• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

flight feathers growing back

junglechicken

Walking the driveway
Joined
10/4/18
Messages
182
i don't believe in clipping my birds. i'm not knocking those who do. everyone has to do what is best in their individual situation, it's just not something i do. i also promised the guy who gave me the junglechicken that i would never clip him. considering that i don't believe in it anyway, that was an easy promise to make and keep.

unfortunately, the junglechicken didn't get the memo on that one. he chewed all of his flight feathers off of one wing. i mean chewed them OFF (he is a chronic plucker/barberer of feathers, though before it has always been his body and tail).

this left him confused, i would imagine sad, and he had a few crashes before he realized that flight was no longer an option. it breaks my heart to see my beautiful love not being able to do what nature built him to do.

now his flight feathers are growing back. besides being worried that he will chew them off again, i am worried that he will have forgotten how to fly, or be afraid to try since he crashed a few times.

has anyone else gone through this? could your birds fly once they had flight feathers back? did they just sort of know how or did you have to re-teach them? please let me know. i want him to be as happy and whole as possible.

thank you!
 

sunnysmom

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/16/13
Messages
28,803
Location
Pennsylvania
Real Name
Michelle
Elvis came to us clipped. I don't know for how long he had been clipped, but we let his feather grow out. He just seemed to know he could fly again and didn't have any problems at all. I was actually watching him fly this morning and was amazed at how he can swoop and turn as quickly as he does.
 

Linearis

Walking the driveway
Joined
7/19/18
Messages
204
My parrotlet was clipped when I got her, took around 5 months or so for the feathers to grow back completely and once they were back she could just fly. Not super well, but she got better and better and now she's a pro (well, sort of... she can fly from across the room and make a semi-smooth landing on my shoulder so I consider that pretty good).
 

BlueDoraBarry

Walking the driveway
Joined
12/20/18
Messages
265
Real Name
Barry
If they knew how to fly it's pretty much impossible for them to forget. I wouldn't worry. He could be scared, but as soon as he realizes he has wings he'll fly. I remember our African grey, after growing his wings, he was scared of flying and crashing; so my dad put him on his hands and lifted him up and down, eventually, he realized he can lift himself and took off.
 

Zara

♥❀Livin´ in Lovebird Land❀☼
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Avenue Concierge
Joined
1/8/18
Messages
31,366
Location
Reino de España
Wow that´s really sad @junglechicken :( Poor little guy!

I´m the same as you, I don´t clip and none of my birds have ever been clipped. I just wanted to comment to wish you both luck!

I would be wary of his first flights as he may have lost wing muscle. Maybe stick closeby so you can catch him if needs be. I hope everything goes smoothly!

:hug8:
 

Fuzzy

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
10/30/10
Messages
4,331
Location
Jersey, Channel Islands
Real Name
Roz
Really hoping he won't chew off his new feathers!!

Chico too is a chronic plucker... he has obviously spent a lifetime chewing off his wing feathers. He has flights, but they are tiny... miniature feathers. Certainly no good for flying. Bobbie was fully flighted but unable to fly when she arrived having been shut in a cage for 7 years. It took a while and she used the sofa as a crash pad, but slowly her muscles got strong enough to carry her. She can fly now.

Greys are heavy birds as are Amazons - so be aware that he could split his keel bone falling on a hard surface. Might be an idea to put a heavy rug in front of his cage until he can fly again?
 
Top