Question on Rhode Island Red molting and laying?

[brewfarm]

I've read a bunch of stuff here and other places on molting but I'm specifically wondering about Rhode Island Reds. This is the first year I've had chickens so I want to make sure I do it right and take good care of my little girls. Plus, we got them to lay eggs and I want to keep my egg production up. I've got a flock of 43 hens that are 7 months old and laying- no roosters. I know that they should go through a couple of soft molts as they grow up. I'm pretty sure I've seen that. I've read that they should do there first hard molt when they're about 18 months. That would be next December. But, I've also read that they molt in the fall, early winter, when the days get shorter. So which will it be? Will they molt when there about a year old or do a late molt next winter? I don't want them molt in the middle of winter and have no feathers when it's 46 degrees out and raining on a hot day.
Right now they are in a coop at night and free range during the day. I have a light on a timer so they have light, food, and water 14 hours a day. I was planning on doing that year round. I've read that giving them extra protein helps them through the molt and they don't lay eggs through a hard molt. If they have light 14 hours a day, 12 months a year will that keep them from molting? Would that hurt them? If I give them extra protein and light would they do a softer, longer molt, and keep laying (but not as often)?
If they are all the same age (same exact hatch date) will they all molt at the same time or does it depend on each hen?
Sorry about the wall of text but I'm really nervous about this part and want to make sure I do the right thing and have a good plan ahead of time.

 

[Cyprus]

Giving your birds extra protein through a moult will help them with their feather regrowth. Most hens do not lay eggs through a hard moult.

If they have light 14 hours a day, 12 months a year will that keep them from molting

It would not keep them from molting. Molting is a natural process that occurs often by a change in weather.

Would that hurt them?

Neither the extra light or the process of moulting will cause any harm to your birds.

If I give them extra protein and light would they do a softer, longer molt, and keep laying (but not as often)?

Hard molts and soft molts vary from hen to hen but are also slightly in sync with the harshness of the following winter. The length of the molt varies from hen to hen but last usually at least 2-4 months. Whether or not a hen lays during molt is very much on an individual to individual basis. Most hens do not lay during the hardest part of moult.

If they are all the same age (same exact hatch date) will they all molt at the same time or does it depend on each hen?

They may all moult close to the same time, but they will not all begin and end moult on the same day. It is a hen to hen basis, so you may have some moult sooner, and others that moult later.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Remove the light if you want a more normal process for your hens. Lights can mess up molts which are driven by light. Under natural conditions they will molt in the fall, generally they are 12-18 months of age, but they can be older or younger depending on when they were hatched.

Chickens, and most birds need to replace their feathers yearly as they get old and lose the ability to provide proper protection.

Better layers tend to molt harder and faster, and poorer layers take longer in general.

I had a few later molting birds. They do fine. We got to -20, the birds were good-looking but did okay. All seem to molt on their own schedules.

 

[aart]

Lighting can indeed mess with the molt....or not.
Have seen both in the last 4 years messing with lights.

They'll be fine molting in 40F temps.
I had a few molt this winter in much colder temps.

There are no hard numbers/techniques that will have the same results for everyone.
Molting and laying patterns are not breed specific.

 

[brewfarm]

Thanks for all the info folks. I guess I wont worry about it until I see hens molting.