Most breeds of chickens do not molt their first autumn and continue to lay right up to their second autumn when they take a much needed break. All first time chicken keepers are in shock when struck with their first dearth of eggs. So in the future, start hoarding eggs in august to keep for that scarcity to make it less necessary to go to the grocery store for eggs. They will molt and cease laying every autumn. Every bird is different in how long they take to regrow new feathers and resume laying. Sometimes it is two or three months, sometimes all winter.
Some people will get a few pullets each spring so when older birds take their annual break, the new ones will just begin laying.
Each year, a bird's winter production break is longer than the last.
Feathers don't last forever. They get broken and worn, no longer protecting the bird. All birds molt, usually annually. Primarily, this is keyed by day length. As days shorten, that is a signal winter is coming and a new winter coat is needed. They can't grow a new winter coat and produce eggs at the same time. It is a rare bird that can lay ANY eggs while growing new feathers. There are other things at play but in a nutshell, it just takes too much protein to grow a new winter coat and that is what is needed for ovulation.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you'll need to hit a grocery or farmer's market for the eggs for your pies.
