Summer molting?

Kaydencedad

Chirping
Jul 30, 2015
28
1
54
California
Will a chicken molt in the summer?
I have a chicken that was laying almost everyday, from the start of February to April and then all of the sudden she stopped and I haven't got another one since! She is only 1 1/2 years old!
 
They'll stop for many reasons. If you've had a spike in temperature lately, that could be the reason. Chickens are also creatures of habit and any changes can cause enough stress to stop laying. New flock mates, new neighbors, rearranging the coop, etc. Illness will also cause a drop/halt in egg production. Molting doesn't usually begin until autumn when the temperature begins to drop and have a more significant loss of daylight hours.
 
They'll stop for many reasons. If you've had a spike in temperature lately, that could be the reason.  Chickens are also creatures of habit and any changes can cause enough stress to stop laying.  New flock mates, new neighbors, rearranging the coop, etc. Illness will also cause a drop/halt in egg production. Molting doesn't usually begin until autumn when the temperature begins to drop and have a more significant loss of daylight hours. 
 
It is the right time of year for birds over 12 months of age to start molting. I've got one hen that has been molting for the last 2 months, and she's not even halfway done yet. She's a ridiculously slow molter.
Molting is triggered by daylight hours shortening. In some places that doesn't really happen until autumn. In other places, farther north, it happens much earlier in the year.
As mentioned, there are many reasons for a healthy hen to stop laying. Stress, heat, protein intake, not enough daylight can all be contributing factors.
 

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