HELP! Changing feathers and possible skin issue?

[Fintechie]

Six of 13 chickens (17 months old) are changing feathers now. I noticed that there are white specks on the coop floor and pen. Wonder if that is related to shedding of dead skin like human in addition to their feather shedding. Or is it some kind of skin problem like fungi? One of them has grown back new feather fully. She looks fine other than bit pale. I guess it to due to the huge energy toll for growing the feather...
Has anyone experienced similar observations, ie the white specks during changing feather?

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I'm assuming it's old shaft cells

 

[CluckerFamily]

I'm also assuming old shafts are the white specks. A picture would help us to make sure.

 

[aart]

White specks are sheathing from the new feathers growing in.
There is a waxy sheathing over the emerging pin feathers, as the new feathers grow out farther the birds begin to preen that covering off and it flakes off all over the place.

Pin feathers on a hard molting hen:

Sheathing starting to be preened off 5 days later:

 

[Fintechie]

Attached are two pictures takes from coop floor this morning. The specks do have the wax appearance. Should they feel like it too? Haven’t touched by hand so far...

 

[Fintechie]

White specks are sheathing from the new feathers growing in.
There is a waxy sheathing over the emerging pin feathers, as the new feathers grow out farther the birds begin to preen that covering off and it flakes off all over the place.

Pin feathers on a hard molting hen:
View attachment 2396281

Sheathing starting to be preened off 5 days later:
View attachment 2396282

I did see some chickens especially two leghorns molded like this..

 

[aart]

Attached are two pictures takes from coop floor this morning. The specks do have the wax appearance.

Looks like shed sheathing......a lot of it, just from one night?

Should they feel like it too? Haven’t touched by hand so far...

Eh....kinda.

 

[Fintechie]

Looks like shed sheathing......a lot of it, just from one night?

Eh....kinda.

Yes from one night, not all in the picture. But I have six of them going through molting, but three leghorns seem to have hard molt. One of them got snatched by bobcats on Saturday

 

[Mrs. K]

Yes, it is normal. In my experience, a hard molt, grows feathers back quick. But I just got a rooster in a hard molt, he looked terrible, and it seemed to take several weeks before he looked better, and his curved tail feathers are just now starting to get some length.

Mrs K