I do believe the supplemental light is working!

[stevetone]

Oh, but it does! When they were pre-laying pullets, they would jump and let out squeal when a human made any reach toward them. They're simply not lap chickens. That all changed as they reached POL with some of them dropping to a squat when I even walked nearby. So, when molting began, they started acting like pre-laying pullets again -- "don't you even think about touching me!". Seeing a behavioral shift back to submitting (along with the combs returning to red) makes me think laying is going to resume very soon.

Interesting! I'll have to pay attention to their squatting behavior more closely.

Our take on the molting "don't touch me" behavior is that the emergence of the new pin feathers "pokes" them when you hold them, and is uncomfortable. Kind of like whisker stubble. Plus, they're just grumpy 'cause Winter is coming and they lost their down coat

After the feathers grow in more fully they seem to be back to their cuddly selves.

 

[debid]

There was an egg in a nest box when I got up this morning!

 

[stevetone]

 

[debid]

An update for those who are considering supplemental lighting...

It's now been 2.5 weeks since I added the light and 3:6 of them have resumed laying. The first was my young splash Marans hen (she hadn't quite finished molting but was down to the last few wing feathers), second was one of the EEs, and this morning I got an egg from the Welsummer that was the first to start her molt last Summer. The rest of them are reddened in their combs and I think it will be soon.
ALSO, with 14 hours of light, they are laying as frequently as they did last spring and the eggs are their typical sizes.

 

[debid]

3.5 weeks and ALL of them are laying!

I know it sounds strange but they seem happier, too. They squabble less when they're laying. I thought they were grumpy because of molting and I'm sure they were but it didn't stop when the feathers were done, it stopped when their faces pinked up again.

 

[Izzymoon]

I love the light! My girls are laying an egg a day (5 total) and they seem perfectly ok with that. I think it helps their mental state too.