how soon after will the hen lay after her eggs hatch out?

[Judy]

I gather from reading here that they usually turn the chicks loose at around three or four weeks, and start laying again a week or so after this. But this is an average, and chickens are individuals.

 

[2go2scotland]

I'm wondering if chickens of the same breed follow pretty much the same pattern-----for example, my Splash Maran hen, Fiona, had her chicks on August 13th of this year. She was an absolutely terrific mom and ferocious when it came to protecting them. But, at right around 8 weeks, she pushed them away and although they tried and tried to sit on the roost with her, she'd peck them until they left. (I find this absolutely fascinating behavior since she was so very protective of them and now--here she is pecking them and sqwaking at them to make them go!) They are in the flock with her, but she won't sit with them any more. She began laying eggs again at about the same time and has laid one every single day--very dependable.

My second Maran, a blue one, Skye, had her babies on August 28th. She is still protecting them and letting them sleep under her. They're almost ten weeks old--as big as the others were when Fiona pushed them away. Again, they're now back in the flock with the rest of the hens and the rooster--and Fiona's babies--no one bothers them, but Skye hasn't pushed them away--nor is she laying.

The third Maran, a copper one, Maggie, was broody but we didn't let her hatch. She rejoined the flock after being "in solitary" for two days and then promptly began to molt. She's not laying. Do they not lay when they are molting?

We live in Vermont and the daylight in already fading. We have a light in the coop --in the barn--they free range during the day--on a timer and it stays on until 10:00 PM to give them 14 - 15 hours of daylight.

Will Skye and Maggie not lay again until the spring?