Is this plucking ?

[ceresbly]

Hello everyone. My blue and gold macaw , Bella , is 8 years old. She's been pulling out these half grown in feathers (see photo ) im concerned that this is plucking, or wondering if it's just painful feathers growing in that she pulls out and over grooms.

Any insight would be good. Worried about her.

 

[Macawnutz]

Pulling out new feather growth is not normal. Your blue feather pictured even shows some discoloration that is not normal.

Has your sweetie seen a vet recently? What is her diet and how is her overall feather quality?

 

[Hankmacaw]

Not normal at all. Like macawnutz said, get her to a vet and find out if there is a physical cause of this plucking. Review everything you can about any changes in the home, any extra stress, losses of pets etc. - just everything.

Lets go over her diet very carefully.

CAn you please post some pictures of her. Several different views.

 

[ceresbly]

She has been to the vet recently to get her wing and nail trimmed, and they gave me some omega's to give her in a syringe daily. they said underneath her wings looks a little bare. I did recently bring home a new macaw, and move her cage into the livingroom with more social activity so I am wondering if this is the cause. Someone in another parrot group suggested that she might just be itchy. I live in a dry Montana climate, so I am wondering if this could be the cause. She does tend to overgroom... but these little feathers she's been pulling out more than usual. shes now on pellets, though .... what do I do

 

[Hankmacaw]

Her feathers look pretty good quality to me, but @Macawnutz is the feather expert, so she can comment on that. I don't know what the vets gave you for Omegas (There are 3 omegas 3,6 & 9). If they gave you Red Palm Oil that is great and all of your macaws should be on it or the rest of their lives. It does wonders for feather quality and is very high in Vitamin A - which is the most diagnosed issue with birds. Amazon.com : Avitech AviGlo Organic Red Dende Palm Oil 4 oz : Adult Bird Food : Pet Supplies Some people, including me also like to give Flax Seed oil. As far as being dry, I live in AZ where it is really dry and I bathe my Jasper 3/4 times a week and sometimes, in the summer, every day.

How often do you bathe your bird? Do you give it anything other than pellets, like vegetables, a little fruit and nuts (Walnuts, pistachio, pine nuts and almonds are especially good for them.

She does look a little bare under the wings.

 

[ceresbly]

i ordered some of this today....

 

[ceresbly]

these photos are a few months old of bella, so I want to post a few others tonight.
I am also worried about the feather condition of my new macaw too... I do give them fresh fruit. oatmeal. grapes, apples, eggs cooked in coconut oil with some greens. I will order some of that oil you recommend. I am not sure of the exact kind of omegas the vet gave me, it was only a little bit in a clear container to try it out. Hmmmmmm.

 

[Hankmacaw]

Fresh pictures of both birds would be nice.

Sorry you ordered the "Pluck No More" - I don't know of anyone who has had any success with it. I hope if someone has they speak up.

I'd cut out the grapes - too much sugar and if from SA the possibility of disease. If you are going to feed eggs, only feed the whites - too much cholesterol in the yolks. FRuit should actually be a very small part of their diet and veggies like squash, kale, spinach, sweet potatoes, Swiss chard are much better.

 

[Chopper]

I think the most successful thing about the Pluck No More is that you spritz your bird 2x a day. That is a lot of moisture.

 

[ceresbly]

alrighty. I will post updated photos tonight. thank you!

 

[Macawnutz]

Throw out the pluck no more! Horrible ingredients! Use it as a bug killer.

She is beautiful in those pictures, not really that bare under her wings, BG'S have quite a few sparsely feathered areas under their wings.

Get a humidifier and crank it to 45-50% and give her a bath a few times a week. Like ML said, get her on RPO.

Let's see some new pictures of both birds.

 

[Sarah13]

Under Rio's (B&G) wings is a bit patchy and thin like that so Bella's isn't terribly striking. The incased feathers begin pulled is strange though. I hope the palm oil and bathing helps plus her diet change if you are able to go with these ideas from the others. Congrats on the new bird but that could likely be contributing to this. Hopefully not though especially once they get to see and understand that the other is here but mean no real harm or cause for worry. Bella lives up to her name and is...well...bella!

 

[aooratrix]

Macaws are often sparsely feathered under their wings, but that does look more bare than normal, as others said. I think you need to up the bathing frequency; you can add a tiny splash of pure aloe vera juice, but plain, clean water is just fine.

Yes, your macaw should have red Palm oil daily; Sarah suggested it to me, and I've noticed a big difference in my birds. I typically melt a small amount in either soaked Zupreem Natural pellets or their chop when I microwave it enough to take the chill off.

I'm in favor of a vet visit, too,especially because of what Sarah noticed. However, you did mention a new macaw and moving your B&G. There could be a behavioral component there, too. A new bird and a move for her is a lot in a short time.