• 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

At what point should I be concerned about Erwin's flight feathers (not) growing in?

WikiWaz

Rollerblading along the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/2/21
Messages
1,260
Location
Midwest, United States
Real Name
Signe
Hi - It's a question I've been wondering for awhile. I get the all three birds toenails trimmed in 3 weeks by our exotic vet, so I will be asking her too.

We adopted Erin in late Feb 2022. The shelter clipped all of his flight feathers. Since then, only one flight feather has grown back. When/at what time should I start being concerned about flight feathers not growing back in? In a year, February 2023?

We think he would be more comfortable and confident (and come out of his cage more), if he could safely land on play stands. It seems like he does want to fly, but often lands unsuccessfully. Perhaps this is why he doesn't fly often. When Erwin does fly, he "lands" by clinging onto the metal horizontal blinds and then needs our help, via perch, to get to a play stand.
 

expressmailtome

Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/15/10
Messages
49,992
Real Name
Matthew
Bump.
 

flyzipper

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/28/20
Messages
2,591
Location
Canada
Real Name
Steve
When/at what time should I start being concerned about flight feathers not growing back in?
I get the all three birds toenails trimmed in 3 weeks by our exotic vet, so I will be asking her too.
Try not to be concerned unless that vet check tells you a past wing clip was done so badly that it damaged Erwin's ability to regrow flight feathers.

We adopted Erwin in late Feb 2022
How old is he? Do you know if he was given the opportunity to fledge (if he's young) or fly (if he's older) prior to his latest clip?

When Erwin does fly, he "lands" by clinging onto the metal horizontal blinds and then needs our help, via perch, to get to a play stand.
I suspect his confidence and skill will both grow as his flight feathers do :)
 
Last edited:

WikiWaz

Rollerblading along the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/2/21
Messages
1,260
Location
Midwest, United States
Real Name
Signe
When Erwin had his wellness visit this spring the vet did not mention anything about a bad past wing clip. The vet is an exotic vet though, not an avian specialist. On a side not, when Erwin, Sprite and Wisp are due for their next yearly wellness visits, in 2023, we plan driving 1.5 hours east of our town to an avian vet. It's in our birds best interest to have an avian vet, even if it means 3 hour round trip. At least we live in a capital city with an 24 hour emergency vet clinic run by the university in case of emergencies.

We do not know his age because the shelter didn't know his age. We don't know if he had the opportunity to fly when he was young, or fly prior to his last wing clip.

It is our hope that his confidence will grow as his flight feathers grow. He does have confidence issues. The door to his cage stays open whenever we are home and he is free to leave, but prefers to stay in his cage. When he wants to leave his cage, he'll scream for about an hour before he works up the courage to climb out of his cage and sit on the top of it. It's his choice, of course, but we hope when he's feeling more confident he's fly to the play gyms more often.
 

WikiWaz

Rollerblading along the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/2/21
Messages
1,260
Location
Midwest, United States
Real Name
Signe
Update: Took Erwin, Sprite and Wisp in for toenail trims with the exotic vet on Oct 14th. The vet told us it can take up to 12 months for flight feathers to grow back in.

We adopted Erwin from a shelter in February where they (or presumably someone else) clipped him. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea to reach out to the shelter and ask if their records show that they clipped him, or if he was clipped already? That might give more clues as to the duration of time with this particular wing clip.

The good news is that he has yet to molt with us, so there's still hope his primaries will grow back in. I'm hopeful they'll still grow back, but each passing day has me worried.
 

flyzipper

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/28/20
Messages
2,591
Location
Canada
Real Name
Steve
As somebody who also brought home birds who had been clipped by their previous guardians I completely understand your impatience (x3 actually).

You could ask the shelter if they remember when Edwin was clipped (if it'll make you feel better), but they'll still molt when they molt :)

All I can suggest is patience and encourage you (to try) not to worry.
 

flyzipper

Rollerblading along the road
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/28/20
Messages
2,591
Location
Canada
Real Name
Steve
(oops... Erwin, not "Edwin", but the advice stays the same)
 

WikiWaz

Rollerblading along the road
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/2/21
Messages
1,260
Location
Midwest, United States
Real Name
Signe
I hope it begins. Let's hope this is the first of his clipped flight feathers to drop, so that he can be fully flighted again. Erwin Feather.JPG
 
Last edited by a moderator:

Kassiani

Biking along the boulevard
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
9/12/20
Messages
6,832
Location
Southeastern U.S.
My Opie was clipped his whole life and isn't aware that actual flying is an option. He will occasionally flutter to the ground, but not much else. His flights grew in completely during the first year he was with me. I hope your sweet Erwin will soon have all his feathers and learn to use and trust them!
 

aooratrix

Macawaholic
Super Moderator
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/6/13
Messages
6,049
Real Name
Matthew
It takes a LONG time for them to grow back. Diet is a factor, but I think genetics plays a role, too. I would suggest more bathing, but tiels in the wild don't bathe frequently, to my knowledge. Cockatiels are long, slender birds, so flight is possible even without a full complement of feathers.
 
Top