If your hen suddenly looks ragged and her eggs dry up in autumn, don’t panic — she’s almost certainly molting, the normal annual replacement of old feathers.
What’s happening
Molting is triggered by shortening daylight, usually in fall. The hen drops old feathers and grows new ones, typically from the head and neck downward. Because feathers are mostly protein, her body diverts resources from egg-making — so laying slows or stops during the molt.
What to expect
- A patchy, scruffy look, and feathers all over the coop.
- Pin feathers (new quills) pushing through — these are tender, so birds may dislike being handled.
- Laying pauses for anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months.
- The first adult molt usually comes around 18 months, then once a year after that.
How to help
- Boost protein to ~18–20% — switch to a feather-fixer or grower feed, or add high-protein treats. New feathers are ~85% protein.
- Keep stress low: steady routine, fresh water, no new flock additions mid-molt.
- Handle birds gently; those pin feathers hurt.
- Don’t add artificial light to force laying — let her finish the molt and recover.
When laying resumes
Once new feathers are in, hens return to laying — often with slightly larger, better-quality eggs. Output naturally declines a little each year as hens age; see how many eggs your chickens lay.