Ender 3 Pro, Slicr, retraction: 6mm; temp: 215; PLA+.
The pin feathers usually happen in the upper layers. Cura doesn't do this, but it's so desperately slow as an app (to load, to slice, to preview) that I'm trying Slicr, (which does everything almost instantly.)
Any advice how to avoid them?
(The top surface is another issue I can't seem to solve, but one thing at a time.)
If you have the stock extruder, check if the drive gear is slipping. Mark the filament and extrude it. If it moves intermittently, you have an extruder problem. In that case you should replace it with a dual gear extruder. I found one recently with bondtech gears. Depending on how your drive gear is mounted (pressed or grub screw) you might need a hammer :). The procedure should not be complicated.