We have five hens at our current location. That's the limit. No roosters; they are not allowed due to their cock crows. But, let me tell you, a hen celebrating the recent release of an egg can be astonishing loud. They can also be quite demanding. Should you be tardy in supplying their extra portion of scraps and vegetable left-overs, you will hear about it.
On a more serious note, moulting is a somewhat embarrassing affair. We have four ISA Browns and one Sussex. The ISAs look particularly bedraggled during a moult. The Sussex doesn't look so bad; but, she drops feathers everywhere...it looks like there was a pillow fight in the run.
One thing to increase during a moult is protein intake. Feathers are made of such. And, a great source of protein is canned cat or dog food in a pinch. The chooks love it and it can be added to their daily allotment of feed. Just take Fido's bowl and move it into the run (let your canine companion get his or her portion first).
It's not cheap. However, it does mean that the hens recover faster and start laying again earlier.
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