On Sat, 06 Nov 2010 15:30:54 +0000, Baz wrote:

They are Rode Island Red but I am uncertain of the age. Certainly well
under a year.

Baz

OK then this is quite normal. It's a day-length thing, nowt to do with
fireworks. Hybrids will continue to lay through their first (and
sometimes second) winters but pure-breds such as RIR will stop laying
once the day-length shortens. Nothing is amiss, it's just nature working
as she should

Hybrids in commercial production are killed after two years. Mine reduced
their output in year three (and subsequent) winters but never quite
stopped.