Molting her first autumn?

[Pukkits]

Our new orpingtons are now almost 8 months old. One of the chocolates, Theo, seems to be in a hurry to grow up. She surprised us this summer as the other orplets started laying their cute little eggs, Theo decided she was broody. As she is the smallest, we borrowed a game cam to be sure she wasn't being bullied. No sign of bullying when we are present, or on the game camera. She's done being broody, did some laying and is back to roaming with the flock. When she's out with the flock she's definitely more shy, but not afraid to crowd in for food. She also does run-flaps of exuberance when let out in the morning, trying to get the others to join her.

Now it looks like she's molting. The usual molting chicken "No touchy!" skittishness and a patch of pins instead of feathers on her neck. She's lost her tail feathers, and while I can't see her skin, she now appears to be pretty much spherical back there. A brown ball of fluff. No signs of parasites, though she won't let me catch her without a lot of stress so I'm hoping to avoid touching her. I'm seeing pins in the bare spots, not skin.

I've never had a young hen molt their first autumn, but I've also never gotten my chicks as early as February before. While she is small, she's above the lavenders and our older buff in pecking order if I go by roost bar sleeping spots (lavenders and buff sleep on the lower bar, they don't seem to care about pecking order and can't be bothered to get an upper bar spot). Has anyone else had a young hen molt their first autumn?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Has anyone else had a young hen molt their first autumn?

Yes. Some pullets and cockerels skip the molt their first fall/winter. Some pullets/cockerels molt their first fall/winter. Production type breeds are more likely to skip the molt their first year than decorative breeds but some of any breed can molt or skip the molt.