Pin feather broke off

[Littlelovebird]

Hi guys,

My little BUck is going through a molt and has lots of pin feathers on his neck. While he was scratching his neck with his foot one of the pin feather broke off. Theres no blood, I dont think it was still attached to a blood vessel and if so it must have been really at the base or really small. I really see no blood and he is acting normal eating playing and doesnt seem to notice but Im still worried since I reas this could be dangerous. Should I be worries about this or it does happen and if theres no blood its all good? Please help Im really worries about my little one here.

 

[MommyBird]

I don't know what you mean by broke off.
Did the shaft break or did the sheath just shed from being scratched, which it would do naturally.
In any case if there is no blood, things are fine. I'd bet it was just the sheath.
Take a close look sometime and see how the new pinfeathers are red at the base and blood-filled. Then as they mature the papery sheath comes off from the point tip towards the body. Many people carefully help this process along for those that are hard for a single bird to reach. They love it, but will say ouch if one isn't ready.

 

[faislaq]

Luv Bug still pulls hers out occasionally. She gives a squawk and one end usually has a little blood. She's fine but it is very unnerving. She didn't have toys in her cages at her old house so we're pretty sure she used to ant her food and her feathers.

Occasionally there will be one that looks like there's no blood, but I'm not sure why or how. Maybe it was just really light or had come off before I saw it?

 

[Littlelovebird]

I don't know what you mean by broke off.
Did the shaft break or did the sheath just shed from being scratched, which it would do naturally.
In any case if there is no blood, things are fine. I'd bet it was just the sheath.
Take a close look sometime and see how the new pinfeathers are red at the base and blood-filled. Then as they mature the papery sheath comes off from the point tip towards the body. Many people carefully help this process along for those that are hard for a single bird to reach. They love it, but will say ouch if one isn't ready.

Im not good with the actual terms. I know the pin feather has a little white wax covering the tip of it and we can help the removing when scaryching their head by example. Is that what you call the sheath? The feather is attaches to a blood vessel at the base and it recedes when the feather is ready to uncurl. The part that broke on Buck's pin feather is between the waxy tip and the blood vessel. When it dropped on the floor I took it between my fingers to examine it and could see the waxy tip and some feathers stuck to it but no blood. I examined Buck's neck as well and there was no sign of blood either. He doesnt seem to hurt. I could see the tip of a feather base on his neck. So it looks like it was a blood feather but maybe mature that was no more attached to a blood vessel could that be? It seems like it was ready to be uncurled but somehow it was cut when he scratched himself and it broke and fell. Could that be? Or is it a blood feather. And theres a risk of bleeding if it doesnt come off entirely?


Anyone ever saw that?

 

[MommyBird]

If a feather breaks in the red part of a blood feather it can be a problem. It would likely bleed right away and could reopen if handled roughly or chewed on.

If it broke in a mature feather it would not bleed then or later. A mature feather that is broken won't bleed. Just picture when people decide to clip wing feathers - they don't suddenly start bleeding.

It sounds like an odd thing to happen that it broke scratching. I'd guess it was broken by play or falling or even overpreening and just made the last break and fell when he scratched.

You checked Buck over good. If it were serious it would have appeared serious.

 

[Littlelovebird]

If a feather breaks in the red part of a blood feather it can be a problem. It would likely bleed right away and could reopen if handled roughly or chewed on.

If it broke in a mature feather it would not bleed then or later. A mature feather that is broken won't bleed. Just picture when people decide to clip wing feathers - they don't suddenly start bleeding.

It sounds like an odd thing to happen that it broke scratching. I'd guess it was broken by play or falling or even overpreening and just made the last break and fell when he scratched.

You checked Buck over good. If it were serious it would have appeared serious.

Thanks so much of the answer its really reassuring. It makes sense that itbroke by play or overpreening. It was located on ghe back of his neck where he puta his beak while sleeping and preens a lot. So thats peobably what happened. I was worried since the feather was in the little waxy tube since it was developping but I guess that it was mature since I dont see blood or red pins either. Thanks so mich again!