Egg laying before molt ends !

[BigFuzzball]

Our other chickens began molting late last year, finished at the start of this month and we've been getting eggs again. However our 18 month old Buff Sussex began her molt almost a month ago, stopped laying completely, has lost quite a few feathers whilst pretty much maintaining her (voracious) appetite, has lots of new quills but has now, before those quills all open, begun laying again today ?? Have never had this before, it's always been a wait until all the feathers are back, comb shiny red etc before even one egg. Is this unusual or is it the different breed as we've had other Sussex birds but not this 'Buff Sussex' cross ?

 

[Ridgerunner]

People get so hung up on breeds, this has nothing to do with breed. I'm sorry but I see breed get blamed or credited with a lot of stuff on here where it is not relevant.

Before they were domesticated chickens followed an annual cycle of egg laying and rearing chicks, molting and stopping egg laying. But since we've domesticated them we've bred the to lay more and go broody less often. We feed and house them very well, they don't go hungry in winter any more. Most still follow the ancient cycle of not laying while molting but when they are fed well some can lay eggs while molting. What you are seeing may not be "normal" but it's not that unusual either.

 

[BigFuzzball]

Hi Ridgerunner, sorry but wasn't trying to get the "breed blamed or credited" was merely trying to ask the question that in all the time we've had chickens and the 14 or more different breeds/hybrids etc we've had, this is the first bird that hasn't 'followed the norm' and started her molt in winter/pre Christmas, finishing Jan/Feb very latest, and is the first bird to lay an egg between the molt starting and that last feather 'popping its quill', and since she's the first 'Buff Sussex' we've seen or had here just wondered if anyone knew if particular breeds are known as late molt starters/early finishers etc due to their physiology - especially as she's a really big heavy bird (VERY smart, quick learner, but oh dear she can be sooooo clumsy lol).
Thanks for answering the question