Lazy Cochins

[stacey8619]

Hi y'all. I'm new here so hope I am posting this is the correct place. I often come browsing for answers to questions I have that someone else has already asked, but this is the first time I haven't really found my answer, so here is my question..

We added a blue Cochin rooster and two hens to our very small flock of 2 red star hens and a buff orpington hen on Saturday. (We moved a few months ago, and predators got our other hens and rooster. Now that we have a much more secure coop and better fencing we are ready to grow our flock again.) These birds are the laziest I have ever seen! The rooster seemed a bit lame on Saturday when we got him home. He had a shaky leg and would just sit on the ground. I had to pick him up and put him on the roost in the hen house at bedtime. Late Sunday morning - like almost noon - they all 3 finally decided to come off of roost, but wouldn't venture too far from the door of the coop even though they have a huge yard they could have explored. The rooster's leg seemed to bother him less, but he wasn't very sure-footed. He followed the girls around a little, but they mostly just sat around on the ground all afternoon. All the chickens we have had in the past have been very vocal and eager to forage and explore new areas. Our previous roosters were great about watching their surroundings, talking to the girls, and finding bugs for them. These birds just sit around, eat a little grain if it's right in front of them, and barely make a sound. One of the hens did however lay an egg on the ground Saturday afternoon, which I thought was a good sign even though the shell was a little thin and it was pretty small. When we asked the man we got them from how old they are, he said they hatched last year and this would be their first laying season. Did we get dud birds or is this breed really that lazy?

 

[jenjan8998]

I just recently got 4 Cochins, and all 4 are very lazy. Mine do talk non stop but never leave the coop. They all stay in a tight group and never really leave the others side. I am not sure what is going on.

I am hoping that it is just them taking their time and getting used to being somewhere new. Dont have any advice as I am right there with ya, just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.

 

[aart]

Give them a week or so to settle in.
No fighting with your existing hens?

 

[stacey8619]

Thanks for the replies.

They are starting to come around a little. They still stick pretty close to the coop. One of the hens is a little more adventurous and will get further away than the others. I put some scratch grain out yesterday afternoon halfway across the run and they all came to check it out. Hopefully it will just be a matter of time. I haven't put the other hens in with them full time yet, but for the little bit of time they were all together the Cochins couldn't have cared less about the other hens. At the same time, the red stars and buff were more interested in having a new space to scratch around in, so they checked the Cochins out, but moved on very quickly. I don't feel like I will have to worry about fighting.

Jenjan, will yours go on roost? Mine just huddle up in the corner on the floor of the coop.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Cochins aren't known for being active foragers. Mine would stay pretty close to the coop and they spent a ton of time just laying around or dust bathing. Mine did roost, quite high in fact (about 7ft). They'll get used to their new coop and routine in no time. Good luck!

 

[Aacre]

Sometimes chickens learn to sleep on the floor of the coop. Maybe they weren't provided with a roost in their former owner's coop. It could take them a while to get the hang of it, if they ever learn. I had a couple of cochins that would roost at about 3 feet off the ground at night. Also, they never went far from the coop when I allowed them to free range, they would just make themselves a dust bath near by and bathe in it all day. I allow my chickens to choose however they want to sleep at night, as long as it wasn't in the nesting boxes. I have a couple that sleep on the floor occasionally during the warm months.

Have you check the cochin's foot to see if there is something wrong with it?

 

[jenjan8998]

Mine would not go up on the roost at first so I lowered it a little bit. They sit on it now but I still see them sleep on the floor all huddled together in a pile.

 

[stacey8619]

I did check his foot and it did not appear to be injured. He seems to be ok now. Gets around just fine when he decides to move. I still haven't heard him crow, but I guess that's because they are still sleeping in the morning when I leave for work - which is well after sunrise. We have a high, medium, and low roost with the lowest being about 3 ft, so they have plenty of choices about how high they want to be, but if the floor is what they choose, I guess that's where they will sleep.

 

[Studio2770]

I have a cochin who has a minor foot thing going on but it's nothing chronic. She's not lazy I guess because she's the only cochin out of 5 leghorns and an EE. We did have another cochin but it turned out to be a rooster, I think he had a leg thing too. She goes all around the yard with her EE sister and the crazy leghorns. She prefers the lowest roost though.

 

[azygous]

Yes, Cochins do appear to be "lazy" and laid back. I have one. She's a real character, very independent, marches to the sound of her own music. But Cochins do get foot problems because they have plump foot pads with dimples that collect stones and debris. You need to check the bottoms of their feet often. Also problems can arise if poop and mud build up on their feathered feet. They may need foot baths from time to time.

Also, they are real lazy about using perches more than a few inches off the ground. In fact, my Cochin often will try to sleep behind the perch rather than exert herself to step up the few inches onto the perch to roost properly. I end up placing her on the perch more often than not.