Pictures What's up with Kobe's feathers?

[Fuzzy]

In the last few years, Kobe's (Blue-headed Pionus) moulted primaries are looking like this (some years are worse than others):

The barbs(?) seem to be quite weak. I can hear they aren't quite right when he's flying. The feathers grow in ok but by the time they moult a year later, there are pieces missing. There is a length of weakness that you can see in the picture above - where the black looks mottled, those are holes. Interestingly I found a crow's feather that showed the same sort of damage:

Is it a nutrient deficiency? Is this feather destructive behaviour? I haven't seen him overly picking at his feathers. The rest of him is in beautiful condition.

 

[Shezbug]

Birdie has feathers similar to that on his wings because he can’t hold them up properly. Everywhere they sit on the perches they’re busted and worn away.
Is Kobe perhaps being rough on that one spot somehow, like hanging his wings low while on the perch?
I’ll go see if there’s still some of these kind of molted feathers still floating about the back yard and show you Birdies beaten up feathers.

 

[Sparkles!]

When it’s a certain spot, pretty regularly, that’s showing heavy wear- check the cage furniture or the spots where the bird sits/plays for prolonged periods. My certified avian vet said that feather defects don’t happen in arbitrary spots- it’s almost always going to be a case of physical damage if the majority of the feather looks good but a small section or spot is ragged/missing/torn.
My BeanDip has awful tattered spots on her flights that look very similar to this because she sleeps next to abrasive wooden slat toys.

 

[Fuzzy]

Thanks very much to both of you.

I initially thought he might be hitting them on something when he’s flying as he skims very close to things, but that didn’t make sense when I thought about it properly. It makes much more sense that he may be damaging them on something he’s sitting on. I will pay closer attention.

 

[rocky'smom]

The other thing that I will add: is Kobe getting enough protein in his diet?
I saw alot of those type feathers volunteering at clinic. Especially with birds that came in on all seed diets, and that were neglected. Not say that Kobe is any of those things.
Birds sometimes need protein boost when they are moulting. You can help by adding cooked, non canned ,beans, hemp hearts flaxseed meal and other protein sources to their diets.

 

[Shezbug]

Thanks very much to both of you.

I initially thought he might be hitting them on something when he’s flying as he skims very close to things, but that didn’t make sense when I thought about it properly. It makes much more sense that he may be damaging them on something he’s sitting on. I will pay closer attention.

That first photo seriously looks the same as birdies feathers but in a different colour. His wings sit on the perch and he struggles to not step on them a lot of the time so the feathers cop a bashing. I bet if you study Kobe’s play or movements for long enough you’ll see him rubbing them somewhere. I searched the yard for some of Birdies dropped feathers but looks like the wild wind and rain storm we got last week has blown them away. Sadly Birdie has many feathers like these as his body doesn’t sit right so many feathers rub and drag.

 

[Fuzzy]

The other thing that I will add: is Kobe getting enough protein in his diet?
I saw alot of those type feathers volunteering at clinic. Especially with birds that came in on all seed diets, and that were neglected. Not say that Kobe is any of those things.
Birds sometimes need protein boost when they are moulting. You can help by adding cooked, non canned ,beans, hemp hearts flaxseed meal and other protein sources to their diets.

Thanks very much for this info, Laurie. Yes, Kobe eats seed rather than pellets (mainly safflower and millet). He also eats a lot of sprouted legumes and grains. I was actually worried he was getting too much protein so stopped the cooked beans some months ago. I'm going to soak a pan of beans to cook tomorrow right away! It makes sense that they need more protein when moulting. Other protein sources he eats are scrambled egg, freshly ground flaxseed, soaked hemp seed, almonds and walnuts. Will up the protein with cooked beans and see what happens to the next batch of primaries.

 

[Fuzzy]

That first photo seriously looks the same as birdies feathers but in a different colour. His wings sit on the perch and he struggles to not step on them a lot of the time so the feathers cop a bashing. I bet if you study Kobe’s play or movements for long enough you’ll see him rubbing them somewhere. I searched the yard for some of Birdies dropped feathers but looks like the wild wind and rain storm we got last week has blown them away. Sadly Birdie has many feathers like these as his body doesn’t sit right so many feathers rub and drag.

I was watching Kobe sit on the Atom today, preening his wing feathers and because he was sitting on a slant, the wing was getting a little caught up with the rope, but I do think with Kobe's feathers there is a weakness there in the first place... maybe caused by not enough protein?

So you've got wild winds and storms in Australia too? Strange how it is world wide at the moment! How come Birdie can't hold his wings up properly? Birdie is Burt?

 

[Shezbug]

I was watching Kobe sit on the Atom today, preening his wing feathers and because he was sitting on a slant, the wing was getting a little caught up with the rope, but I do think with Kobe's feathers there is a weakness there in the first place... maybe caused by not enough protein?

So you've got wild winds and storms in Australia too? Strange how it is world wide at the moment! How come Birdie can't hold his wings up properly? Birdie is Burt?

We have had some floods and crazy weather here in Aus- not bad where I am but we did have some decent wind, rain and then thunder storms last week. The next state over has got bad flooding unfortunately. Some of the more local towns had minimal flooding, like enough water to close off some country roads for a few days but nothing significant thankfully.

I feed chickpeas a lot and even more of them when Burt is molting. I believe black beans and tofu is good for a protein hit too.

Birdie is not Burt lol. Birdie is a SC2 that I gave a home to when his owner could not continue caring for him due to their serious health issues, he came to me with something seriously wrong with his wings- Shezbug's secret friend... Birdie!!

 

[Fuzzy]

Ahhhhhhh! I just read about Birdie! What does Burt think of him?

Birdie says quite a few things, some easy to understand and some in a secret bird gibberish language- pretty sure some of what I hear him waffling about is a specialized curse he is trying to put on me

Kobe loves sprouted chickpeas - that's when I started worrying he was getting too much protein. Ha - I am soaking black beans and aduki beans together now, to cook tomorrow. Oh right - you feed tofu too? I wasn't sure if it was that good, but the Amazons all love it. Kobe sometimes eats a little. We had stir fry/steam with tofu tonight and they got their raw sprouts, fruit and veggies too.

 

[Shezbug]

Ahhhhhhh! I just read about Birdie! What does Burt think of him?



Kobe loves sprouted chickpeas - that's when I started worrying he was getting too much protein. Ha - I am soaking black beans and aduki beans together now, to cook tomorrow. Oh right - you feed tofu too? I wasn't sure if it was that good, but the Amazons all love it. Kobe sometimes eats a little. We had stir fry/steam with tofu tonight and they got their raw sprouts, fruit and veggies too.

The two large birds really have no interest in each other, they can not get close to each other as Birdie lives outside and Burt is inside but when I have taken Burt outside to meet Birdie neither was interested in the other. Burt is more interested and concerned in the butterflies, dragonflies and falling leaves than he is with most outside birds- the only outside birds he really worries about are the bin chickens, pelicans and birds of prey.

I cook Burt's chickpeas- he wont eat them sprouted but will happily fill up on cooked ones. I have tried tofu but it only comes in huge blocks and I have tried to make myself believe it is edible but I honestly know the truth... it is not! lol I will eat nearly any bean or legume and so will Burt but neither of us can be convinced tofu is safe to eat