Chickens no longer foraging

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

We had a rooster that was with our flock a long time and another to spare. Our main rooster lost his spurs and then started challenging me and ultimately flogged me a few times. I know this is not good rooster behavior so I decided his time in the flock was over and rehomed him to another farm (which he is now head rooster of and running things there). Besides his aggression he was good with the chicks and took the girls out to forage since we free range.
Our rooster now is lazy. He doesn’t take the girls out to foraging and eats instead of offering it to the girls first. The hens are all scattered around and one hen goes on a lonely walk across 2 acres to my neighbors house to hang out with her (where the original rooster use to take the girls). They are now constantly hanging around the house and wanting more grain then ever which we actually cut them back on now that it’s spring and we live in the deep woods IE: plenty of bugs and plants to feed them til winter. I’ve noticed a decrease in egg size but unsure if the feed and egg size really correlate.
Is there a way to get the hens to forage again? They use to go around the whole property and then move a few acres over and come back half the time I couldn’t find them and now they won’t leave the yard and are scattered. If we get rid of our rooster will a hen take over and lead the crew or should we try and get a better rooster? We have 2 cockerels about 8 weeks old should we ditch our rooster and let one of them learn the ropes? I’m just at a loss and annoyed they are under foot constantly.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

The main rooster went missing. The chickens do not know where he went. He's just gone. They probably assume a predator. Generally when one goes missing from the flock the rest will be wary to go out for a bit, especially when they lose their lead rooster.

Not all roosters are good. I'd personally just wait them out until they get used to the new situation. I'd than see how the young ones develop. Your remaining mature rooster probably was used to being subordinate so he may or may not start tending the hens after a period of adjustment. Time will tell.

If you decide to bring in another adult rooster you will still see some amount of hiding and uncertainty from your birds. Personally I'd just wait and see.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

You say you cut back on feed. How much are you currently feeding them in a day and for how many birds total? Chickens forage on 90-95% bugs from my observations and very little plants. Many plants while edible are not very palatable for chickens or what they would consider food.

 

[HeathenHavenHomestead]

You say you cut back on feed. How much are you currently feeding them in a day and for how many birds total? Chickens forage on 90-95% bugs from my observations and very little plants. Many plants while edible are not very palatable for chickens or what they would consider food.

We feed roughly 5 cups am and pm for 24 hens and we have 3 seven week olds. They get plenty of grain and forage some but use to forage waaaaay more with our big grey.
Big red didn’t do like he should have after an adjustment period so we rehomed him he would bully food from the girls yet when we had big grey he would dance and chook for them but we removed big grey and red started to feel the surge of power he now had and used it poorly.