rooster died hens not laying now

[preciouschick]

My son has Wyandottes and 4 ISA chickens. The Wyandotte rooster died and now the hens arent laying. why? Do chicken's mourn? could it just be their diet? They get layer feed and sometimes free range. Any help would be great.

 

[21hens-incharge]

It is winter. The short days and molting can stop the hens from laying.

How old are the birds?
How many hens?
Why did the rooster die? Was it an unknown reason (randomly found dead) or was a predator the cause?
Have the birds been checked for lice and mites?

 

[featherhead007]

All of the above. And yes chickens do mourn! Sorry you lost your rooster

 

[preciouschick]

It is winter. The short days and molting can stop the hens from laying.

How old are the birds?
How many hens?
Why did the rooster die? Was it an unknown reason (randomly found dead) or was a predator the cause?
Have the birds been checked for lice and mites?

They are 8 months old and 13 of them. The same as me except I have all browns.. We bought them at the same time. I have a steady count since 16 weeks. He never has with his wyandotte. His browns even stopped. The most at one time he has gotten is 6 eggs. I read Wyandotte are great winter layers. The rooster was killed by a predator hawk that killed it through the fencing by grabbing its head. Poor thing.
Thank you for helping in advance!

 

[21hens-incharge]

They are 8 months old and 13 of them. The same as me except I have all browns.. We bought them at the same time. I have a steady count since 16 weeks. He never has with his wyandotte. His browns even stopped. The most at one time he has gotten is 6 eggs. I read Wyandotte are great winter layers. The rooster was killed by a predator hawk that killed it through the fencing by grabbing its head. Poor thing.
Thank you for helping in advance!

Well that is odd.

First thoughts are....
To young to molt.
Hawk killing the roo is a tremendous stressor.
Hawk in yard near coop could mean mites or lice have also been introduced whether by the hawk or other birds.

Is he feeding the same feed you are?

 

[preciouschick]

yes he is giving them layer food but it might be a different brand. I will tell him to check for mites.

 

[Willow2253]

Stress from the attack could definitely be a factor in your reduced egg laying. Sometimes stress can induce a molt as well, which slows or stops egg production.

 

[NatJ]

They are 8 months old and 13 of them. The same as me except I have all browns.. We bought them at the same time. I have a steady count since 16 weeks. He never has with his wyandotte. His browns even stopped. The most at one time he has gotten is 6 eggs. I read Wyandotte are great winter layers.

Are you providing supplemental light for your chickens? Is he?
Chickens naturally lay fewer eggs when the days are shorter.

If neither of you is deliberately adding light, you could look at where the chicken coops are located: maybe light is shining out of a house window, or from an outdoor light, and helping yours to lay more eggs.

(Just ideas to consider, in addition to the stress, feed, and parasite ideas that were already suggested.)