Cochins and laying?

[Pip's chicks]

I brought home a nice trio of black cochins on Sunday. I am not too sure about the age but they look to me about 5-6 months or so. I have noticed the male trying to mate with one of the females. My question is....will the new environment prolong egg laying? Will the hen he is trying to mate not lay while he is doing this? Also how well or often do bantam cochins lay? Thanks for any suggestions. I have been waiting for a first egg for awhile now on my buff brahma she is 24-25 weeks, and now that I thought I got a good trio..I am waiting again! LOL I hope this wasn't a bad purchase! I am losing my patience

 

[Chickie_Banana]

My Cochins aren't bad egg layers. The stress from switching homes might delay their egg laying though, as it would with any hen you move to a different pen, buy, sell etc. The mating shouldn't have to much of an effect on her laying, it didn't on mine.

 

[poseygrace]

Regarding switching homes, I have had every experience imaginable, from hens that don't skip a beat and lay the next day, to some crusty Wyandotte hens that took 4 months to start back up. So that is a wild card. Re: cochins, mine are OK layers. I'd say 2-3 a week from each. They are super sweet though. But MAN they are the brood-masters! They seem to all take turns being broody, but I usually have at least one broody at a time from them. (I have three total). They also seem a little dumb. I know that's mean, but they can't seem to get an egg in the egg box. They are always dropping the egg on the cement stairs, or in the middle of the yard, or off the roost. I've actually seen them do it, and it seems to catch them by surprise, like, "OH CRAP! AN EGG!" Silly hens. I do love my girls though!

 

[poseygrace]

Forgot to add that my cochins were right at 28 weeks when they started to lay.