This is my first winter with chickens (three standard hens in their first year). Over the past 4 weeks, all of them have slowed down and then stopped laying. They are all losing some feathers, but one in particular is looking incredibly ratty -- no tail feathers left at all, and half her breast feathers have come out! The other two have not molted as badly. My question is whether I should continue with the light that I mounted in their coop earlier in the fall. It comes on at 4:30 a.m. to give them at least 12 hours of light a day. Since they're not laying and apparently in various stages of molting, should I just quit using the light for now? When should I resume using it so that they'll start laying again? TIA for your help!
Well, all hens stop and slow in the winter, so while one is obviously molting, I would continue the light just to see if the rest molt or start laying once in a while. Out of 6 layers we get 1-2 a day and our roo is molting.