Chickens 1 year old not laying

[alessadry]

My 14 chickens which turned 1 year old last March, started in the last few months making like 2-4 eggs a day. Neighbor said they were likely changing feathers. Now she came to see them (I am giving them to her) and touched them near where the eggs come out and said that out all 14 only 5 were good layers and the rest were done for life. She said the barred rocks are bad layers in general and out of my Jersey giants only 3 were ok. Is it true you can determine how good a layer is by touching them near their rear, and how can they be 'done" already if they are only 1 year and a half? I am afraid she may be planning to butcher them I want more chickens in the future but want them to lay eggs for at least 5 years, is there not such a thing?

 

[cheeka]

at this time of the year, they are usually molting, and egg production slows or stops... why are you giving them away? I'm no expert by any stretch... but they're not done laying... and I have never heard of any "touching them to tell if they are done laying trick"
you'll have to start all over, and wait for maybe as many as 6 months to get eggs from your new flock... why not ride out the molt, and the winter, cuz shorter days definitely affects laying as well...

 

[sourland]

Shortened daylength plus the molt can cause a decrease or even cessation in egg production this time of year. These hens will start laying again next spring. The 'touching them in the rear' is feeling the distance between their pelvic bones which can only identify which hens are laying at a given time. Hens that are laying have a three finger or more distance between these bones and hens that are taking a break have closer less flexible bones 'back there'.

 

[alessadry]

We are moving and there is no way they can fit in our SUV with our cats or dogs. I was surprised by what she said, so perhaps its one of those "myths'..