Chickens not laying

[Outsider]

This is my first with chickens. I have 3 easter eggers that started laying late winter early spring. They were laying wondefully until June. I suspected that the heat was what caused them stop laying, but that was just my guess. I switched feeds from Texas Natural feed to a cheaper feed because of cost around that same time. Now we are in November and i have gotten less than 6 eggs since June. I don't know what is wrong. Any ideas?

 

[CluckerFamily]

Are they molting? They will stop laying eggs when molting.

 

[Outsider]

Yes they did go through molt last month. Seems like they are done loosing feathers.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Have they grown their feathers back?

 

[Outsider]

I think so. They look pretty good. We were kinda worried at first because we noticed the coop was full of feathers. Tail feathers are back. How long does this process slow them done for?

 

[CluckerFamily]

Depending on the chicken themselves, some take a couple months to get through the whole process while others take 4-6 months especially if they molt close to the winter months. My hens molt in the autumn and then don't lay all winter, but come spring, laying starts again.

 

[Outsider]

That's a long time to be without eggs. The price of the eggs becomes very expensive.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I only have 16 hens/pullets, they all have names and are considered pets. There are some people that have a lot more hens to keep getting eggs all year long. Pullets will lay all winter long because it is their first year, but then egg production decreases as the chickens age. Some people only keep the chickens for a few years before butchering them but in the meantime, they add pullets every year to the flock. It depends on your setup and what you have the chickens for.
What is nice is that eggs can last a long time if they come from your hens. I will have enough eggs to last all winter for me from my flock.

 

[Outsider]

Okay. I appreciate your help. My kids play with the chickens. So I guess they are kinda a pet. What breed would you recommend that is better than easter eggers for egg production and can handly the 100 degree summers?

 

[CluckerFamily]

That I can't help you with. I love EEs and this is all I have had and I don't see myself every having another breed.
EEs lay about 200 eggs per year, but as they get older it reduces. There are some other breeds that lay closer to 300 eggs per year, they will also reduce in production as they age.