First Molt

[elitys]

Well, I think my baby girl is having her first molt. She's 6 months old in three days, so I think the timing works out. We've got some down fluff being lost, and I've gotten several larger gifts as well (including a little red belly feather, I nearly died it was so cute). No flight or tail feathers yet, but she has a pile of pins around her cheeks and under her beak, I think there's about 8 of em! And she's got quite an attitude at the moment, but I don't blame her one bit.

Anything a first time bird owner should know about the molt or how to ease her discomfort? She loves when I scratch around her pin feathers, but doesn't really like me trying to help break the casings, so I don't push it. She is offered a bath every day, and usually takes it. She has some "preening" toys to help distract her from over-preening, but she's destroyed all her favorites really quickly, the ones that are stuffed with zig zag paper. If I should give her more toys like that or any others, let me know and I'll buy or make some for her.

I also read that adding some extra protein may be beneficial. I gave her a bit of plain cooked egg white yesterday as a treat. What about dried mealworms? I have a bunch of them for my hamster, but I've read mixed things about them for birds. Any other foods that help with feather health?

Thanks!

 

[Mizzely]

Sound like you are doing everything right Don't stress too much about it at long as she's normally on a good diet. She may not loose any fight or tail feathers; my babies never lost theirs until 12 to 18 months. And molting is a continuous process that happens all the time; when people talk about "molts" they are usually talking about the big explosions of feathers that happen 1 to 3 times a year, but feather loss and pins are as natural to a bird as humans shedding hair

 

[elitys]

Sound like you are doing everything right Don't stress too much about it at long as she's normally on a good diet. She may not loose any fight or tail feathers; my babies never lost theirs until 12 to 18 months. And molting is a continuous process that happens all the time; when people talk about "molts" they are usually talking about the big explosions of feathers that happen 1 to 3 times a year, but feather loss and pins are as natural to a bird as humans shedding hair

Well, she's lost about six feathers this week just that I've noticed, and has quite a few more pins than seems normal. How would i tell if it's a big one vs. normal loss?

 

[Mizzely]

Well, she's lost about six feathers this week just that I've noticed, and has quite a few more pins than seems normal. How would i tell if it's a big one vs. normal loss?

When you worry if your bird exploded and they look like they are part porcupine

 

[elitys]

When you worry if your bird exploded and they look like they are part porcupine

Gotcha

 

[elitys]

@Mizzely

Update: I think she heard what you said, because the explosion seems to be starting. Counted four decent sized feathers dropped from this morning to now, two of which were in the last hour. My little green bean's got a big storm coming I guess.