Help! Buff Orp head feather loss, smaller size, smaller comb

[Fox2112]

So I thought I noticed that one of my three buff Orp's look a little small recently. Today I noticed that she has significant feather loss around her head and her comb looks diminished and pale.
Anybody have any idea what's going on? And should I separate her from the rest of the chickens?

 

[aram-19]

Has the Hen stopped laying eggs, if so, then this could be a disease or a parasite ( including the feather loss) have you checked for lice or red mites, if she does have it, then you should separate her from the rest of the flock. Hope the hen feels better

 

[Fox2112]

I don't see mites or lice. I don't know if she stopped laying.
Is it possible she started molting? She is only 8 months old or so.

 

[Brahmachicken240]

Looks like she’s molting

Here is a good article on chickens molting
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/what-happens-when-chickens-molt.67366/

 

[Fox2112]

Okay, thank you! I did look carefully through her feathers by her neck and by her vent. I even looked under the wings and in all three places it look like she has new feathers coming in. I looked at her legs carefully there is no sign of leg scale mites or anything like that. Maybe she underwent some kind of stress. She does seem ravenous and the article mentions that molting chickens seem hungrier.
Thanks for the help!

 

[aram-19]

I don't see mites or lice. I don't know if she stopped laying.
Is it possible she started molting? She is only 8 months old or so.

Well I guess your right, I think she has started molting to renew her feathers since they usually do this at this time. But if her feathers aren’t grown by the time it gets really cold ( this depends on where you live )
Then I suggest you bring here inside when it gets near 1 degree Celsius ( 33 degrees Fahrenheit ).
If she has stopped laying eggs then that’s what’s mostly likely happening.
Glad to see the hen isn’t sick.

 

[ChickNanny13]

2x, she's doing a "soft" molt ... Pin feathers coming in.
You may want to update your profile with your locations, gives us insight as to the time zone you're in, weather/climate & predator possibilities.

 

[Fox2112]

I took her into our sunroom for the overnight (in kennel). She drank and ate, went to bed fairly quietly. Poop looks healthy. I let her outside when the girls came out for the morning. She seems okay with good appetite.

Chickens have huge pen but spend most of their time quasi free range. We use 'chunnels' from fenced run to the coop where they go lay throughout the day. Thus far they have been extremely cold-hardy with several days this winter already in the teens, one day was 8 degrees. They are always energetic and happy, even in the cold. We are getting an average of five eggs a day even in this cold weather . They Do not mind the snow even when it's gathering on their backs, LOL. Recently they were penned for a day-and-a-half when we visited family for Christmas. Perhaps this created a lot of stress for her and the others.