Is this just molting?

[Kateslilfarm]

I'm a first year chicken mom who is still learning. I have a 18 month old lavender orpington who is going through her first molt. I'm in WI and it is extremely cold here, current temps with windchill are around -15, without wind are at 0. She has been molting for almost a month. She is continuously losing feathers and has lots of new ones coming in. She has also lost weight and is really struggling with the cold. We have an insulated and draft free coop with low humidity and a 24' x 40' fenced run that is wrapped in plastic for 3/4 of the run (the part that is sheltered from the wind is not wrapped). Part of the run has a roof and the girls are all sticking to that area and not venturing out despite me shoveling paths in the snow. They have access to layer feed, high protein feed, chick feed and water in a heated waterer. I have a flock of mixed ages, thus the variety of feed. I am also making them warm mash with their feed in the AM and again before bed. We also offer them fresh veggies daily.
She continually has these little black flecks under where she has been roosting, I am wondering if its just blood flecks / scabs from pin feathers. I have checked her over repeatedly and see no evidence of lice or mite and her poop looks completely normal. Pics attached from this AM showing feathers, poop, and black specks.
Thanks for any advice as we all love this girl and want to make sure we help her in any way we can.

 

[Bonkerelli]

Hello and welcome! Congrats on your chicken adventure. Chickens are funny creatures. They will molt anytime they see fit. Mine molt at the beginning of winter. They do not lay eggs, eat and drink less and less active when they molt. It's kinda hard to tell what the black flecks are from the pictures. It could be dried blood from damaged pin feathers or feather casings falling off when she cleans herself (normal). When chickens molt you don't want to handle them too much. It can cause damage to the new feathers and general discomfort for the bird. It takes a few weeks to be fully feathered again. Hope this helps.

 

[Eggcessive]

You could bring in some of the black flecks and look at them with a magnifying glass, and also wet some and probe them to see if they are bloody. Some mites only come on the chickens during the dark of night, hiding out in the coop during the day. But there should be some signs on the skin if mites.