When you were little, the hens were probably hatched in spring/early summer, and were reared naturally. They likely were kept on free range and fed a daily scratch feed. Their diet throughout summer would be balanced by their consumption of lots of beasties and vegetation. As moult is predominently age-related, these birds probably all moulted together and did so in the autumn.
Moult is predominently age-related. Egg production is light-regulated. Both can be influenced, however, by deficiencies in the diet, and by stress. Hens can't be 'confused' by weather patterns, although environmental conditions may cause stress.
If your hens are of mixed ages, and have come from different sources, perhaps experiencing changes in their management, it is likely that some may moult at 'odd' times.
The other thing, of course, is that some hybrids are inclined to 'lay their feathers off', just in the same sense as a dairy cow or goat may 'milk off her back'. In a flock of hybrid layers, there will always be those that have very few feathers, but you can bet your boots those are the best layers.