[Prod]

I have 6 hens, 2 are quite young bought as POLs 5 weeks ago, of the other 4 one stopped laying (see posting under Ancona/Tumour etc) so that leaves 3 that were each laying one a day.  This has recently trailed off and they seem to be laying every second or third day.  Is this normal for thi stime of year?  Will they stop laying over winter (dont say I have to buy shop bought eggs again)

[darkbrowneggs]

Are they commercial type hybrid or pure breeds? 

If hybrids and they were laying when you got them and laid for a few weeks and are now beginning to stop then there may be something wrong.

Can you take a photo of them + say a photo of them when you bought them
What are you feeding them
Are they in new housing or has it been used for fowl before
Do they free range
Is the coop secure from vermin such as rats, squirrels, corvids (birds of the crow family)
What was the egg shell quality like when they were laying
Is there evidence of egg eating ie yolk round beak

[joyfull]

age and breed plays a big part in egg production. Pure breeds and hybrids over two will either slow down or cease laying until spring. This is because there is less daylight hours and also because they go into a moult.
You can get around the daylight problem by using lights to add extra light to the end of the day if you wish like the big commercial producers do but I prefer to let my girls have a break.
moulting and the growing of new feathers takes its toll on the bird and they channel all their energy into taking care of that.
You may want to look at this thread about the lack of eggs.

[darkbrowneggs]

Read your post too quickly     and thought it said you had bought them all as point of lay. 

As joyfull has said, if the other 4 are 18mth + then they will be going into the moult, and depending on what types they are may not begin again till daylight levels increase next spring, so unless your POL are quick developing hybrids.......   

[joyfull]

yes point of lays can be a bit hit or miss for a while, some will lay 5 or 6 eggs a week from the age of 17 weeks (usually the normal red commercial types) others can miss a few days or even have weeks off until they get into the swing of things. However all hens will generally lay the same amount of eggs and those that miss days or weeks will therefore lay for longer - some of mine are over 6 and still lay the occasional egg.

[Prod]

They are all pure breeds. The ones I am talking about are 18mths old, a Columbian Blacktail, a Cream legbar and a Bluebell. They free range during the day and then at night they go into an eletric fenced off area. I feed them layers pellets and a handfull of corn at night to get them into the fenced area, the coop has a door timer,  and sometimes the odd apple as a treat.  Nothing has changed about their environment or food.  I do give them poultry spice as they are moulting and the usual vermex/acv/tonic in their water. They were wormed about 2 mths ago with layers that include flubenvet.  Touch wood I have not had red mite.  They all seem happy and content.  One thing I have noticed is that they seem to be going in to roost earlier at night, but then we are right up in the hills and the weather has been atrocious...  Hope that helps?

[joyfull]

the bluebell and the columbian blacktail are really hybrids not pure breeds but not the sort for mass production. You say they get poultry spice as they are moulting - well there is your answer - when going through a moult they need all of their energy to be channelled into making new feathers.

[Prod]

Thanks...... theres a lot to learn with this chicken keeping business isnt there???