Did she molt and never stop laying?

[SueT]

This is 18 month old SS Speckles. She has been regularly laying 5 eggs a week since she started. I have noticed recently that her neck feathers have become very white in contrast to previously. Was this a gradual molt? Yes, she has lost some feathers over the past month, and had a noticeable patch of missing feathers on her back that grew back in. Her tail feathers do look slightly ragged. Her same age 'sister', a BR, is heavily molting and hasn't laid an egg in a month.
So has Speckles already molted, or is she still molting, and could the worst be yet to come?
1st photo is today:

And here she is last spring, looks like a different chicken, but is the same:

 

[PennyM]

She's so pretty! My SS looks similar to your bottom pic only mine is darker brown. I'm sorry I can't help you (haven't gone through a molt yet) but I just wanted to comment on your pretty chicken!

 

[Bonniebooboo]

She is a BEE-u-tiful Bird in both pictures. and what a change. She does seem to be molting, but not the Hard molt all at once. I have a blue EE whom has been molting slowly and has continued to lay until this last week. I think she is going harder now. others quit laying over a week ago. I have a Barred hen that laid one 2 days this week and so I am getting maybe one egg a day now. With the shorter days and molt getting harder, will probably drop to no eggs any day. Your girl has done great so far. In the past I have had some that only took a couple weeks off and went back to laying in November, others not until February and March. I think it is partly due to her slow/steady molt so far. So she may continue or slow down/stop if she goes into a harder molt and of course lighting. I have had some that laid most of the winter once they came out of hard molt. Some birds just don't follow all the rules. My pullets that were laying, have pretty much stopped too and they look real nice. so since they aren't molting, guessing that is due to light. Good luck with your SS and keep us posted if she stops for a bit/how long/ or if she keeps laying all along.

 

[lazy gardener]

I have birds that continue laying through a light molt. As for the change in your SS coloring, that's a common occurrence. Many breeders will not choose their breeding stock until they've completed their 18 month molt, b/c the feather coloring can be quite different after that molt. Beautiful bird.

 

[SueT]

Thanks for replies! So since she has changed color so dramatically, I am hoping this means she has mostly finished molting. She was a late May chick in 2016, and didn't lay until spring. We shall see what happens...
I have 4 leghorns just started laying, so hopefully we'll have eggs all winter whether Speckles keeps laying or not.
I learn something new every day from my chickens and from the people on BYC. I'm so glad you all are there!