My chickens are decreasing their egg laying...what's up?

[countrycakelady]

I have a flock of 22 total, 14 of which are about 1.5 years old....the other 8 are about 5months old...the 8 are laying their pullet eggs faithfully.....the 14 1 1/2 yr. olds are really not doing as well....everyone is eating the same laying feed...they get to free range from about 12-8 everyday...even when it rains...which we have had TONS of this summer.......LOTS OF RAIN.....I have started giving them vitamins in their waterers, they get treats, such as a birdseed/oats/BOSS mix about 1x a day...they are not going hungry, the feeders are ALWAYS with food.....I don't know what else to do. Ideas and suggestions are quite welcome.....

 

[Wyandottes7]

Have the 1.5 year olds molted yet? Its possible that they are going to be molting soon, as a chicken tends to molt around 1 year old. When molting, before molting, and for a little while after molting, chickens will often stop laying eggs.

Its also possible that they are laying their eggs in another place while free ranging, but if they haven't had a problem with that until now, that's probably not the case.

 

[countrycakelady]

Most of them went thru a what I would have called a 'light molt' earlier this year....I guess it could be possible that they are preparing to molt again? I just don't know....wonder if I need to up the protein more...they should be getting what they would need in their feed/free ranging...could all this rain have anything to do with it? Clueless here in NC.........