clipped wings

sparky_bird

New member
Oct 13, 2013
8
0
my pearly conures wing were clipped by the previous owners.but after i got him i was told he would never fly again because his feathers were clipped past growth plates :orange:
 

riaria

New member
Nov 8, 2012
151
0
UK
Parrots
Luna - Meyer's Parrot
Pandora - African Grey
Io - Ducorps Cockatoo
As long as they're moulted out, I can't see why new ones wouldn't grow in? Unless the follicles have been damaged, but I'm not sure that can happen if you just clip the wings? Someone else probably knows more :)

But, you can always contact your vet about it?
 

Featheredsamurai

New member
Aug 24, 2011
4,172
19
California
Parrots
African Greg
2 cockatiels
Could you take a photo of one of the wings spread?

As long as the skin wasn't clipped, or the tip of the wing bone wasn't amputated, there's no reason why the feathers won't molt out and be replaced.
 
OP
S

sparky_bird

New member
Oct 13, 2013
8
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #5
thank you for your answer. I cant show you his wings because he doesn't like people touching them. I was told by my uncle he has to do the same thing to his ducks. If i pat his wings he usually squeaks and moves his wing. he hasn't had any growth in the feathers since i got him. this was done by his previous owners. i got him at 6 months of age.

sincerely benjamin wohlfeil (sparky_bird)
 

MikeyTN

New member
Feb 1, 2011
13,296
17
Antioch, TN
Parrots
"Willie"&"Lola"B&G Macaw,
"Dixie"LSC2, and "Nico" Scarlet Macaw.
If you could get someone to help you to take some pictures of the wings, it would be rather helpful so we can help you further, without seeing it, it's hard to help you. Otherwise consult with an avian veterinarian who can assist further with your questions as they can examine for you in detail. We can only speculate as we're not there to see nor are we avian vets.
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
How old is he now?

Pet birds, you only *trim* the flight feathers, not pinion them.


Here's photos of birds that have been pinioned (permanent)

http://www.captiveanimals.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/5.png
http://i176.photobucket.com/albums/w172/spectrumranch/waterfowl/1wfflap.jpg
http://images.dailyexpress.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/285x214/395283_1.jpg
http://cdn.backyardchickens.com/6/67/350x233px-LL-6760c604_pinionedflamingo.jpeg


Vs birds who have been clipped (temporary)

HClip01.jpg


HClip02.jpg


HClip03.jpg


QClip01.jpg
 

MonicaMc

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2012
7,960
Media
2
43
Parrots
Mitred Conure - Charlie 1994;
Cockatiel - Casey 2001;
Wild Caught ARN - Sylphie 2013
Then he may not be old enough yet to go through a molt and replace clipped feathers. Here are photos of Jayde growing out her primary feathers.

IMG_6143_zpsb8210e6d.jpg


IMG_6142_zpsb2a9632a.jpg




IMG_6375_zpsaa10d1d6.jpg


IMG_6374_zps5bd36351.jpg




IMG_6440_zps7fc1ef9c.jpg


IMG_6442_zps6e52c579.jpg





You can kind of see the progression in the photos... and she's still growing them!
 
OP
S

sparky_bird

New member
Oct 13, 2013
8
0
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #10
thanks again but i was talking about his wings but i was told they have damaged the joint.
:orange:
 

SpotsandSally

New member
Sep 30, 2013
486
0
Alaska, USA
Parrots
Kiwi : Indian Ringneck Parrot RIP, taken far too young, Mango : Lovebird, 5 years old 2014, Sprite : Pineapple green cheek, <1 2014
May I ask, what's so wrong with pinioning a parrot (aside from the fact they'll never fly again). Wouldn't it be simpler and more comfortable (i know that some birds find clipped wings uncomfortable)? Personally I don't agree with pinioning (or even clipping) any birds wings (would you cut off your dogs foot so he couldn't run as fast?), but why isn't it usually done to parrots? If someone did it to a flamingo then why not a parrot?)
 

jugoya

Member
Mar 7, 2013
519
31
Shreveport, La USA
Parrots
Porter (Broto); Fuggles(Budgie)
Pinioning is usually regulated for zoos with open aviaries... and mostly Water Fowl that don't do as much flying.

Geese, Chickens, and Ducks.. along with Turkey and Swans are the most commonly pinioned birds.

Basically birds that spend most of their time on the ground anyway, domesticated to the point that flight isn't usually possible savefor more than several meters.

I grew up on a farm and though we didn't pinion our birds we did clip one wing. Farm birds don't often need that balance that parrots do; say you have a pinioned bird... (Pinioning is usually only done on one wing.)

