Frazzled Chest Feathers

[BEggRN]

I'm not sure this belongs here because my chickens are acting well and are otherwise well appearing, but for anyone know why my girls have frazzled looking feathers on their chests, specifically in front of their crops. I don't want to miss signs of a problem. I don't see any signs of parasites, and their other feathers look good. It almost just feels dirty, and it has been wet/muddy.

 

[LateBirdFarms]

It seems your post may have slipped by some of the real experts but if you don't mind answering a few more questions I might be able to help you sort out your ladies ruffled feathers! Have you noticed anything extra since you posted this on Tuesday?

The first questions everyone is going to ask is how old are your girls and what is their diet like. How old because this could be a simple issue of they're ready for a molt and those feathers are just in need of replacement. Chest feathers get particularly rough in some cases where their breast comes in contact with a rough roosting surface a lot, or they have gone partially or fully broody at some point, but it can often just be normal wear and tear. Diet and nutrition comes up because feathers may start to fray and break for all the same reasons mentioned before far easier if they're lacking in protein and other certain dietary needs.
They look like my production red girls when they start to go into a soft molt. Or.. hung out under the cedar and pine trees in the sap and mud.

 

[Mylied]

Yeah, I was thinking maybe they are sitting on something dirty. If it gets muddy, my girls chests are the first thing getting messed.

 

[BEggRN]

Thanks to both of you for responding. My girls are both just under a year old and are layer feed with some cracked corn and black sunflower seeds. Their chest looks a little better (less dirty); no sign of new feathers growing in, and still no sign of any mites/parasites. I did observe one of my girls plucking her chest.
I have given them some extra protein over the week in the form of scrambled eggs because I read that could be the issue.