During a molt, I try to allow the girls access to higher protein feed than a normal layer ration. Because it is in the fall and I have new meat coming for my freezer, this often means I chop up or cook older cuts of meat or any liver I haven't eaten from last fall's meat harvest. I also use black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) as scratch in the evenings during the molt. Some years, the mature hens are molting as the up and coming pullets are coming into lay, so I will combine them into one coop and feed 1/2 layer ration plus 1/2 grower ration with free choice oyster shell. The molt requires a lot of dietary fat & protein to complete - the better you can supply their protein needs, the sooner they will get back to laying. Another good protein source is ricotta or cottage cheese - the non-fat ones have a higher protein content. Again, adding to the normal ration, not replacing it.
It might be worth a try to put some cayenne in the feed a couple weeks after the molt has finished. That is, when everybody has shiny new tail feathers fully grown in, as most molt from head to tail. There is a thread on BYC about adding cayenne to the feed for winter egg production, but I wouldn't try it until after the molt.
It is very hard to pay all that money for feed and not get any thing in return!! All our animals, even the cats and dogs have a purpose. Last winter, I decided to let them rest, but bought large bags of bird seed with a similar protein content as layer ration plus shell grit. It was a little cheaper, and I was still up to my eyeballs in eggs come spring.
I do deep litter, too. The feathers and any seed hulls all compost down very nicely right in the coop. Actually, >blushing< I didn't even clean out my coop this year, I just kept adding and adding to it. We got busy this fall. But I just throw down scratch or seeds in any matted areas & the girls keep it cleaned up & it still smells very nice in there. I will clean it out this spring, promise!!
All the best to you & your chooks!
