Old roo dead, new roo, and hens not laying...are they stressed?

[gmisch]

We had to dispose of our old rooster because he was attacking the kids unprovoked, and scratched up my 2yo's face while he was playing (they free-range), so a neighbor gave me a hand-fed roo who doesn't bother the kids. We got him a week ago, and the hens (2 - barred rock and buff orpington) kept laying until Friday. We have gotten NO eggs since then. The chickens have started roosting in the trees again too (been in the coop since last fall) and one hen goes about 12 feet high and I can't get to her. Also, now that the snow is all melted, they are hardly eating their regular food. With so many difference, I can't figure out why they aren't laying.

Would they quit just because of the new rooster? He is VERY male, if you know what I mean. The kids had never seen the other rooster mate with the hens, and this one mates CONSTANTLY, all day long, with the barred rock, and chases the buff orpington away. She is pretty much a loner now. I feel badly for both of them.

I have new chicks, and the buff orpington seemed to mother them when we put them outside yesterday, but the barred rock started picking on them. The kids kept her at bay.

Anything in any of this that I should change? Should I force them to go into the coop at night?

Thanks for any help! This is the end of my first year, so I am still learning a lot!

Grace in Alaska

 

[sourland]

It is very possible that the attentions of the new rooster are so stressful to the hens that they have stopped laying.

 

[SycolinWoodsChickens]

Maybe you should separate the roo for a while. If he is mating only one hen constantly he is going to stress her and probably bare back her in no time.

Is the roo young? Can you put him somewhere else until the chicks grow up and he has more hens to love?

We had a roo with 20 hens and he was young and completely had them stressed out to the point where my egg production DOUBLED when we culled him.

Good luck!

 

[gmisch]

They are all the same age, born last spring, so almost 1 year old.

How long should it take for the hens to start laying again if I separate them? I'd hate to keep them apart if that ISN'T the problem, but I guess I don't really need the fertilized eggs at this point. I'm sure they'd be fine without him!

Thanks for the answers!

Grace