Feather Problems - with pics

[Clare]

Petey is moulting at the moment but still hasn't regrown wing feathers from when he was clipped when I got him in June and tail feathers that were cut too. I am unsure about the shape of the new tail feathers, but don't know whether its just because they are the middle blue ones.




This is the clipped wing, clipped in June by the breeder, and there are some feathers growing but they are still in their sheath (?) Is this normal?
Sorry about the quality, he doesn't let me touch his wing and doesn't like to be handled.



And this is just a general pic of how bad he is looking, despite an excellent diet. (he is discoloured becuase he is wet from his shower)



I have been to the all of the vets in town and none know much about birds. I will try to travel to visit an avian vet over Christmas but if anyone offer their opinion it would be appreciated. I am very concerned about the sheath staying on the wing feathers, because it is very thick and black.

[Kristen]

Those turquoise ones are his long tailfeathers...and they're cuuute. I think that the sheath's are normal, but don't quote me on that.

[Ed Loschi]

Your fid does look a little raggedy, probably a bad initial clipping, but the new flight feathers look perfectly normal. Birds are always quick to bite when their new feathers are coming in, the sheathed blood feathers actually have nerves in them until they are unsheathed, and so can be tender.

Your fid looks ok.

[kyria]

Yep molting is a hard time for the birds, they get very moody and unpredictable, its gotta be itchy and uncomfortable. The new tail feathers look stunning and very healthy and the black sheathed feathers are, as Ed says, blood feathers. In time they will settle in, its very important that you keep checking him, as breaking one of these feathers will result in some blood loss. If he does break one, have some corn starch/corn flower ready to apply generously onto the break, and if the bleeding doesn't stop be ready to have the feather pulled (correctly by the vet).

He does look rather ratty at the moment, but give it some time and he will be the best looking bird, I tell you. My birds are all molting and heavily too this season, feathers from a** hole to breakfast. They have pin feathers poking out all over the place.

Make sure he gets plenty of baths (this will soften the sheaths and help them break off from around the feather easier) and plenty of greens in the form of beans and some extra calcium, maybe in the form of some scrambled egg with the shell ground up in it once a week or so.

My fids will let me preen them, rubb their little faces where they cannot reach to preen their own sheaths off the new feathers.

[Lauren]

Oh dear that does look a little ratty. The flight feather shafts look very thick. I havnt seen that before. I do hope its just a hard moult and that he looks and feels better soon.

Yoda doesnt have a tail at the moment, I call him 'Stumpy ducky bum'. LOL. I only just found his clipped feathers on the floor and I was wondering when they were going to fall out. He also has a few sheaths on the head that have been there for a week.

[Clare]

I took Petey to the vet yesterday along with my other bird for a clipping. Petey is looking so much better. I got both wings clipped and when the thick feathers that had their sheaths still on got clipped they bled, so the vey pulled them.

It wasn't the neatest job, but they both bit the vet and one bit him very deep. I was suprised to find they were both their normal selves after the clipping as I read some birds get cranky.

Here he is now


And this is Percy after his clip yesterday.

[Melika]

I'm really surprised your vet clipped his blood feathers! Is your vet an avian vet or experienced with parrots?

The thick shafts have their own vein (blood supply) runing to it as they grow. The blood inside the feather shaft is what makes it look dark. They shouldn't be cut until they're fully grown and the blood supply goes away (this naturally occurs and the feather will no longer appear dark). Having a feather pulled is very stressful and painful for a a bird- bloodfeathers will always bleed if cut or broken.

Since they've been pulled, they'll simply go through the process of growing in again. You'll see the bloodfeathers again. Don't worry about them, they are normal. Let them grow.

The sheath should remain on a growing feather until it is full grown, this is normal. The sheath is clear in colour.

Make sure they grow in completely before clipping.

Now you'll have to watch him carefully to make sure he doesn't break any of his bloodfeathers as they grow in. Since the growing feather won't be supported or protected by any other long wing feathers.

I like to let all the feathers grow in before clipping our bird's wings. This way I can be sure his blood feathers are supported by the other feathers and that his feathers are finished growing (no more bloodfeathers). This means I only have to clip once every moult.

[Ed Loschi]

Hey,
I gotta say ditto on Melika's comments. The vet should not have clipped blood feathers and should have known not to have clipped them. Let the feathers grow out completely then clip the flight feathers. There are some really good instructions somewhere on this website about the accepted feather clipping techniques.