Damaged Flight Feather

BirdieDad · Sep 20, 2020

Hello,

My CAG is 12.5 months old, always forget her actual age. Anyway, she was clipped rather short when first brought her home and so we "fall" proofed her cage and surroundings. This went well. Recently she has been trying to fly, mostly right before bed she will take off from my hand and land awkwardly into something. She has broken two mature flight feathers on her left wing doing this. The house is rather parrot safe but I cannot stop her from randomly taking off and crash landing. We do not want to clip her and would like her to remain flighted. I am just concerned she is damaging follicles and will not be able to fly.

1. Is it a high probability that these broken mature flight feathers will have a damaged follicle and not grow back properly?
2.Any advice on what I should do in the interim aside from lowering perches and the like?
3. Will she become more coordinated over time?
4. is there a reason my CAG becomes skittish at bedtime?

Thank you for any advice!

chris-md · Sep 20, 2020

I think she’s fine. I wouldn’t be worried about damaged follicles.

This would be a GREAT time to implement recalled flight training (coming to you on command). Aside from the obvious benefit of having an obedient bird, far more importantly By virtue of how the training starts and progresses, it safely teaches a bird in your your birds position the MECHANICS of flight and builds up the fitness needed for properly controlled flight and landing- both of which your bird is lacking, as evidenced by crash landings.

I started flight training my ekkie because he never flew except when startled. Then it was a very scary crash landing every time. Now he doesn’t startle easily and almost never crashes. He flies moreC which is a blessing and a curse because he’s more keen to explore than he ever was before. But hes not going to hurt himself like he could have before.

BirdieDad · Sep 21, 2020

chris-md said:
I think she’s fine. I wouldn’t be worried about damaged follicles.

This would be a GREAT time to implement recalled flight training (coming to you on command). Aside from the obvious benefit of having an obedient bird, far more importantly By virtue of how the training starts and progresses, it safely teaches a bird in your your birds position the MECHANICS of flight and builds up the fitness needed for properly controlled flight and landing- both of which your bird is lacking, as evidenced by crash landings.

I started flight training my ekkie because he never flew except when startled. Then it was a very scary crash landing every time. Now he doesn’t startle easily and almost never crashes. He flies moreC which is a blessing and a curse because he’s more keen to explore than he ever was before. But hes not going to hurt himself like he could have before.

Thank you so much. My Scarlet is flying really well, flies to me and lands on my hand but it just "happened". I am working with the Scarlet to get it more controlled but she flies around the house decently for a young bird and like the CAG, only takes off and crashes somewhere when it is time to go to bed. Something about this bedtime business.

Could you please direct me to a trusted resource to learn the proper way to train for recalled flight training? Thank you so much!

bigfellasdad · Sep 21, 2020

If she has long feathers on one wing, don't be surprised if the feathers fall out from her opposite wing.

chris-md · Sep 21, 2020

Here is a video I made a while ago on how the training goes from the very beginning.

[ame="https://youtu.be/DomDr-dXZtU"]Evolution of parrot flight recall training, a tutorial on how to recall train your parrot - YouTube[/ame]

Laurasea · Sep 21, 2020

love th video Chismd !

Burdie dad I read a great article a few days ago, about growing out feathers after an extreme clip....it can take along time, and feathers get damaged as they aren't guided and supported by other feathers as they grow. This can be a two year process to get the flight featgers back...

My baby quaker had an extreme clip even the coverlet feathers had been clipped. He learned to fly when he had o ky one flight feather on each wing.

There is a process where flight featgers can be implanted. If you have an avsin vet specialist who diestgeis. One of our members Lamanaku has this done. Maybe she can share her experience with that, and if she would recommend.

SailBoat · Sep 21, 2020

IMHO. it really helps in providing them with safe flight routes and landing spaces. Most Parrots, when spooked, tend to fly with no pre-considered flight path. It is part of their flight or fight response. With flight paths in place, they quickly shift from blindly escaping to a learned path and landing area.

I call the process, the Real Estate Agents Tour! With Parrot on hand, start at the cage and travel flight paths away from the cage from the shortest to the longest path. Understanding, each flight path needs a safe landing place. So, it is worth walking your home /apartment to find areas that you wish to direct your Parrot too. Also, remember to teach return flight paths.

