Question about broken feathers

[NikkiLS]

I was wondering if it is best to pull broken tail feathers. I have been told that you should by a couple of people but I am not sure how to go about it if that is the case. Our cockatiel Elmo was always careless about tail feathers and has broken every single one and then its sibling would preen off the broken parts. So now they are all these pointy little stubs. I was told that broken feathers can irritate birds and promote plucking. If you have any advice I would appreciate it. I posted some pics in the photo section earlier if it would help to see.

 

[JLcribber]

Tail feathers don't poke them. Clipped wing feathers do. You can always blunt them with a clipper. They will fall out on there own in time. I don't see why you would want to put the bird through needless pain by pulling any feathers that are not bleeding.

 

[NikkiLS]

Thanks that was my feeling about it.

 

[Chicklette]

I agree with John, just leave them unless they are blood feathers. They will fall out on their own.

 

[Renae]

Basil (Cockatiel) has a broken tail feather, it is just hanging there, but I am leaving it be. I was actually going to ask a similar question.

 

[JLcribber]

Basil (Cockatiel) has a broken tail feather, it is just hanging there, but I am leaving it be. I was actually going to ask a similar question.

You can snip the dangley part off if it's broken. Just leave the other part in the skin. If it's not broken and just loose you can give it a little tug to see if it comes out.

 

[CeddysMum]

Ceddy's the same, always messing up her tail (usually by sleeping with her tail stuck through the cage bars ). I usually leave them be or, if the dangling seems to annoy her, I snip them off just above the break. The last two she actually snipped off above the break herself, so she's already a near duck butt again now! But she doesn't show any sign of plucking or barbering feathers that are intact.

 

[ktemkin]

I would say definitely don't pull them- you can damage the follicle.

(posted from my mobile)

 

[Monica B]

she's already a near duck butt again now!

My sun conure is just 8 months old. He plays like a little monkey, smacking his tail feathers (when he has them) on the cage bars and falling to the bottom of the cage while swinging from toys. When I first met him he had a few tail feathers but shortly before we brought him home they started breaking off. We used to be worried about it but he's seen the vet who says it is probably just his age. We'd love to see a tail grow in but we've become used to his cute little duck butt and we'd be just fine if he never grew a tail!

I will also trim a feather if it is hanging. I wouldn't pull one of his broken feathers out unless it was a blood feather.

~ Monica