Why is only one wing growing back?

[CrazyBirdChick]

Blu will be 2 in April and he came to me with a pretty bad clip almost 6 months ago. I believe he's been clipped all of his life.

He went through a pretty major molt recently and 4 clipped primaries came out. I was very excited to see him get his wings back but, unfortunately, they only came in on his left wing.

Not a single feather came back on his right wing!

I understand it may take a year or even two for all of his flights to come back, if nothing is wrong but...why are they only growing back on one side? Could his right wing just be damaged forever?

 

[JLcribber]

If the feather follicle is damaged they may not grow back. Your vet would need to examine them closely to see if that's the situation.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

If the feather follicle is damaged they may not grow back. Your vet would need to examine them closely to see if that's the situation.

Thanks, John. I sure hope that's not the case. That would suck!

I don't know if it matters, I should have specified, that the clipped feathers did not fall from the right yet (I don't think) so I'm hoping they will grow back once they actually fall.

I am going to give it a few more months and then ask the vet. It's just weird that only one wing molted.

Thanks again for the reply!

 

[AviaryByTheSea]

Feather growth, molting, and new feather development is largely controlled by hormones.... Nutrition and environmental factors can influence hormones and molts. 1 indication of an issue would be if the feathers are hypermature, your avian vet can easily identify this visually. My experience is my bird molt their primary flight feathers in pairs... but not always. Flight Feathers that are "plucked" typically start to grow back immediately, which is why people clip their birds.

 

[JLcribber]

If the clipped feathers are still intact and healthy at the base then the follicles are fine. They just haven't fallen out yet.

This is the consequence of clipping. Wing feathers are not like body feathers. They only moult one or two at a time so as to not compromise safety.

Your situation is that all those feathers were clipped when they were brand new. They all still have a full lifespan before they are ready to fall out.

It takes about 2 years (possibly even more) to replace "all" the flight feathers.

 

[CrazyBirdChick]

Feather growth, molting, and new feather development is largely controlled by hormones.... Nutrition and environmental factors can influence hormones and molts. 1 indication of an issue would be if the feathers are hypermature, your avian vet can easily identify this visually. My experience is my bird molt their primary flight feathers in pairs... but not always. Flight Feathers that are "plucked" typically start to grow back immediately, which is why people clip their birds.

Thank you very much!

If the clipped feathers are still intact and healthy at the base then the follicles are fine. They just haven't fallen out yet.

This is the consequence of clipping. Wing feathers are not like body feathers. They only moult one or two at a time so as to not compromise safety.

Your situation is that all those feathers were clipped when they were brand new. They all still have a full lifespan before they are ready to fall out.

It takes about 2 years (possibly even more) to replace "all" the flight feathers.

Thanks again, so much!

 

[meyerd1]

Thank you very much!



Thanks again, so much!

I am having the same issue with my Dusky Conur she is growing out her left wing feather, but not the right. It seems not to be growing. Is there something I can do to stimulate this to grow

Blu will be 2 in April and he came to me with a pretty bad clip almost 6 months ago. I believe he's been clipped all of his life.

He went through a pretty major molt recently and 4 clipped primaries came out. I was very excited to see him get his wings back but, unfortunately, they only came in on his left wing.

Not a single feather came back on his right wing!

I understand it may take a year or even two for all of his flights to come back, if nothing is wrong but...why are they only growing back on one side? Could his right wing just be damaged forever?

I am having the same issue with my Dusky Conur she is growing out her left wing feather, but not the right. It seems not to be growing. Is there something I can do to stimulate this to grow rather than taking her to a vet? Thanks

 

[Shezbug]

I am having the same issue with my Dusky Conur she is growing out her left wing feather, but not the right. It seems not to be growing. Is there something I can do to stimulate this to grow


I am having the same issue with my Dusky Conur she is growing out her left wing feather, but not the right. It seems not to be growing. Is there something I can do to stimulate this to grow rather than taking her to a vet? Thanks

This is a very old thread- you may be best off to post a thread of your own with your issue.