Help my chickens lay again!! Please!!

[Kakadoodledoo]

So I was getting about 6 eggs a day from 11 chickens. it went down to 2 and then 1. I had switched feed, the daylight hours got shorter, and i turned off the sprinklers, which were filling a bowl with water. The chickens have a bucket with the nipple waterers. I switched them to a three way mix with wheat, fodder, and corn (16% protein) and i supplemented with spent brewing grains, barley.

Since the decline I've switched back to bag feed from the store 16% protein for a week now. I'm now getting 2-3 eggs a day. The chickens are losing some feathers, but it doesn't look like the chickens are really moulting. My chickens are 7 months old, and I live in Utah. I've read some other posts, but i'm still not sure what's wrong. How do i get egg production up? What do you think is wrong?

 

[bird-brain]

Change in feed might be enough to knock them off their laying for a bit. They are at the right age to have a moult as well. My birds just seem to go through phases. Sometimes you could blow up the coop and they would keep on laying. Sometimes the dog barks at night and won't lay for two days.

I just changed up some sleeping arrangements and I have one hen laying! I've had hens freak out for ten days or more because I rearranged the coop. If they are showing no signs of illness, check for mites. Do they have an extra source of calcium available? If nothing leaps out at you physically, make sure you don't have someone cannibalizing your eggs. I had that happen and it took forever to figure out what was going on because they left no evidence. I added some young hens who weren't laying yet and my layers ate their own eggs until the flock blended fully. I have the most neurotic chickens in the world.

 

[Kakadoodledoo]

I have been feeding them microwaved eggshells, and when I switched the feed I supplemented with oyster shell. I don't think it's cannibalism, egg snatching, or mites, but on a side note is there a best way to check for mites?