Feather... Grinding?

[Azalea]

My female blue Quaker has been pulling out her feathers, mostly the scalloped chest feathers, and grinding them up into tiny wisps that are a pain to clean up. I should note that I have only witnessed her doing this when she's sitting on my desk with me. She's never plucked before, lives freely on our back porch, and I cover up her cage at night. She is molting right now, which may be why, but I'm not sure if she is preparing to nest, has a disrupted sleep cycle, or just wants to spite me. Any insight?

 

[Wardy]

My female blue Quaker has been pulling out her feathers, mostly the scalloped chest feathers, and grinding them up into tiny wisps that are a pain to clean up. I should note that I have only witnessed her doing this when she's sitting on my desk with me. She's never plucked before, lives freely on our back porch, and I cover up her cage at night. She is molting right now, which may be why, but I'm not sure if she is preparing to nest, has a disrupted sleep cycle, or just wants to spite me. Any insight?

If she is moulting this is very probablly her preening herself and removing her older feathers.

What is her sleep cycle ? is it disrupted ? you dictate her sleep cycle

why would she want to spite you ? birds pull feathers out it's nothing personal she is moulting and doing what birds do when they moult

 

[Zara]

Welcome to the Avenue!

 

[Azalea]

If she is moulting this is very probablly her preening herself and removing her older feathers.

What is her sleep cycle ? is it disrupted ? you dictate her sleep cycle

why would she want to spite you ? birds pull feathers out it's nothing personal she is moulting and doing what birds do when they moult

I do try to keep her sleep cycle timed with the seasonal solar cycle, and she's done a fair bit to make me think she likes my displeased reactions. I figured she was molting, but my problem is that I don't understand why she seems so... obsessed, so to speak, with grinding up her already molted feathers in her beak into fluttery little wisps. I'd attach a video, but it ain't letting me. I'm hoping it's just a personality thing or something.

 

[Wardy]

I do try to keep her sleep cycle timed with the seasonal solar cycle, and she's done a fair bit to make me think she likes my displeased reactions. I figured she was molting, but my problem is that I don't understand why she seems so... obsessed, so to speak, with grinding up her already molted feathers in her beak into fluttery little wisps. I'd attach a video, but it ain't letting me. I'm hoping it's just a personality thing or something.

Both of my conures eat/grind there moulted feathers up