How warm does it need to be to lay?

[ChickenKeep01]

I have 6 hens that should all be laying right now but because i live in australia and its the coldest time of the year here they have all stopped and i'm wondering what temperature is the minimum temperature that they need to lay? If this has any effect on it the breeds that they are, are: 1 Japanese bantam, 1 silkie, 1 pekin bantams, 1 isa brown and 1 australorp.

 

[AlleysChicks]

I believe it's more of the amount of light available than temp.

 

[JaeG]

It's day length rather than temperature that affects egg laying. Now that we in the southern hemisphere are past the shortest day your girls should get back to laying soon.

 

[Folly's place]

Hens need about fourteen hours of light to be in production, so without extra lighting in their coop, there will be very few eggs. I have a light in my coop on a timer during the winter; it goes on at 4 am and off at 8 am every morning, and I get reasonable egg production all year. With a flock of different breeds, my hens molt at different times, which also helps. Mary