Best layer stopped laying!

[aroostercalledBrownie]

We have a gingernut ranger hen, and she is the sweetest girl in the world! the only problem is that she has recently stopped laying altogether. We are not sure of her age (we adopted from the side of the road). She has been laying the whole winter.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Did she molt before winter (summer or fall)? My only bird that laid through winter finally stopped for a late season molt.

 

[Folly's place]

If she seems to be feeling fine, eating a drinking okay, maybe it's going to be a molt. Could she be hiding a nest somewhere? Or are her eggs disappearing for some other reason?
She'll do what she will do, so wait and see. Hens will take a break at times, so maybe it's all normal for her.
Mary

 

[aroostercalledBrownie]

If she seems to be feeling fine, eating a drinking okay, maybe it's going to be a molt. Could she be hiding a nest somewhere? Or are her eggs disappearing for some other reason?
She'll do what she will do, so wait and see. Hens will take a break at times, so maybe it's all normal for her.
Mary

Thank you so much!

 

[aroostercalledBrownie]

Did she molt before winter (summer or fall)? My only bird that laid through winter finally stopped for a late season molt.

What is molting? Sorry, I am new to this.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What is molting? Sorry, I am new to this.

Molting is where chickens shed their old feathers and grow new ones. Some birds drop a lot of feathers all at once, others maybe just a few here and there and it won't be very noticeable if you're looking at them. During molt, layers usually slow or even stop laying, instead putting their energy into growing new feathers.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/what-happens-when-chickens-molt.67366/

 

[aroostercalledBrownie]

Molting is where chickens shed their old feathers and grow new ones. Some birds drop a lot of feathers all at once, others maybe just a few here and there and it won't be very noticeable if you're looking at them. During molt, layers usually slow or even stop laying, instead putting their energy into growing new feathers.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/what-happens-when-chickens-molt.67366/

oh. Thank you!