broken blood feather...to pull or not to pull

[sweet francis]

*Not that this is a dire emergency, but I wasn't sure where else to post this*

OK, so I took initiative and read through some older posts regarding broken blood feathers before I posted this, but I am still confused because of all the conflicting responses. Francis has a broken blood feather that I discovered when I came home for lunch today, and it had appeared to have stopped bleeding so I went back to work to finish my appointments. When I came home tonight it still looked ok, but he was picking at it and it was bleeding a tiny bit and has since stopped again after applying cayenne and quickstop. So do I pluck the bugger or not?? I'd rather not because I am alone with him and don't think I could do it by myself nor do I want to traumatize the poor guy. Does it HAVE to come out at some point or can it stay there and grow out? He's fine now, and dozing off because it is pretty much time for me to put him in his sleeping cage for the night.

 

[Macawnutz]

You can leave the feather as long as you can get it to stop bleeding. Did he break the end, the middle? It should continue to grow and just have a mark on the feather where it was broken.

 

[sweet francis]

You can leave the feather as long as you can get it to stop bleeding. Did he break the end, the middle? It should continue to grow and just have a mark on the feather where it was broken.

It's a pretty short nub on his back and it was just the very tip. (and thank you, btw )

 

[Macawnutz]

on his back? Awww, Francis will be fine. Most of the time when you are reading about pulling blood feathers they are large wing or tail feathers. They can bleed at a rapid rate and are sometimes difficult to get stopped. If you can't stop the bleeding or the break is severe enough that you risk re bleeding or re injury you pull it. It is not fun and I really get upset when I have to do it but you have to do what you have to do. I would watch the feather and make sure he is not bothering it. Quikstop will stop the bleeding but if he is picking at it best to use something non toxic. Cayenne, flour or corn starch.

 

[sweet francis]

Thanks, Sarah! I figured as much, but just wanted to be sure I wasn't being a bad mom by just leaving it be.

 

[Macawnutz]

Better to be safe than sorry. Just watch it for the evening, it should be fine.

 

[Lauren]

I JUST recently encountered this with Seth!!
I was at first, able to clot the feather and it stopped bleeding for a week (mind you this was a large wing feather). Seth being Seth, fussed with the feather and opened it up again.
After almost an hour of mentally preparing myself and actually using this video from YouTube with a chicken: Treatment for Bleeding Feather on Chicken - YouTube, I toweled Seth, grabbed a pair of needle nose pliers, grasped the shaft of the feather as close to the skin as possible, and pulled...


I swear, I was shaking so hard I would've spilled an entire glass of water if I was holding it

 

[Welshanne]

Always help stop any bleeding and leave it alone for it to eventually come out on its own and I find it on the floor of the cage or on the floor after a fly past. Think it is less traumatic to leave them come out naturally if possible and no harm done to the one that follows.

 

[Lauren]

I have never had to pull a blood feather in 7 years of owning parrots. It was new territory for me with Seth.

I would've left it to fall out on its own, however, the mass amounts of blood coming from it would have endangered Seth's life if I had chosen to let it close up on its own.


Whether or not to pull a blood feather is a judgement call for the owners themselves with the health of their parrot in mind

 

[Giosmom]

Leave the feather if it's stopped bleeding. It will look as if it's still moist and clotty for a couple days bit as long as you cake it with the quick stop it will be fine. When you notice her messing with it or picking at it just distract her. In 3-4 days it will dry up. I don't like pulling them and feel only in the case where they won't stop bleeding should you.
Keep me posted. My goffin girl just went through this 2 months ago she fell while doing her acrobats on her play stand and knicked her feather just right on her perch on the way down and there was quite a bit of blood. I didn't have quick stop but I had corn starch and packed it up and kept my eye on her. It was the Night before Thanksgiving and I couldn't get her to the vet until Monday because he was off for the holiday. They didn't pull it because it was drying up by then.
Good luck!