I know Brad Legg has used cochins before. Around here it seems like game hens are the preferred surrogate mother. In your experience has fertility always been an issue during wet seasons?
One of the old hands around here taught me to leave all the hens for the season in a community pen with a couple of roos. Once they started sitting, he told me to pull the hens out of that community pen in the evening and set her in a private pen. She seems more likely to stay broody that way. Tried it with some silkies and it worked great. Going to try it with a bunch of game hens the first of the year. Chicks are already ordered but on hold due to AI scare. Hope it does not get worse and ruin everyones plans for next year.
One of the old hands around here taught me to leave all the hens for the season in a community pen with a couple of roos. Once they started sitting, he told me to pull the hens out of that community pen in the evening and set her in a private pen. She seems more likely to stay broody that way. Tried it with some silkies and it worked great. Going to try it with a bunch of game hens the first of the year. Chicks are already ordered but on hold due to AI scare. Hope it does not get worse and ruin everyones plans for next year.