hens healthy but thin decrease in egg production

My flock turned 1 June 30 so this is their first summer outside. I live in Massachusetts it hasn't been overly hot we've had some hot days but average high 75 to 80's. My run is in the shade during the hot part of the day and they get fed layer pellets have free choice oyster shell and get a snack of veggies or something every day. I was just looking at them and they all look to be thinner. I'm thinking it is just summertime weight loss they don't need as many calories and we have also started letting them free range for 1-2 hours every 1-2 days so they're getting more exercise. I keep contemplating worming them but they seem to have normal poop. Their egg production has decreased lately seems like it waxes and wanes we have 12 hens 1 rooster and get 5-10 eggs a day but lately more like 5-7. 7 barred rock hens and 4 easter eggers. They are active and goofy and eat in and out of the run. Maybe the fact they can eat bugs now? Anybody else see this happe? I assume they're like most animals that fatten up in winter and get thin during summer but want to make sure I'm doing what I should for them.

Fondly 3 eggs today. Least we've ever gotten. Going to molt?

The heat can effect laying...we've had a couple heat waves here.
They're a little young to molt, usually around 18 months they do the first full adult molt.
They eat less too in the heat so a higher protein feed may help....
....especially if they're get 'snacks' everyday, or give them high protein snacks.
The free ranging may have altered their nutrition levels,a s well as the extra exercise...
.....and they could be laying out in the range area.



I like to feed a 'flock raiser' 20% protein crumble to all ages and genders, as non-layers(chicks, males and molting birds) do not need the extra calcium that is in layer feed and chicks and molters can use the extra protein. Makes life much simpler to store and distribute one type of chow that everyone can eat.

The higher protein crumble also offsets the 8% protein scratch grains and other kitchen/garden scraps I like to offer.

Calcium should be available at all times for the layers, I use oyster shell mixed with rinsed, dried, crushed chicken egg shells in a separate container.

Animal protein (mealworms, a little cheese - beware the salt content, meat scraps) is provided during molting and if I see any feather eating.

Sometimes worms can cause them to lose some weight and slow egg production. And from what ive read worms are most common in the summer.

I will definitely look into changing their food from layer. I've been nervous about my rooster having problems from the layer pellets but everyone I talk to just says feed them all layer.... but most people I talk to has birds that "just die" I don't want any of my birds to die especially if there's something I can do as I'm sure everyone using this forum would say. and as to the worming I've considered it and have been researching it a lot but can't figure out what to worm them with and if it's good to preemptively. I work at a small animal vet office so could run a fecal but haven't found if it's just a normal fecal float for chickens as would be the dogs and cats.

I think I should also mention I have a broody hen and I've read that can affect the others. And unrelated a hen thats only symptom is a sneeze/cough and has been for a few weeks. I do know for a fact she is laying as of saturday I saw her lay one (what brave little creatures) she was wheezing a lot pushing the egg out but was fine after nobody else has symptoms. I'm thinking maybe a foreign body up there? Ahh who knew owning chickens could be so stressful!

I am having the same experience.

My six hens are now about 16 months old. I was getting a very relaible 5 eggs a day, sometimes 6.
Now that it's summer, the heat can hit 100 on a hot day and 80 most days.
Egg collection is now 3, sometimes 4.
No visible moulting. No change in diet.
They get a bucket feeder with pellets all day, and veggie snacks when I'm around, chopped zuchinni, or leftover rice or pasta.
I always give them a handful of black sunflower seeds once a day because they are so sweet.
I can't figure out why the egg laying has dropped so much.
I have hunted around for perhaps some hidden eggs, but I find nothing.

I live in southern Oklahoma and my 6 hens have just stopped laying. Of course, we are hitting 95 to 105 every day! We just finished an overhang from the coop to provide more shade, but still no eggs. Also, there is no end in sight to the weather. I'm going to save my water bottles and freeze them and put them in the dust bath holes to try to cool the poor babies off. Thought about a water bath, but they would poop in it and drink out of it and I like to keep their drinking water as clean as possible.

Any other good ideas would be appreciated. I'm actually getting low on eggs!!

I forgot to post a picture of the new overhang:
It now has sheet iron on the top and I'm going to hang the tarp on the west side to help during the hottest part of the day. Have considered putting a small fan in the rafters inside to help move the air.