to size of bird.
WATTLES: Large, pendant, rather long, fine in texture, free from wrinkles or folds.
EAR LOBES: Medium size, elongated oval, about two thirds length of wattles, fine in texture, free from wrinkles or folds.
HEAD: Short, broad, deep, well feathered over eyes, juncture with neck well defined, carried so that line drawn parallel with top of tail will bisect eyes, beak slightly back of line drawn perpendicular with breast.
NECK: Short, well proportioned, gracefully arched from back to rear of head.
HACKLE: Extremely long and abundant, flowing gracefully and plentifully over back, shoulders and fronts, forming closely joined cape in front of neck.
BACK: Short, broad from shoulders to saddle, quite rounded in entire length.
SADDLE: Rising from back at base of hackle or cape, very broad and round, convexed from side to side, plumage extremely long and profuse, lower saddle feathers flowing over tips of wings and mingling with fluff and underplumage of tail.
TAIL: Short, well spread at base, filled underneath with an abundance of soft feathers which are overlapped by coverts and lesser sickles, the whole forming one unbroken duplex curve with back and saddle.
Main Tail - Feathers very broad, soft and without hard quills.
Sickles and lesser sickles - broad, soft, rounded, without hard quills.
Coverts - abundant, concealing main tail feathers.
WINGS: Small, closely folded, carried very high, above thighs.
Shoulders and fronts - concealed by hackle and breast feathers.
Bows - smooth, exceedingly well rounded.
Coverts - Broad, prominent.
Primaries - Moderate length, concealed by secondaries.
Secondaries - Broad, closely folded, tapering convexly to stern, tips and part of wing bay concealed by saddle feathers.
BREAST: Carried well forward, extremely full, well rounded, of great breadth and depth, heavily feathered.
BODY AND STERN:
Body - medium length, broad, deep, well rounded from point of breast to abdomen; abdomen carried well down between the legs, broad and well rounded from breast bone to tail, depending more for fullness on length of feathers than muscular development.
Stern - very full; fluff, soft and abundant.
LEGS AND TOES:
Legs - short, but not so short as to permit breast feathers to touch the ground where there should be an inch of clearance, stout, parallel to each other without bowing or knock knees, hidden by plentiful fluff, standing out in globular form.
Lower Thighs - moderate length, stout at top and tapering to hocks; plumage, long, soft, outstanding, extending well down the shanks, and covering knee or hock joints.
Hocks - covered with soft flexible feathers, curving inward about the hocks, free from vulture-like feathering.
Shanks - short, stout in bone, nicely scaled; plumage, long beginning just below the hocks and covering front and outsides of shanks, from which it should be outstanding, the underpart growing out from under thigh plumage and continuing into foot feathering. There should be no marked break in the outlines between the plumage of these section; they should merge naturally into each other and blend together.
Spurs - small short, set high.
Toes - four, straight, well and evenly spread, middle and outer toes completely feathered to ends.
APPEARANCE: Bold, rather forward and low; the head very slightly higher than the tail.
DISQUALIFICATIONS:
Vulture hocks - Bare middle and/or outer toe - Bottoms of feet showing complete absence of yellow in all varieties - Shanks and toes of a color other than hereinafter described under the particular variety.
DEFECTS:
Comb that is oversized, twisted or lopped - High carriage of head - Breast so low that feathers touch the ground - Low wing carriage - Stiffness in tail feathers - High carriage of keel - Crooked breast or keel bone - Overall appearance of being a creeper - Concave surface in any section - Lack of down fiber in underfluff - Any semblance of stiltiness.
The Cochin Bantam Female (Feather Legged Class) Cochin Breed Characteristics
Bantams - Shape of Female
from the American Bantam Association Standard of Perfection
Origin: Imported to England from China in the 19th Century.
Weight:
Cock: 30 oz Hen: 26 oz
Cockerel: 26 oz Pullet: 24oz
Shape of Female:
COMB: Single - medium size, straight and upright, set firmly and evenly on head. moderately and evenly serrated, having five regular and distinct points, neatly arched, free from wrinkles or folds.
BEAK: Short, stout at base, curving neatly to point.
FACE: Fine in quality, free from wrinkles folds or bristles.
EYES: Prominent, large in comparison to size of bird.
WATTLES: Small, well rounded,, free from wrinkles or folds.
EAR LOBES: Medium size, elongated oval, fine in texture, free from wrinkles or folds.
HEAD: Short, fairly full in skull, well feathered over eyes, carried so that top of comb will be on a parallel line drawn from top of tail, beak slightly back of line drawn perpendicular with front of breast.
NECK: Short, nicely arched.
HACKLE: Very full, flowing well over cape and shoulders.
BACK: Short, broad from shoulders to cushion, quite rounded its entire length.
CUSHION: Rising very full from back at base of hackle, very large and round; plumage, abundant, flowing over wing tips and into thigh plumage.
TAIL: Short, well spread at base, carried fairly low, well filled underneath with an abundance of soft feathers which are overlapped by tail coverts, the whole forming one unbroken duplex curve with back and cushion.
Main Tail - feathers broad, soft and without hard quills.
Sickles and lesser sickles - broad, soft, rounded, without hard quills.
Coverts - abundant, almost hiding main tail feathers.
WINGS: Small, closely folded, carried very high, above thighs.
Shoulders and fronts - concealed by hackle and breast feathers.
Bows - smooth, exceedingly well rounded.
Coverts - Broad, prominent.
Primaries - Moderate length, concealed by secondaries.
Secondaries - Broad, closely folded, tips concealed by cushion plumage.
BREAST: Carried well forward, extremely full, well rounded, of great breadth and depth.
BODY AND STERN:
Body - medium length, broad, full and well rounded from point of breast to abdomen; abdomen carried well down between the legs, broad and well rounded from breast bone to tail, with great length and abundance of feather.
Stern - very full; fluff, soft and abundant.
LEGS AND TOES:
Legs - short, but not so short as to permit breast feathers to touch the ground where there should be an inch of clearance, stout, parallel to each other without bowing or knock knees, hidden by plentiful fluff, standing out in globular form.
Lower Thighs - moderate length, with abundance of long. soft, outstanding fluff plumage, extending well down the shanks and covering knee or hock joints.
Hocks - covered with soft flexible feathers, curving inward about the hocks, free from vulture-like feathering.
Shanks - short, stout in bone, nicely scaled; plumage long, beginning just below the hocks and covering front and outsides of shanks, from which it should be outstanding, the under part growing out from under thigh plumage and continuing into foot feathering. There should be no marked break in the outlines between the plumage of these section; they should merge naturally into each other and blend together.
Toes - four, straight, well and evenly spread, middle and outer toes completely feathered to ends.
APPEARANCE: Dignified, rather forward and low; head carried on a level with the tail.
DISQUALIFICATIONS:
Vulture Hocks - Bare middle and/or outer toe - Bottoms of feet showing complete absence of yellow in all varieties - Shanks and toes of a color other than hereinafter described under the particular variety.
DEFECTS:
Comb that is oversized, twisted or lopped - High carriage of head - Breast so low that feathers touch the ground - Low wing carriage - Stiffness in tail feathers - High carriage of keel - Crooked breast or keel bone - Overall appearance of being a creeper - Concave surfaces in any section - Lack of down fiber in underfluff - Any semblance of stiltiness.
