Yep, extra protein at start/during molt and feather regrowth is always needed. Protein is tricky because too much at the wrong occasion can be harmful on their liver, so I'm told. Amazingly, we've only had a couple chickens that molted like exploding pillows but they never showed bare skin -- I'm hoping it's because we feed a good organic diet, chicken vitamins, with extra protein supplemented at the right times for them.
Our Blue Wheaten Ameraucana molted in increments - molted, stopped, molted again, stopped. Here is one afternoon's lesser feather molt. She hid behind the wheel and wanted to be reclusive when she molted.
Chickens are uncomfortable and lethargic during molt and I found giving a drop on the side of their beak of children's no-iron liquid Poly-Vi-Sol vitamins perks them up a bit. My Silkies love the Poly-Vi-Sol and will drink their drop right out of my palm or from a plastic teaspoon. I think it's the vitamin E in it that they crave. Some owners actually use vitamin E capsules to squirt onto wet food or directly into the chicken's mouth. The bigger fowl I have to drop Poly-Vi-Sol on their beak to lick it up. I also supplement with Rooster Booster vitamins into some cooked organic brown rice a little each day -- adding Bee Pollen, Brewer's Yeast, and a tiny sprinkle of Selenium powder too. Sometimes they need the nutrition and gobble it up and some days not so much. They eat what their body needs. My vet always ends our visits recommending that we continue supplementing chickens with vitamins. He's a stickler for good feed and vitamins.
