Molting...what does it really look like?

[mertzee]

I am extremely new to chickens and I have a hen, who bless her heart, looks like she has been caught in a tornado. She has what appears to be a lot broken feathers. She looked like this prior to my getting her two weeks ago so I don't know that the bullying she has been getting is the main cause. I have searched her for any signs of mites or lice - none that I can tell. Every other bird in my flock has a beautiful sleek coat of feathers. She, on the other hand, seems to have several sparse to bald spots but not irritated? I have no clue if she is or was molting. She is laying but not daily (that's a whole other issue). I have kept her separated from the bullies and am trying to slowly integrate them but my word this poor thing looks pitiful!!! The first picture is Ethel (the hen in question). The second picture is Lucy. Of course the third is the two together. You can see the stark contrast in their feathers. Wondering if there's something more I need to be doing.

Their diet is 16% layer crumbles daily.
A little scratch each day more to prevent the boredom. And oyster shells are out constantly.

Any thoughts?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't see obvious signs of molt in those photos. Then again many birds molt fairly evenly and it can be hard to see even in person.

Molting shouldn't look like broken feathers. It should look like entire feathers dropping off, and replaced by pinfeathers (which look like quills). This is a more extreme example, but you can see obvious missing patches (not broken feathers) and the incoming pinfeathers clearly:

Bullying sounds more likely when you see broken feathers, or, she has fragile feathers that break more readily than a typical bird's.

You could try upping protein % in their feed to help with feather development and to possibly help combat picking issues, if there are any. Somewhere around 18-20% protein.