Dull feathers and no eggs

[greylee]

I have 3 older hens. I don't know their ages but they must be almost 3 years old or older.
Last winter was the first time they stopped laying over the winter. Now they've stopped laying again and I've noticed that their feathers look dull too. About 2 months ago I introduced new chickens to the flock and I thought it might have been from that, but now they are all getting a long and I'm still not getting eggs from the older girls.

Could this just be due to age? Or should I be looking for something else wrong?

 

[nuthatched]

Hmm, what are their breeds? Their diet?

 

[greylee]

Hmm, what are their breeds? Their diet?

They are barred rocks. I did change their feed about 2 months ago to hen up grower feed because of the younger pullets I introduced to the flock that weren't laying yet. I've been providing oyster shells for them though.

I do get about 3 eggs a week from my 3 barred rocks. I don't know which one is laying though.

 

[nuthatched]

They are barred rocks. I did change their feed about 2 months ago to hen up grower feed because of the younger pullets I introduced to the flock that weren't laying yet. I've been providing oyster shells for them though.

I do get about 3 eggs a week from my 3 barred rocks. I don't know which one is laying though.

They could be molting or taking their summer break

 

[greylee]

They could be molting or taking their summer break

Is summer break a thing? It feels like they were laying for only a few months after winter and then stopped again.

 

[nuthatched]

Is summer break a thing? It feels like they were laying for only a few months after winter and then stopped again.

Mine are not laying great right now either, I usually get 9 eggs, I've been getting 6 small eggs.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you're not sure on ages (i.e. you bought them as adults) they could be a lot older than you think, which would make sense in that older birds tend to look a bit more ragged, and have shorter and less productive laying seasons.