No Tail Feathers

[CaiqueJuno]

I've had my caique for almost 7 years now and she has never had tail feathers.
She has a few sad little ones sticking out but nothing that can give her a real tail. I've taken her to the vet multiples times over the years to get it checked out and they always say she is fine and that they will grow back but they never do.
I dont see her pulling them out and she rarely falls from her cage.
Any idea what's going on?

 

[Stevie]

Does she have flight feathers? Could be beak and feather disease…we get it a lot here in Australia with Cockatoos , galahs & lorikeets etc….in saying that normally it’s more than just tail feather, the cockatoo I rescued with it had no flight feathers or tail feathers ….I also once had a lorikeet with it years ago, same no flight or tail feathers…they don’t live long in the wild with it but can live a reasonably normal life in captivity if cared for properly. It’s also contagious so I wouldn’t get another parrot if it was that…normally in the wild they are born with it and called “runners” as when they fledge the nest they can’t fly so run and are normally taken by prey. Only way to know for sure is thru DNA testing well that’s what I had done years ago for the lorikeet I had… the vet I went too new just by looking at it but I still insisted on the testing and yes that’s what it was…the cockatoo I rescued had a few tail feathers but eventually lost them too and no flight feathers at all. Full name is Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease.

 

[FeatheredM]

@Stevie was pretty helpful here, I'm also bumping this. I think some pictures might help other people help pitch in

 

[Shezbug]

Has your vet disease tested your bird?

Could the new feathers be getting damaged/broken as they grow in? It’s much harder to grow a heap of flights or tail feathers than it is to grow just one larger feather- one is protected by the surrounding full grown feathers, a whole set growing in has no feathers surrounding them to add protection and support.

Do you know your birds history before it lived with you? Could it have been regularly plucked by a parent or mate?

Sometimes healthy birds loose the ability to grow feathers even though they may be free of disease, it is often seen in birds who have long term plucked, been plucked or had significant injury which can or has caused damage to the feather follicle.

I personally would make an appointment with the vet to specifically check out this lack of tail feathers.

 

[Stevie]

@Stevie was pretty helpful here, I'm also bumping this. I think some pictures might help other people help pitch in

I agree some photos would help!