Not eating and not laying

[Mountain Granny]

Hi all, my rooster died a couple weeks ago. My hens seemed ok but now they have pretty much stopped eating their feed. They eat scraps a little & very little feed. Also they have stopped laying. They seem fine otherwise. 2 have started to molt. They are about 1 1/2 years old, buff orpingtons. 10 hens . They do eat scratch if I throw it in the coop. I have 3 coops , the others are still eating. I am feeding all flock 20% protein. Any advice greatly appreciated!

 

[nuthatched]

Cut out all the scraps and scratch, they've gotten used to tasty treats instead of healthy feed.

 

[Perris]

my rooster died a couple weeks ago

Sorry for your loss. Do you know the cause of his death? Can you say a bit more about his condition/ symptoms before death?
That apart, they are likely heading into moult so feeling a bit under the weather.

 

[Mountain Granny]

Sorry for your loss. Do you know the cause of his death? Can you say a bit more about his condition/ symptoms before death?
That apart, they are likely heading into moult so feeling a bit under the weather.

Yes, he was perfectly fine. The night before he was on the roost with the girls. I petted him and said good night. The next morning I found what I thought was one of my girls dead in the nesting box. Turned out to be my sweet Abraham.
He was already stiff. But he did not seem off to me. So I don't know.

 

[Perris]

It can be hard sometimes to know what the cause was. Anything odd about his appearance? Anything odd happened there recently, shortly before he died? That he went into the nest box suggests he felt poorly before he passed, and that it wasn't a sudden death on the roost, of heart failure for example.

I'd keep a close eye on the hens, especially any that look off. If you don't know what to look for, post 1 in this thread is useful
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...d-supportive-care-updated-01-17-2021.1048620/