O.K. to add light in the middle of moulting?

[pigcoon]

This is the second winter for my 5 hens (golden comets) and egg production went way down about 3-4 weeks ago when it got very cold. This is in Vermont. The last two weeks they are losing a lot of feathers and kind of lining the coop with them, which I thought might be for extra warmth but now see (from other threads) that they are probably moulting.

The question is, can I add light to the morning on a timer if they are in the middle of moulting, or do they need to finish this process first? Also, how do I know when they are finished Moulting?

Thanks!

 

[lambchicks]

My red sex links just molted. They looked all ragged and ugly for several weeks, and now their feathers are starting to look better. So I am thinking they are done molting. How old are yours? Mine are just 18 months, this is their first molt.

 

[midget_farms]

You can add light any time. It wont have any impact on the molting.

 

[pigcoon]

Thanks. Mine were born May 2009 so they will be two in the spring. This is their first molt as far as I can tell.

I have just been reading the other threads about adding protein, etc. We have a secondary problem with one of the hens getting pecked on her rump so I need to fix that problem next. I think the molting got it started and someone took advantage of the bare spot. I will look into adding the light.

I just thought that since people consider molting stressful, that doing anything else "different" might add stress to them.