My almost 2 year old White Crested Black Polish and Cuckoo Marans just started laying again after a really long hiatus. I wish I kept the precise date that they started their first heavy molt, but I think it was mid to late August last summer. From there on out, not one single pickin' egg from either one of them. I was starting to give up hope, and started thinking that they had something wrong with them...but I also don't do the artificial light...but my Marans started laying on March 6th, with only one day off so far, and my little Polish laid her first torpedo shaped egg of the season today. So, the message to take home is don't give up hope! Some chickens are just on their own schedules.