Holy Feathered Legs! Cochins are incredibly cold hardy given their dense, long and soft plumage. All these feathers make these large birds (up to 8 lbs at maturity) look even bigger! Currently on the Livestock Conservancy's Recovering List, these birds have had some major swings in popularity. Cochins and Brahmas fueled what became known as "hen fever", an obsession for all things poultry, that overtook America and England in the mid 1800s. Because this old Chinese breed is known for having an extremely gentle disposition, they make great pets. Cochins have a distinct rounded shape, are slow to mature, and come in a variety of colors including buff, white, lavender, black and others. They are moderate layers of large, brown eggs (approx 175 eggs/year). Cochins make great moms as they readily go broody.