If your Parrot is not great a landing you can teach them by starting with your bed, as it is a large, flat and safe place to land with perfection or crash!

Most Parrots that are learning flight paths are not the best at flying, so teaching them the need to be able to trust their wings does occur with older Parrots.

In the Amazon Forum is a 'sticky' Thread near the top highlighted in light blue. It is titled: "I Love Amazons - ..." That said, the Thread is an excellent tool for Loving and Living with most all Parrots. With in that Huge Thread is a Segment that is titled something like: Fledging an Old Amazon! Check Page one for the page number that this and other segments can be found.

This document would be background support information for the video my good friend above has provided. His teaching 'Recall' is a critical part of assuring that if the worst happens, you greatly increase the chance of them responding, turning and coming back toward you!!!

AmyMyBlueFront · Sep 21, 2020

chris-md said:
Here is a video I made a while ago on how the training goes from the very beginning.

Evolution of parrot flight recall training, a tutorial on how to recall train your parrot - YouTube

Chris,that is an excellent video! Parker is so smart and willing. I think BB would learn pretty quickly,as he does fly to me "sometimes" when asked. I think I could use "birdie crack",a.k.a. millet to entice him.

Jim

AmyMyBlueFront · Sep 21, 2020

SailBoat said:
IMHO. it really helps in providing them with safe flight routes and landing spaces. Most Parrots, when spooked, tend to fly with no pre-considered flight path. It is part of their flight or fight response. With flight paths in place, they quickly shift from blindly escaping to a learned path and landing area.

I call the process, the Real Estate Agents Tour! With Parrot on hand, start at the cage and travel flight paths away from the cage from the shortest to the longest path. Understanding, each flight path needs a safe landing place. So, it is worth walking your home /apartment to find areas that you wish to direct your Parrot too. Also, remember to teach return flight paths.

If your Parrot is not great a landing you can teach them by starting with your bed, as it is a large, flat and safe place to land with perfection or crash!

Most Parrots that are learning flight paths are not the best at flying, so teaching them the need to be able to trust their wings does occur with older Parrots.

In the Amazon Forum is a 'sticky' Thread near the top highlighted in light blue. It is titled: "I Love Amazons - ..." That said, the Thread is an excellent tool for Loving and Living with most all Parrots. With in that Huge Thread is a Segment that is titled something like: Fledging an Old Amazon! Check Page one for the page number that this and other segments can be found.

This document would be background support information for the video my good friend above has provided. His teaching 'Recall' is a critical part of assuring that if the worst happens, you greatly increase the chance of them responding, turning and coming back toward you!!!

Steven..as you probably know,cockatiels spook pretty easily

. Just a sudden noise,such as me just sneezing will set BB off flying willy-nilly not knowing where the heck he is going and often crashing into walls or the refrigerator even doors. I have given him the "real estate tour" many times. He is proficient in flying from my bedroom and down a long hall,banging a left and landing on Amy's play top perfectly every time. It's just when he gets frightened he looses his mind.

Jim

SailBoat · Sep 22, 2020

So very true Jim! When spooked, they all take off, not knowing where the heck he is going and often crashing into walls or the refrigerator even doors."

We have a home with very limited space for wallhangings as the outside walls are devoted to windows. That means that we see everything that chooses to fly by.

The goal is to hardwire the flight paths by practicing them until your Parrot is looking at you as if you have lost your mind. When combined with recall training -- when they shoot-off, the Human starts the recall while the Parrot wakes-up and first sets into place a known flight path and than elects to link back toward you.

It takes years, and a general belief that your efforts will one day work.

Banging on natural wood perches: We have not lost an Amazon 'yet.' There is nothing more heartwarming than to see your Parrot look back at you and begin to cycle its flight back to you! It all works. But it takes years and sadly, you will not know until you see them looking at you!!!

Damaged Flight Feather

BirdieDad

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chris-md

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BirdieDad

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bigfellasdad

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chris-md

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Laurasea

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SailBoat

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AmyMyBlueFront

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SailBoat

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looking after another grey next weekend

Kira got a roommate !!

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