How old are they

[Mellowmalt]

Ok so a bit of backstory, this year I got into chicken keeping again and I hatched 5 hens from eggs. While they were growing up I decided to get a group of adult hens that were already laying eggs.

So I got 3 dutch bantams to join my other 5. These 3 new ones were sold as 1 year old. They started laying quite well and kept me supplied till my own chickens started laying.
My own are now in full swing having laid 3-5 eggs each this week.

The ones I bought beginnning of the year that should be 1 year old have not laid a single egg this week.

Now they are moultig which slowly reduced their egg count already. Now they look like really scruffy mops.

But not a single egg all week from these 3 compared to 24 eggs from the other 5.

So moulting yes but are they as young as I was told they are? Is it normal for them to practically stop laying completely for a month and my own are laying like athletes.

I just have my suspicions I was sold hens at the end of their laying life but it could be the molting. I've never had serious molters before, I just had ex battery hens that never stopped laying so it's a bit hard for me to judge what the matter is.

Any help with bantams and moulting and your opinions welcome

 

[sourland]

Bantams are nothing like production birds as far as egg laying goes. They lay far fewer eggs per year but have a longer productive lifetime. Egg laying stops during molting as all resources are turned towards the production of new feathers. What you are seeing in your birds is 100 % normal.

 

[aart]

Shortening days trigger molt and cessation of lay for birds in their second fall/winter.
Totally normal.