I am surprised to notice some of my hens are starting to molt, since having shorter daylight times. My question is and since I haven't kept laying hens in a few years. Is it normal for them to molt with the on-set of winter. Here in upstate New York it gets rather cold. Last year I kept them laying really well as I used a timer on a light that would come on around 4:30 A.M. This year I am giving them a rest. They have been laying well over a year, so they do need the rest