Calling those with bantam cochin hens...please advise me!

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

I decided to start a bantam cochin breeding project. I only have a couple of hens, but one hen, Petra, was a laying machine who pumped out more eggs than anyone else for the first 2 months I had her. Then, about a month ago (when I'd had her the 2 months) she quit cold turkey. Figured she was molting, although no evidence of feather loss. Added a light to the coop, the other girls (except other cochins) continued to lay after fairly quick molts and all has been well except no eggs from Petra. It's been over a month now of no eggs?? Also, the other little cochin hen I got for the project, Duchess, layed every other day for the first couple of months, molted for 2 weeks heavily and then started back up. But for over a week now again, no eggs! What is going on? Do bantam cochins just like quit for the fall and winter completely??

I'm starting to re-think using cochins in a breeding project if it means I go months with no advancement at all...

 

[donrae]

I've heard cochins aren't the best layers. Mine layed like gangbusters when they were laying, but both have quit. My black hen went broody and just hasn't started laying again yet. My white hen was giving me probably 6 eggs a week, but is not molting and I don't expect her to start up again until spring.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. I LOVE Duchess, could take or leave Petra (personality-wise) but I was so happy because I finally found a really good rooster to go with them. As it is, they are in with several hens of different breeds, and I don't want to take the good rooster from his "flock" so basically the only purebreds I can breed here are the cochins as I only have the one rooster. I don't want to buy roosters to go with the various other purebred hens, because all my girls get along really well and I don't want to upset the dynamic. So the cochins were really my only option if I wanted a breeding project... I guess it will be either swap roosters or have a slow-going project.

 

[BigDaddy'sGurl]

Evidently at least Duchess took me seriously. She layed an egg today...

Now to get Petra on board...