Afternoon, I haven't posted in a while but need some help. My DS(9) has some Partridge Bantam Cochins that he picked to raise for 4-H. He got them as 2 month old chicks in 2010. In the fall of 2010 we attempted to hatch eggs, we trimmed feathers on both the girls and the boys and ended up hatching out 4 chicks for 2011- lucky he ended up with 1 pullet and 3 cockerals. As we look ahead to next year for hatching we are seeing the following:
1. the hens and 1 pullet aren't really laying all that well- in Aug 2011 we collected about 18 eggs for the month, we do releaize that they go broody alot
2. we have them in wire cages along with 1 rooster in each cage.
3. when we checked weights on them, they are bigger than the standard, with 1 or 2 very close to standard weight
4. we check them regularly and make sure they aren't carrying mites and such, we did notice alot of feathers in the cage towards the end of July 2011- could they still be in molt?
our concern is that if they aren't laying eggs, we can't hatch any out for DS's project. Any suggestions and recommendations at this point. DS perfers the bantam size breed due to their ease of handling.