cochins laying?

[robbinsroost]

Hi! I have golden comets, australorps, ee's all which have starting laying. I have 2 black cochins same age as the rest, who have shown no interest in laying or for that matter letting my roo come near them. Is this normal for cochins. I am a newbie so not sure. I have been looking on this site and just under cochins and can't seem to find any info. Thanks for any help.

 

[canada-goose]

Cochins don't lay as well as other breeds so don't worry if it takes a while! They're so gorgeous they don't need to lay so much to keep their people happy! They'll start laying before you know it.

 

[robbinsroost]

I think they are absolutely beautiful, and really would like to get more especially with color, mine are black and soooooooooo soft! Thanks so much, I was starting to worry about them.

 

[blackjack1]

robbinsroost,
Do you have standard or bantam Cochins?
We have both and really like them. They are not the quickest to lay or the best layers but they are very nice birds. Right now I'm havin egg problems right now too and some of my chickens are around a year old.
Here is some of my daughters show birds.

 

[dixiechick]

^ Those are some nice looking birds!!

 

[lindabean]

One of my first batch of chickens purchased for my new flock (started in April), was a big fluffy Cochin that looks like a Barred Rock on steroids! She has been a great layer from week 1. I bought 3 older girls (less than a year old) so I could be rewarded quickly for all the hard work we put into setting up the coop. My 1 Cochin has been a 4 egg a week producer since the 1st week here - till 3 weeks ago when she suddenly stopped laying. Then a week later my Minorca stopped. But not Janet, the Ameracuna. Even with a spot bald of feathers on her back, she still pops out 4 to 5 eggs a week. I have a RIR that is at least 28 weeks old and hasn't produced yet! All I can think is that she is younger than I was told, OR the molting must have messed up her timing. Still Waiting!!!

 

[robbinsroost]

Blackjack1 I have standard cochins. I think those little bantam cochins are adorable!! I just think cochins are so neat looking. I would really like to find some white ones, blues, splashes any actually!!! My 2 girls are not so friendly but that's ok. I have 3 golden comets that are very friendly and are laying huge eggs! Can you get like a barred rock cochin? I am new to all of this and I have been having so much fun with it, except for my rooster spur injury. Also my Americauna girls are laying very small eggs do you think that they will get larger, they have been laying for about 2 weeks now? I think I am turning into a crazy chicken lady and these girls are supposed to be my granddaughters! One more thing, I have been free ranging and the girls got into the neighbors pumpkins, now I have had to put them in a run about 50' long and 12' wide. I have 14 hens and 1 roo is that enough space for them? After Oct they will get to go outside again. Thanks everyone for making this such a interesting site!!!

Michele

 

[blackjack1]

robbinsroost,
We have standard cochins also 2 trios and 1 pair. The one trios I hatched this year and they look very good. Well all the chickens,ducks,geese and horses are my daughters and I have to feed most everyone and clean up after them too. HE HE HE
Do you only have the one rooster?? If so you need a second one to keep him in check!
dixiechick,
Thank you, If you look at the picture the 2 on the left are mom and dad and then the rest are this years hatch. The middle rooster went to fair this year and did good but my daughter calls him little a###ole because he isn't the nicest rooster we have. I have no problems with him I just back him in the corner and pick him up. The 2 girls in the right cage also went to fair and they did ok. We are hoping that my daughter dose good in some open shows this fall.

 

[michickenwrangler]

We've been wanting some partridge cochin hens and since we're on the topic, how well do they lay in general? Lay well through winter? Maybe lay fewer eggs but keep it up for a number of years or the opposite? Just curious.

 

[blackjack1]

michickenwrangler,
If your wanting eggs don't get pure bread birds. I have had production RIR for years with no problems and now all we have is show birds(aka pure bread) and problems. They don't lay or their sick and need this or that, got bugs, need baths. With my production reds I never had many problems I have 50 to 60 hens and 2 roos and got anywhere from 50 to 55 eggs a day. I even hatched them eggs for people and my old bater holds 47 eggs and I have had 46 chicks hatch out of there. With the PB birds I have set 47 eggs and have been lucky to get 20 hatch.
So if your just looking for eggs go to your local farm store or a hatchery and get some bird.
If you got your birds from one of these places you should be fine.
Don't get me wrong I like the birds from the hatchery's better then the PB birds