Welsummer not laying

[SC-ChickMom]

I have a 9 month old Welsummer who has been laying pretty regularly (about 4/wk) for the last 3 months. In the last 2 weeks I have not gotten any eggs from her and she is no longer squatting. Any idea of what is going on? Thanks.

 

[debid]

Is she molting? I had several of my chickens go through a light molt at 9 months and it caused some interruption to their laying routine.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Is she molting? I had several of my chickens go through a light molt at 9 months and it caused some interruption to their laying routine.

x2

 

[SC-ChickMom]

That is it. She has lost most of her tail feathers and they are coming back in now.

 

[debid]

If it makes you feel better, none of mine waited until they were completely finished molting at that age to start back up. They just took a break during the worst of it.

I'm currently watching one of my Wellies having her first adult molt and my BC Marans having her 9-month. I'm amazed at the piles of feathers the Wellie leaves behind (it looks like a pillow exploded) while with the Marans, you can't even tell other than her missing tail, the visible pins on her legs, and a few feathers scattered here and there. It really drives home how light the early molts are compared to what comes later.