Moulting question

[Crazy Chickie]

Hi I'm new here, can anyone help me with my chooks. This is my first moult (well, the hens not mine), and although they've stopped laying for about 2 months now they are not really loosing their feathers. Out of four hens aged from 2-7yrs, Harry (crm legbar) is still laying the other crm legbar, Henry stopped 2 months ago niether seem to be moulting, Lucy a blackrock x white leghorn stopped laying a month ago and has started again but not lost any feathers and my welsumer, Summer is the only one who has acctually started looking scruffy and is loosing feathers n not laying.
I live in a cold hebridean climate, could they be moulting slowly so they grow feathers n don't have bald patches? They are fed layers pellets, poultry grain when its cold, veg peelings n get poultry spice. They are semi-free range in a large pen, they are wormed, lice/mite free. If anyone has any advice it would be very welcome, just can't figure what they're doing.
Cheers

[nick the grief]

Henry & Harry the hens eh, guess you didn't do Biology either Welcome anyway. it may be that they are just getting ready to moult. I'm not sure what triggers it - day lenght or what. try dropping Squirrel a private message if she doesn't answer as she knows more than me about chooks

[Crazy Chickie]

Hi, cheers for advise. Chooks are really called Harriett and Henrietta. We've got one young cockerel called Chris short for Christmas Dinner too

[yoanbob]

crazy chick, if your that far north could just be the dark days, we are in yorkshire, ours have really slowed down with the laying, only 1 is still regular and thats not every day, i wouldnt worry, their just having their winter rest.

[CountryFayre]

Older birds tend to moult with a 'bang' and drop all their feathers in lumps. Younger birds tend to moult slowly to the point that you sometimes only notice ny the feathers lying around or the fact that a yellowy white bird suddenly seems awfully white again!

Most birds go off lay for a period of time in the winter months. This period can be 3/4 months to 3/4 weeks. It just depends on the birds age breed etc.

It sounds like you are doing everything right to me.

[Crazy Chickie]

Hey, thanks guys. Was expecting them all to go bald, all the books & magazines seemed to say prepare for a shock. Thinking about it Henry is looking alot sleeker than she was when I got her at the end of summer. Must have moulted on the sly