Cochin chicken: size, eggs and care guide

The Cochin is a large-size breed laying about 150 to 180 brown eggs a year, with hens around 8.5 lb and roosters around 11 lb. It is the classic broody. A Cochin hen will sit on almost anything, including an empty nest, and many keepers deliberately keep one purely as a foster mother for other breeds eggs.

How big is a Cochin?

A mature Cochin hen weighs about 8.5 lb and a rooster about 11 lb, with a typical standing height of 16 to 20 inches. That puts it in the large class, which is what drives its feed requirement of roughly 0.34 lb per bird per day before waste, free-ranging or seasonal adjustments.

Cochin egg production

Eggs are not this breed's main strength. A Cochin lays around 150 to 180 medium brown eggs a year, about 2.9 to 3.5 a week, so it is usually kept for other qualities and the eggs treated as a bonus. Output drops further during the moult and the darkest weeks of winter. To turn that into a monthly total and a dollar value at your local egg price, run it through the egg production calculator.

Temperament and noise

Slow, placid, and among the most docile chickens kept anywhere. Cochins move at their own pace, tolerate handling, and are almost never aggressive. They are also easily pushed around by lighter, quicker breeds. Noise level is rated quiet, which matters if you keep chickens close to neighbours.

Origin and history

Arrived in Britain from China around 1845 and caused a sensation, partly because Queen Victoria kept them, which turned an unusual import into a status symbol overnight. Along with the Brahma it drove the poultry speculation bubble of the 1850s.

Cold and heat tolerance

Cold tolerance is excellent and heat tolerance poor. The upright single comb is the part most at risk in hard freezes, so ventilation that removes moisture without creating a draft matters.

Does the Cochin go broody?

Very. A broody hen stops laying and sits, which is a nuisance if you want eggs and a gift if you want chicks hatched naturally without an incubator.

Care specifics for this breed

The heavy leg and foot feathering needs the same attention as a Brahma, kept dry and checked for scaly leg mite. Cochins also put on fat readily, which is the most common cause of a Cochin that has stopped laying, so treats need real discipline.

Feed cost for a flock of Cochin

This is an expensive bird to feed, and it is worth budgeting for honestly. At roughly 0.34 lb of feed per bird per day, six Cochin birds cost about $28.81 a month at $22 per 50 lb bag, noticeably more than a standard-size flock for a similar or smaller number of eggs. Free-ranging offsets some of it, winter adds about 10%. The feed cost calculator gives the exact figure for your flock size and local feed price, including bags needed and how long each lasts.

Is the Cochin right for you?

It suits cold climates, keepers wanting a gentle ornamental bird, and anyone who needs a reliable broody hen. It is a weaker choice for hot climates, or keepers judging a bird on eggs per pound of feed. If you are still deciding, compare it against the other options in our guide to the best egg-laying breeds for beginners, or work out how many birds you need with the flock size calculator.