Molting-

[TulsiVana]

Hi everyone! I’m wondering about molting- Tulsi turned a year old Dec. 20th. When we got her in September, she had tons of pin feathers and was losing a lot of those light gray, soft fluffy fetchers but that’s all subsided; until now. Shes starting to lose those soft, fluffy under feathers (?idk what they’re called?) and she’s is getting some pin feathers but those soft grey ones are numerous a day on her pan, and our floor - is this the beginning of molting do you think? Also- as a secondary question- is there a link I can go to to learn about that process so I’m (we/she) are prepared? She’s been agitated off and on these few days too- she goes from her normal self to just fiiiiiesty

 

[Pixiebeak]

My quakers have started shedding the underfluff and small feathers. Think it just time .

My GCC doesn't get feisty with molts , except she does not want me messing with tender pins , but does want help when get crunchy. But I think other people have talked of them getting a little grouchy.

It takes extra calories for molts , and little extra protein. If you feed pellets , check labels, may need to switch to high potency during molts .

I haven't seen a resource for what to feed during molts . But myself I offer a little boiled or scrambled egg , like half a teaspoon, a little walnut like less than half a walnut, and maybe controversial a tiny tiny piece of well cooked chicken. In addition to their regular diet of veg , pellets , and seeds

Well I this article is promoting their supplements ,which I'm against. I'm also not a fan of white potatoes at all, or rice . But they do offer foods lists and what they think are important nutrition needed during molts. Other sources talked the need to boost calories and protein as well

8 Critical Bird Vitamins For Vibrant Parrot Feathers That Glow

Birds require eight essential vitamins for beautiful feathers. Head on over to this post to learn how to feed your bird these natural bird vitamins for feathers.

birdsupplies.com

 

[Pixiebeak]

Oops ran out of edit time,
I put in here why I chose those foods support mine ... again just me from my researching and me trying to do my best

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forums.avianavenue.com

 

[papaya13]

I've been supplementing my TAG's normal diet with a bit of red palm oil (calories, vit. E, A, K, and a common food for his species), cooked sweet potato and carrots (vit. A), and additional protein in the form of cooked lentils and a little egg.

I've also been misting him every other day or so with a 50/50 mix of 100% aloe juice and filtered water (my tap water is super hard).

His new feathers look WAY better than the old ones- colorful, straight, and glossy. I can't wait for the full makeover!

 

[Parutti]

My Quaker and my former foster cockatiel molt uneventfully. I do add extra calories and protein - I knew when the cockatiel was molting because he turned into a FIEND for chicken, and my Quaker is currently obsessed with cheese when he normally isn't. My Quaker is starting to molt now, a few feathers here and there. He's also started building a nest but is still young enough his behavior hasn't changed too much this season.... yet

My African ringneck gets weekly palm oil (recommended by my vet; palm dates are their major food source in Gambia so i feel it's safe for him- my Quaker only gets a little taste occasionally). I offer extra food when he molts including chicken but he tends to eat more veggies then usual during his molts so far, especially red peppers (vit A need maybe? or comfort food?) He typically starts molting later into spring/summer and so far his molts have been insanely rough. I made a thread here (Rough molts?) because it was so shocking the first year I had him - he is a plucker anyway, so started out naked, and then just exploded with feathers everywhere all at once. He gets VERY grumpy and quiet/less active for about three weeks. Seeing so clearly what his body goes through made me a lot more proactive with extra calories/nutrition/baths for my birds that molt slowly.

Like @papaya13 I also have used 100% aloe juice (not gel!) diluted with distilled water - I wish my guys were better acclimated to spray baths because it did seem to help my plucker especially. Someday! The feathers on his head look amazing anyhow

 

[Parutti]

~~ I should clarify my Quaker doesn't get palm oil because my vet recommends NOT to give it to him since there is data it can cause liver problems. My ARN is a special needs guy so I do things I wouldn't for a healthy bird with a varied diet My ARN is the only one that molts all at once and it's obvious since he's plucked and gets a ton of bloodflow under his skin first.

Quaker I would never know except for finding feathers in the cage tray!

 

[papaya13]

I've been supplementing my TAG's normal diet with a bit of red palm oil

ALSO will mention Merlin's a skinny dude and I've been trying to get some grams on him since adopting. I'll probably discontinue the palm oil in the spring when it's warmer for the reasons @Parutti mentioned

 

[TulsiVana]

Thank you @papaya13 @Parutti for the information. Will they usually lose all their feathers and become naked for a period? Is that a given? Poor things. I hope she’s not a plucker- she hasn’t been thus far since we’ve had her, I hope it stays that way
Tulsi eats chop almost all day with red and yellow peppers (her fav),carrots, cauliflower, some healthy /safe greens, sprouted oats or brown rice, -fruit occasionally- which she definitely prefers lol
She also gets Harrison’s pellets but I’ll switch her back over to the high potency version. She does love cooked sweet potato & egg so she’s gets those weekly. She also likes chicken, which I learned because she tries to steal it from me whenever I make it, and loves what she gets away with ‍
I don’t give her seed mixes because she seems allergic (extra itchy and some red to the whites of her eyes) to something in the mixes-and when I stop giving it to her, those issues go away. Idk what it is she’s possibly allergic to so now I just give her very small pieces of a nut here and there. I haven’t given her walnut so I’ll try very small pieces of that coming up.

I’ll try the aloe juice and water spritz. She is so funny because she loves to take a shower in our sink, or in our actual shower, when the water is running. I ended up making a platform at both areas that allows her to do that more freely when it is running and she loves it.

 

[Parutti]

Will they usually lose all their feathers and become naked for a period? Is that a given?

No, usually the new feathers are coming in already when the old feathers fall out. In the birds I've fostered and my Quaker, I never see bald patches. Sometimes one or two feathers will look a little ruffly in places for one day but usually they look pretty normal with pins here and there.

It makes sense that feathers grow super fast so that their ability to fly isn't affected. My ringneck is a major exception to the norm

I think even spritzing with just water is helpful to their comfort, especially if you live somewhere dry. That's fantastic that she likes bathing! That should help a lot.

 

[Mizzely]

Being naked is not part of the molting process for most species (a few exceptions). If you are seeing bald patches, it could be feather destructive behavior. Some areas, like under the wing, are naturally more sparsely feathered.

And I think something that's good to know is that while Molting as a big event happens 1-3 times a year and involves a lot of feathers, and can include tail and wing feathers, they will lose small body feathers in smaller amounts year round.

 

[TulsiVana]

Being naked is not part of the molting process for most species (a few exceptions). If you are seeing bald patches, it could be feather destructive behavior. Some areas, like under the wing, are naturally more sparsely feathered.

And I think something that's good to know is that while Molting as a big event happens 1-3 times a year and involves a lot of feathers, and can include tail and wing feathers, they will lose small body feathers in smaller amounts year round.

She doesn’t have any bald spots idk for sure she’s molting- it was just new- all these poofy grey feathers so I was curious what to look for. Thank you so much for the information!