molted vs plucked feathers

[jmfleish]

View attachment 215885

Here is his wing showing significant chewing damage

Ok, now there is damage! Wow! The feathers you are showing aren't showing much though. Do you have any that show significant damage? I don't mean to be pushy but if you could find some bad ones, it really would be helpful to those who don't know what they are looking for.

 

[Chihuahua]

I think the one in my OP was still growing and was plucked by him. Definitely wasn't "cut" or anything--he was bothering his feathers and when I went to put him up I found that on the chair he was sitting on.

 

[jmfleish]

View attachment 215886

Here is a feather that was DEFINITELY plucked--see the pointed tip and pink inside? showing chewing damage along the shaft (the lighter spots right by the shaft are from chewing)

It's still really hard to see but yes, now you can kind of see some of the chewing at the shaft a bit.

 

[jmfleish]

I think the one in my OP was still growing and was plucked by him. Definitely wasn't "cut" or anything--he was bothering his feathers and when I went to put him up I found that on the chair he was sitting on.

The first one really does look like a clean break...like I said, I'm not trying to beat a dead horse, it would just be really nice if you could find a feather or two that really shows some good damage so people know what they are looking at. I think it's just not showing up well in the pictures...maybe because of the shadows. The picture you took of the bird shows really good pictures of what chewed feathers look like with all the damage to the feathers...unfortunately they are still attached to him.

Do you know why he's doing this? I know, dumb question, it's usually several reasons. Did he come to you this way?

 

[Chihuahua]

They have a lot more damage than my crappy phone camera shows @jmfleish

Will try to get better pics, the single feather in the more recent post has a decent amount of damage but it's hard to see

He started doing it after a terrible clip.

Sorry for getting defensive, it was really unnecessary! I'm sure you know more than I do

 

[jmfleish]

They have a lot more damage than my crappy phone camera shows @jmfleish

Will try to get better pics, the one in the second post has a decent amount of damage but it's hard to see

He started doing it after a terrible clip.

If you look closely at the shaft right before the feathers start, you can see where the feathers have been disturbed a bit. This is great for learning! Thanks!

 

[Chihuahua]

when i get home i will try to take a better pic of the definitely plucked feather. will also update my post with accurate info lol

 

[Chihuahua]

@jmfleish i would still like to see your feathers... we should turn this into a "chewed/plucked/broken feather example/comparison thread"

 

[jmfleish]

@jmfleish i would still like to see your feathers... we should turn this into a "chewed/plucked/broken feather example/comparison thread"

I'll see what I can find when I get home...I don't generally keep the chewed up ones but I might have some laying around! My Ekkies are the worst!

 

[Bokkapooh]

Looks more like a broken/damage blood flight feather.

If this is happening because of a past bad feathers cut, it could be that the flight feathers are continually breaking.

 

[Bokkapooh]

Bokka had a hard time growing some flights when I first got him (he was my first umbrella cockatoo and passed away 4.5 years ago after having him 6 years). He was a rescue with health issues. And it took him a couple years to grow very strong flighted feathers from improved health and diet. It can take a while for the bkdy to be strong enough to finally grow strong feathers.

 

[Chihuahua]

Looks more like a broken/damage blood flight feather.

If this is happening because of a past bad feathers cut, it could be that the flight feathers are continually breaking.

hes definitely plucking as well, read on. im thinking that he agitated that one so much that it broke on its own at the shaft, he pulls on them with his feet and stuff

 

[Bokkapooh]

It really doesnt sound like he's doing it intentionally. But I'm just going by what you say.

Has he been to an avian vet for full blood work?

Perhaps his flight feathers irritate him? Or if he has health issues, that could be the cause.

 

[Chihuahua]

He does do it intentionally. I watch him do it. It sucks. He's been to the vet. We didn't do blood work but did do xrays and found nothing there. Tried him on prozac and it's helping. Vet said he is healthy in all other respects. It started immediately after the bad clip so we are reasonably sure it's behavioral.

 

[Bokkapooh]

The clip seems to be bothering him still It can take a year to two years to fully come back in.

 

[Chihuahua]

Yeah, it is. I put him in a soft collar to give it a chance to grow in. He just rips out the new flights as they come in. He is super nervous and the slightest sound makes him take off if he's not on the prozac, but the prozac seems to have calmed both his anxiety and the feather picking a bit.

 

[Begone]

He started doing it after a terrible clip.

I do think that this also is very important information to the one that are thinking about clipping flight feathers.
You will not only get a handicapped and unhealthy bird, their is also a risk of feathers plucking.

I hope Gabby soon will be fine!

 

[Chihuahua]

@jmfleish speaking of damaged feathers... gabby and orion were on my chest last night squaring off and i thought they had at least six inches between them but they were both kind of in my peripheral vision... i was trying to keep an eye on them and it seemed like they were doing alright. i did not see anyone touch anyone else but suddenly orion yelled and this feather fell off. he has never plucked, picked or chewed. thoughts?

trying to find the feathers in the op for better pics but they seem to have walked away while i was at work... i really need to bag them as soon as i get them!

edit: i think one of the dogs probably ate the bloody one... my mom found the other one on the floor

 

[Karen]

I can't see the base of the calamus in your picture, but from what I can see that looks like a molted feather. The sheared off straight area in the middle section looks to be chewed or possibly wore down from the cage bars.

 

[Macawnutz]

@jmfleish speaking of damaged feathers... gabby and orion were on my chest last night squaring off and i thought they had at least six inches between them but they were both kind of in my peripheral vision... i was trying to keep an eye on them and it seemed like they were doing alright. i did not see anyone touch anyone else but suddenly orion yelled and this feather fell off. he has never plucked, picked or chewed. thoughts? View attachment 215910

trying to find the feathers in the op for better pics but they seem to have walked away while i was at work... i really need to bag them as soon as i get them!

edit: i think one of the dogs probably ate the bloody one... my mom found the other one on the floor

That looks like wear to me too. Is it a covert feather from under the wing? That's my guess, they are very delicate feathers that often have wear.