Is there any kind of vitamin deficiency that would cause a bird to eat their own feathers?

[arayabd]

My canary has been balding for a couple months. We took her to the vet because we thought it was mites and replaced all the wood in her cage with new, plastic, toys, as well as gave her mite medication from the vet. She was itching a lot before and has since stopped doing that. However, sometimes I hear/see her chewing and eating her own feathers, which is certainly different from her regular preening. She is losing so many feathers. She's pretty bald on the neck, underside, and underneath her wings. I am quite worried. I've noticed she chews on her feathers a lot, or will sometimes one that's fallen off and just eat it. Lately, I've been pulling them out of her mouth. Other than that, her behaviour and eating/drinking habits are totally normal.

She usually eats a combined pellet and seed diet, I often also sprinkle egg food on there. She wakes up with the sun and we put her right to bed when it gets dark.

Does anyone know what this is and how to stop this behaviour?

Thank you.

 

[Olliebirb]

Bump

 

[Shezbug]

@finchly

 

[Ripshod]

No, there isn't. Feathers are built with protein (keratin) and are indigestible. The only thing that can be on them is preen oil and possibly D3 if they get the UV, but they'd get these anyway when preening.
I don't fully understand the psychology, they just seem to enjoy chewing them. Young birds are just interested in these things that just fall off.
I've had plenty of birds that have chewed on old feathers. They've never actually swallowed them.
Do you have any photos? This is sounding like destructive behaviour.

 

[arayabd]

No, there isn't. Feathers are built with protein (keratin) and are indigestible. The only thing that can be on them is preen oil and possibly D3 if they get the UV, but they'd get these anyway when preening.
I don't fully understand the psychology, they just seem to enjoy chewing them. Young birds are just interested in these things that just fall off.
I've had plenty of birds that have chewed on old feathers. They've never actually swallowed them.
Do you have any photos? This is sounding like destructive behaviour.

Hi! Here are some photos I took of her:

It is incredibly strange. I was doubtful myself so one time I sat nearby and watched her swallow one whole. The feather had fallen off and was at the bottom of her cafe, she grabbed it from the bottom and sat on the perch and chewed it till it was gone. Very scary stuff.

 

[Ripshod]

Definitely looks like she's plucking. I'm going to ask for this to be moved to a better forum.

@Zara would this be best moved to plucker's parlour?I feel it'll get better attention from the more experienced.

 

[arayabd]

Thank you so much @Ripshod - I really appreciate your help

 

[Blueberry]

She is Stunning! I once saw my bird eat the inside of her feather. I gave her collagen and she hasn’t not eaten the inside of her feathers since. If she is losing feathers - could she have a vitamin B deficiency? What are you currently feeding her? Could she need more protein in her diet as well?

 

[Blueberry]

Feather Eating by Grebes – Maine Birds

From a web search I found this as well and the diagnosis was likely mites which you and your vet treated. Did your vet actually see the mites?

my canary is losing its feathers around his neck. I think…

My canary is losing it's feathers around his neck. I think he's pulling his feathers out. It's not from lack of - Answered by a verified Veterinarian

www.justanswer.com

I found poultry will sometimes eat feathers- and one of the reasons given was protein.

Does your bird have a source of protein? Canaries in the wild do eat bugs. I feed my birds crushed soft boiled organic eggs from pasture raised chickens or I give them soft boiled quail eggs with the shell still on (I’ll break the egg in half- the shells are pretty delicate).

 

[arayabd]

She is Stunning! I once saw my bird eat the inside of her feather. I gave her collagen and she hasn’t not eaten the inside of her feathers since. If she is losing feathers - could she have a vitamin B deficiency? What are you currently feeding her? Could she need more protein in her diet as well?

