Cinnamon Queen not coming out of coop

[HollyTX120]

Hey guys, I am relatively new to country living and when we bought our ranch apparently the previous owners left behind a lone Cinnamon Queen. She was friendly and sweet so we fixed up the coop and kept her. One day about 6 months in she disappeared for a week and we thought a coyote got her but she showed back up with 3 fluffy little balls with her lol. So she came home with babies in tow. Unfortunately she passed away about a year ago now and we had her 3 babies to keep the coop lively in her place. There were 2 hens and a roo. Now again unfortunately about 3 months ago we found one of the hens dead (mind you they are now around 2 years old) and there were no visible signs of trauma, she never acted ill prior and we just don't know what happened. Now there is just the 1 hen and roo left. It's been about 3 months and our girl just doesn't come out of the coop. If I go over she runs to me to visit and get treats but once she is done right back in the coop she goes. The roo comes out and roams a little but not much and I imagine it's because he's alone. We just don't know why she doesn't free range like before. Is it because she is lonely for her mom and sister? She also hasn't laid an egg in months were before she laid 1 every day. We have been thinking about adding some chicks to their little flock but is that a bad idea? Do we add babies or grown? LOST AND UNEDUCATED about chickens. I love these feather babies and want what's best for them. HELP!

 

[chickengeorgeto]

It sounds like your hen and rooster are under a lot of stress. It could be because of predators or some issue with or between your flock members. It is also highly likely that you may be killing your chickens with kindness and that they are too fat to lay. A two year old chicken should be right in the middle of its highest egg laying season.

 

[gator75]

Ya need more hens.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Sorry about your troubles.

Diet is important. What do you feed them including treats and how much?

Does she appear healthy?

I agree that more hens are needed.

 

[HollyTX120]

Well they are both on the larger side but not fat just big chickens. I let them free range from sun rise to set and they have hen scratch available anytime as well as about 2 times a week I will give them about a quarter cup of dried worms as a treat. They have always been on this same type of feeding schedule and we only started having issues with her laying since her mom and sister passed within a few months of each other. There are no predators that I can tell as I am home all day and watched also looking for signs of other animals around the coop etc but nothing. She will come out once a week maybe but just comes up to the back patio and hangs out on the bench for a bit. Then she is back to the coop. I got a couple ceramic eggs and placed them in a nesting box where she used to lay and she sat on them a couple times but not much else. I'm definitely wanting to add a few hens but not sure if babies are the way to go or grown hens. My girl is very sweet and kind of timid and I'm scared other grown hens will be mean to her. When her mom and sister were still living she was the runt or less aggressive of the bunch. Would she possibly try to mother babies? Or would she kill them? I'm just not cut out for this chicken business lol. I love them feathery butt heads too much and just want them to have their best little chicken peckin life possible.

 

[HollyTX120]

This is our roo Kentucky and our hen Goldie. We know their momma was a Cinnamon Queen but don't know what kind of roo she was with to have these babes. Since I know nothing about chickens but what I can google, we don't know what these chickens are.

 

[BirdGirl2004]

! I hope that you enjoy this site as much as the rest of us do! I have learned SOOO much from this site, and I hope hat you do too!

The roo looks to be a a cinnamon... "king" lol! This is a picture of a cinnamon king:

LOOKS LIKE YOURS!!!

That means that you also have cinnamon queen. SOOOO, You've got a cinnamon KING and QUEEN!

Good luck!

 

[21hens-incharge]

If you go with pullets about 12 to 15 weeks old there shouldn't be much trouble.

Doing the introductions in the see but not touch method will certainly help.
That means separated by fencing so no one can peck the other.

That being said you will want very healthy birds and a good quarantine set up.

Bringing in chicks has it's own difficulties but less disease risk.

 

[HollyTX120]

If you go with pullets about 12 to 15 weeks old there shouldn't be much trouble.

Doing the introductions in the see but not touch method will certainly help.
That means separated by fencing so no one can peck the other.

That being said you will want very healthy birds and a good quarantine set up.

Bringing in chicks has it's own difficulties but less disease risk.

Thanks so much for the info. We have a Great Dane size (giant) dog kennel that I was thinking of placing inside the run of our coop to keep them in the area but not together in the very begging.
We do have a very large coop and outdoor run so there is plenty of space.
Someone told me getting baby chicks and putting them in the nesting boxes while the hen is asleep was best but I worried that she may come down from the roosting bar where she likes to sleep and peck at the chicks once she hears them. I'm not sure that was the best way.
So if I purchase some 12-15 week old chicks it's best to put them maybe in the kennel inside the run? For how long do I do this and when do I let the chicks start roaming and free ranging like I do the ones I currently have? Normally I just open the door on the coop at sunrise and leave it open till sunset. This gives them freedom to come and go as they please. We have lots of acreage for them to roam, scratch and catch grasshoppers etc.
Do you have any recommendations on where I could purchase hens?
Should I buy more Cinnamon Queens or would another breed work best? I don't really care about egg laying or production. I will take what they give but not a requirement. I just want what will live best with my current 2. My hen is very laid back and sweet as is our rooster. However, our rooster is REALLY big and I don't want something that he would crush when he feels the urge lol. You all are great and I really thank you for helping an aspiring chicken gal like myself lol

 

[townchicks]

Welcome to the flock! You can get lots of information here. One concern with buying chicks, they have to be raised in a brooder at first, and then gradually introduced to the other two with the look but don't touch method. That would mean a more prolonged time of aloneness for your two. There is also the possibility that you could get more males, that would grow up to fight with your current roo. It's very unlikely that you could just put new chicks in the nest box and she'll mother them. That sometimes works for hens that have been setting on eggs for a while, but even then it is risky. If it were me, I'd go with the 12 to 15 week pullets, and yes, a dog crate inside the coop will work well, as long as it is big enough for food and water also, and they have shade. There are a few articles on here about chicken introductions that are very helpful. Where to get them will depend a lot on your location, You can check with the state thread, and see where others may be getting their birds from.