Oh that is really good news!!! Thank you!!Do they slow down in winter or is that not really a factor? I've been missing a few eggs lately but they may be hiding them in a new place also...
Some people say they do, i didn't notice it with my pekins last year, even when we had snow here i still got eggs. Hylines do slow by a small percentage at year 2, and this small fraction is enough for egg producers to get rid of them, as the their calculations show that even though they will keep producing, the feed cost versus the egg production drops.
You said adopted hens, were they battery hens? If so for your rescue hens, they may take a bit of time to get comfortable, get used to their new diet and the new use of their legs. They should keep laying solidly for until they are 3, then drop off after that, but can still lay at 4,5 and 6 before they retire.
i have just seen the pic of them in your profile and they are beautiful
As for the winter question, i am not sure of your location or climate there. Here they missed a day or two on very cold days, but not really. My pekins are not the best layers at the best of times. Your girls, depending on age,health, when you got the and what they are eating should lay 2-3 eggs per day with 3 hens. Some days only one egg.
It isn't the easiest thing to predict, mine got a fright from a gennet and stopped laying for a solid week, same thing when i introduced my rooster to the flock.