Thank you so much! I checked out the link you sent. My vet did not see the mites, the session was virtual and then I went to the clinic to pick up her medication. I don't think Pabla has enough protein in her diet, sometimes I give her egg food but I cannot tell if she likes it or not. Her usual diet consists of mainly pellets and seeds, with egg food sprinkled on top or in a separate dish next to her food dish. Do your birds easily eat the eggs? She gets a bit nervous around new foods so it takes a long time to adjust and I haven't yet had any luck.

 

[Shezbug]

Try offering a half a hard boiled egg. Everyone I’ve ever known with canaries gives boiled eggs at least once a week- usually just strung up on a wire for them to pick at.
Does your bird get fresh foods to pick at too or just the seed and egg food you listed?

 

[Olliebirb]

She is just the cutest little canary! Hope her plucking gets better one of my budgies constantly chews up his feathers too. Though he does not pluck.

 

[Blueberry]

I give my birds a variety of eggs. I’ll just break a soft boiled egg (an over cooked egg chemical make up changes and the egg becomes unhealthy) scramble eggs, and mashed egg (soft boiled). If I’m using quail eggs I’ll leave the shell on. If I’m using chicken eggs I’ll grind the shells a little. The shell have minerals that helps the body absorb the calcium. Someone here mentioned grinding the shells to dust so not cause any damage to their crop. I’ve personally never heard this other than on here. I’ll feed Cook organic sprouted lentils - lentils are high in plant protein and I’ll sometimes add a little boiled organic grass fed ground meat.They get the meat sporadically- I don’t feed bugs because I worry about parasites. For when my amazon was eating the inside shaft of her feathers I mashed the collagen in a piece of cheese (organic grass fed) and she never did it again. She did this a little after I brought her home- I don’t know what her diet was like with her original family. I also offer organic grass fed yogurt for probiotics. They don’t always eat the yogurt or much of it when they do. I sprout my seeds majority of the time. Un sprouted seeds contain phytic acid which can block vitamin and mineral absorption.

Organic Harrison high potency pellets are also high in protein. My one needs his beak trimmed regularly and his beak will grow really fast when he eats this.Hell also have trouble digesting this- regurgitates his food- it’s from too much protein. So once in a while I sprinkle this with his sprouted food.

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I also give them milk thistle and dandelion leafy greens. This helps their body detox. I also give them Lafaber senior nutri berries- these have glutathione - dandelion and milk thistle all great detoxers. The down side is corn syrup is added and one of the upper ingredients. I munch this because you are doing a mite treatment.

All About Sprouting - Precision Nutrition

More than 200,000 people agree: Precision Nutrition is different. Our world-class experts have spent the last 15 years working 1-on1 with thousands of nutrition coaching and certification clients. With this research and experience, we've uncovered an exact formula for getting results.

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Thank you so much! I checked out the link you sent. My vet did not see the mites, the session was virtual and then I went to the clinic to pick up her medication. I don't think Pabla has enough protein in her diet, sometimes I give her egg food but I cannot tell if she likes it or not. Her usual diet consists of mainly pellets and seeds, with egg food sprinkled on top or in a separate dish next to her food dish. Do your birds easily eat the eggs? She gets a bit nervous around new foods so it takes a long time to adjust and I haven't yet had any luck.

 

[arayabd]

I give my birds a variety of eggs. I’ll just break a soft boiled egg (an over cooked egg chemical make up changes and the egg becomes unhealthy) scramble eggs, and mashed egg (soft boiled). If I’m using quail eggs I’ll leave the shell on. If I’m using chicken eggs I’ll grind the shells a little. The shell have minerals that helps the body absorb the calcium. Someone here mentioned grinding the shells to dust so not cause any damage to their crop. I’ve personally never heard this other than on here. I’ll feed Cook organic sprouted lentils - lentils are high in plant protein and I’ll sometimes add a little boiled organic grass fed ground meat.They get the meat sporadically- I don’t feed bugs because I worry about parasites. For when my amazon was eating the inside shaft of her feathers I mashed the collagen in a piece of cheese (organic grass fed) and she never did it again. She did this a little after I brought her home- I don’t know what her diet was like with her original family. I also offer organic grass fed yogurt for probiotics. They don’t always eat the yogurt or much of it when they do. I sprout my seeds majority of the time. Un sprouted seeds contain phytic acid which can block vitamin and mineral absorption.

