Well we had a small operation of 150 chickens at most and it was an open coop with an enclosed nesting area. In the winter back then (around 50 years ago), the eggs dropped off by 2/3rds or more in the winter.
Do you remember the breed you were raising then? And where was this located? The drop in production would make sense if they were just the standard White/Red Leghorns.
I used to have 50 at a time at my other farm. Mainly because I had 3 teen boys to feed, seemingly 24/7!
I sold the extra eggs to a local Deli. I’d package them in clear containers - I raised the ‘Easter Eggers’ with all the colorful eggs. Nice labeling with ‘Hand Raised/Cage Free’ notes and tied each dozen with a fancy raffia ribbon. (Women - who do the majority of food-foraging/buying - LOVE them some ribbons!)
I got $2.50 for a dozen; Steve sold them for $5/dozen and customers screamed for MORE!
This was in the early 90’s, well before everyone had their own FOUR laying hens allowed at home.
What I made at the Deli kept us in chicken feed and kept my crew fed. It was not a ‘Wharton School of Economics’ study by any means. ;)