Help! Hen suddenly lost a bunch of neck feathers!

[ejtalbert]

My hen, Mulva (name from Seinfeld), is about 11 months old. When I went to let our five chickens on their daily "walk" around our yard (we let them out of their run to explore and give them treats for about a half an hour a day if we can) I immediately noticed that she had a bald spot that was almost wrapping completely around her neck. I had not noticed this yesterday, as I was not able to let them out due to weather. I assume it has happened over the past couple days.
The first thing that came to mind was molting? but, from what I have heard, my 11 month flock is too young to be doing this, and it is in the middle of winter.
Another more thinking, I thought it might be stress from the new kitten that we recently brought home. We have two cats: one 3 year old shy girl, and Sammy the kitten who is not shy at all. He likes to run around the flock while they are outside. He never tries to harm them. Mulva, being the head of the flock, feels that it is her duty to chase him away. This has occupied all of her outside time: running after the kitten, staring him down, etc.
Sammy is not around the coop or run often, where they spend most of their day, and yet there is a bunch of barred rock feathers strewn around the floor.
I think the last time we got an egg from her was about 2 days ago. But she, along with most of the flock, have been not laying as much since it is winter.
She is only loosing neck feathers from what I can tell.
Based off of these photos and information, does anyone know what could be happening?

January 12th, 2021

 

[cherrynberry]

Do you leave your cats alone with the chickens..?
Also 11 months IS indeed too young for a molt, my guess would be that either the other chickens did it or the cats

 

[Hanathehappyhen]

Your hen is molting. See on the picture of the bald spots how you can see her pin feathers. She's young to molt, but I've had early molts. So probably no need to worry!Theres no broken feather bits, and the skin isn't irritated, so I don't think its an attack or bullying.

 

[coach723]

I agree, it looks like molt. I've had young birds do an early molt also. Sometimes just a partial molt. Despite what the literature says, their bodies decide and they doesn't always follow the 'average'.