Molting in different climates

[Barchicken]

Is it possible that chickens might molt at different times of the year depending on the climate. We live in a very hot climate and our chickens have suddenly slowed their laying nearly to a stop in August. Not many feathers gone, though. Could there be another reason why all of them would slow their laying?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

There are lots of reasons but if in the Northern Hemisphere, August/September is usually when they start molting.
They can molt any time of year though. I had a Jaer (from Norway) that would molt in November and another in January. They probably though zero was balmy.
Where are you located?

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are a lot of reasons hens can cut back dramatically on laying besides the molt. Hiding a nest, egg eating predators, humans stealing eggs, diseases, laying for more than a year without a break, and many others. A big one is stress, again which could be coming from a lot of different things. Excess heat can definitely stress them. Plus what Canoe said.

Without knowing any other details excess heat would be real high on my list of possible causes. Give them as much shade and cool as you can and make sure they never run out of water. You may just have to be patient though.

 

[Barchicken]

I am in central Arizona near Phoenix. It gets very hot, but it sounds like the chickens are right on schedule then. Thank you so much for your response.