Organic Harrison high potency pellets are also high in protein. My one needs his beak trimmed regularly and his beak will grow really fast when he eats this.Hell also have trouble digesting this- regurgitates his food- it’s from too much protein. So once in a while I sprinkle this with his sprouted food.

All About Sprouting - Precision Nutrition

More than 200,000 people agree: Precision Nutrition is different. Our world-class experts have spent the last 15 years working 1-on1 with thousands of nutrition coaching and certification clients. With this research and experience, we've uncovered an exact formula for getting results.

www.precisionnutrition.com

I also give them milk thistle and dandelion leafy greens. This helps their body detox. I also give them Lafaber senior nutri berries- these have glutathione - dandelion and milk thistle all great detoxers. The down side is corn syrup is added and one of the upper ingredients. I munch this because you are doing a mite treatment.

All About Sprouting - Precision Nutrition

More than 200,000 people agree: Precision Nutrition is different. Our world-class experts have spent the last 15 years working 1-on1 with thousands of nutrition coaching and certification clients. With this research and experience, we've uncovered an exact formula for getting results.

www.precisionnutrition.com

I will definitely start incorporating eggs into her diet! Also, you mentioned mashing collagen into a piece of cheese - did you just buy a bottle of collagen and mix some of that with the cheese? Were your birds apprehensive to try it? Should I put the eggs in a separate dish next to her food? Sorry about all the questions - I really appreciate your help

 

[Hankmacaw]

As a general rule (there are exceptions) starvation or malnutrition are the causes of birds eating their own feathers.

 

[arayabd]

As a general rule (there are exceptions) starvation or malnutrition are the causes of birds eating their own feathers.

Definitely not the case here! She eats A LOT! I also replace her water everyday with fresh, filtered water and always have an eye on her food dish. She also usually has treat sticks but we took those out recently because she was finishing them all in one day so we're spacing them out.

 

[Blueberry]

She is an Amazon who loves cheese so that’s why I used it as a medium for the collagen. She loves it and ate it right up. She’ll drop whatever when she’s done eating it or had enough and wants something else. This was a while ago but I think I gave her two pieces with the collagen mixed in. I’d mix it with whatever your bird likes or maybe sprinkle a little in the food dish or put it separate. I included a picture of the one I used. This is a big bottle- I use it for myself- I think you can purchase it in a smaller amount. Most of the time I’ll give them lots of options to eat a variety of food and if they crave something or need a nutrient from it’s there. I give my birds organic avian herbs. The philosophy of offering the avian herbs is that the birds know what they need more than we do because in the wild they will seek out herbs to treat themselves and in captivity they don’t have the opportunity to do this. So if they want something and I know it won’t harm them then I’ll give them some of it. - I’m not giving them junk food or overly processed food. When I offer the the cooked organic grass ground meat they typical don’t eat it but they have the option if they need it. So when she ate the cheese with collagen in it - I think her body craved it and thats why she was eating the inside shaft of her feather- if she didn’t like the cheese collagen she would have had no problem dropping it and demanding a piece with out the collagen.

 

[Olliebirb]

To my knowledge birds should not have dairy products, they essentially are a lactose intolerant species since they are not mammals.

 

[Blueberry]

Not all ‘Cow milk’ cheese is lactose. If your interested about this topic and would like to learn more - this is a great article! Dairy Products and Birds

To my knowledge birds should not have dairy products, they essentially are a lactose intolerant species since they are not mammals.

 

[Olliebirb]

Not all ‘Cow milk’ cheese is lactose. If your interested about this topic and would like to learn more - this is a great article! Dairy Products and Birds

Interesting I'll have to read it!