does this appear to be a molted chicken?

[chickensinwasillaAK]

This hen is 10 months old, no predators have been terrorizing them, life is treating them well. No changes in feed, weather
sure has warmed up though. Flock of 30 birds, this is the only one appearing like this, one other is losing all neck feathers.
I just didn't think they'd molt at 10 months, but it's not like I've ever been wrong on anything before.

Any tips would be appreciated

 

[Judy]

Looks (and sounds) like a molt, indeed. When mine did it last fall, some looked much, much more moth eaten than others -- and the coop and yard looked like a chicken had been killed in there, there were so many feathers -- except of course the feathers were all different colors!

I used to have a good link about how they are supposed to start at the head and neck, which wing feathers go first, etc. It's out there somewhere. I believe they're supposed to do a partial molt around 9 months, then a full one at 15 -- but they don't read the book well.... They're supposed to get irritable and standoffish as well. I didn't see this, but I only have a few who like petting and lap sitting and such.

 

[f8thnjc]

Sometimes they molt at weird times. We had one, this last winter, decide to molt in the middle of January, when it was 0 degrees outside.

She was the only one molting then. We thought there was something wrong with her. She looked horrible! You never know what they are gonna do next.

 

[chickensinwasillaAK]

Thanks to both of you for the assurances. I was leaning towards molt but timing just seemed off. Hen looks so rough I'm going to change her name to ugly duckling.