2 yr old Wyandotte not laying. Could she be starting to molt?

[VT Chick-lit]

I just got two hens that are two years old. Their previous owner told me that the Silver Laced Wyandotte had faithfully laid eggs all fall and somewhat regularly thru the winter. She stopped laying when spring came and has not laid an egg since. He did not know why. Her companion, a black Astrolorp, has been laying fairly regularly (5 eggs a week) during the whole time. The Wyandotte does not seen to be ill. She is the more dominant of the pair of hens. She does not hang arount the nesting box unless the Astrolorp is in there laying, so I guess she is not broody. The only other thing that I thought might be an issue would be molting. I have never had chichens before and could use some advise. Can you tell me the indications of when a hen is going into a molt? Does anyone have any other ideas why the one hen is not laying

 

[equine chick]

She probally is in a molt. They usually lose feathers, especially tail feathers. Sometimes it can last only a few weeks, I heard crushed red pepper in the feed helps speed up the molt but never tried it so don't know how much to tell you. Maybe someone else on here might know.