And your parrot is up high... well with a pinioned bird that lack of balance means most of the time the bird is going to fall.. and fall hard. Where as with a properly clipped parrot they tend to glide.

If a bird falls it is likely to be on the chest; and then the breast bone will likely break.

Death.. fatalities, that you don't see in hardier farm animals; because they have been BRED for hardiness; musculature as food animals.

Parrots haven't been.. and so the flight response instinct is still intact.

Besides the feathers never grow right afterwards and you end up with a chronically problamatic bird with seasonal wing pain. Not to mention a higher chance to have a plucker as a pet.

Pinioning in Parrots is not advised.. for most of those reasons.

Not to mention its like taking off your arm at the wrist.. what is a bird without wings?

A person without a hand.
 

SpotsandSally

New member
Sep 30, 2013
486
0
Alaska, USA
Parrots
Kiwi : Indian Ringneck Parrot RIP, taken far too young, Mango : Lovebird, 5 years old 2014, Sprite : Pineapple green cheek, <1 2014
Pinioning is usually regulated for zoos with open aviaries... and mostly Water Fowl that don't do as much flying.

Geese, Chickens, and Ducks.. along with Turkey and Swans are the most commonly pinioned birds.

Basically birds that spend most of their time on the ground anyway, domesticated to the point that flight isn't usually possible savefor more than several meters.

I grew up on a farm and though we didn't pinion our birds we did clip one wing. Farm birds don't often need that balance that parrots do; say you have a pinioned bird... (Pinioning is usually only done on one wing.)

And your parrot is up high... well with a pinioned bird that lack of balance means most of the time the bird is going to fall.. and fall hard. Where as with a properly clipped parrot they tend to glide.

If a bird falls it is likely to be on the chest; and then the breast bone will likely break.

Death.. fatalities, that you don't see in hardier farm animals; because they have been BRED for hardiness; musculature as food animals.

Parrots haven't been.. and so the flight response instinct is still intact.

Besides the feathers never grow right afterwards and you end up with a chronically problamatic bird with seasonal wing pain. Not to mention a higher chance to have a plucker as a pet.

Pinioning in Parrots is not advised.. for most of those reasons.

Not to mention its like taking off your arm at the wrist.. what is a bird without wings?

A person without a hand.
I see. I didnt quite understand pinioning, thanks.
We don't pinion any of our birds here, so I suppose I'm just a bit ignorant. I just think, if you have a good area for your birds, they shouldn't be able to fly out (like chickens, ducks, etc), and if they do fly out, wouldn't you want them to be able to get away from predators? I dunno.
Thanks,
:white1:
 

jugoya

Member
Mar 7, 2013
519
31
Shreveport, La USA
Parrots
Porter (Broto); Fuggles(Budgie)
Exactly.

My dad used to clip for that reason; and chickens are oddly resiliant and smart birds despote what others say.

Ours learned how to CLIMB the trees.

We did however have an incident with a dog that got into the fenced area and killed most of them. Only the ones that weren't clipped made it high up in the trees.

We only clipped two primaries after that.

Also Clipping is also done for easy capture.. Seriously.. chasing after dinner with a broom gets old after a while... lols.
(Chickens of course.)
 

SpotsandSally

New member
Sep 30, 2013
486
0
Alaska, USA
Parrots
Kiwi : Indian Ringneck Parrot RIP, taken far too young, Mango : Lovebird, 5 years old 2014, Sprite : Pineapple green cheek, <1 2014
Exactly.

My dad used to clip for that reason; and chickens are oddly resiliant and smart birds despote what others say.

Ours learned how to CLIMB the trees.

We did however have an incident with a dog that got into the fenced area and killed most of them. Only the ones that weren't clipped made it high up in the trees.

We only clipped two primaries after that.

Also Clipping is also done for easy capture.. Seriously.. chasing after dinner with a broom gets old after a while... lols.
(Chickens of course.)
Wow, climbing trees? :eek:
Poor chickies, glad to know some made it. We had a leghorn who could fly like a songbird, never could catch her but she lived in the woods, never lost her to a predator, either. Finding her eggs was a bit of a PITA.
lol, we use a net, and corner them.
 

jugoya

Member
Mar 7, 2013
519
31
Shreveport, La USA
Parrots
Porter (Broto); Fuggles(Budgie)
Our chickens were in a acre and a half enclosure fully forested .. catching the one we wanted was often times hard.
 
Oct 8, 2013
33
0
Texas
Parrots
White-bellied Caiques
Black-headed Caiques
What an interesting thread I have never heard of pinioning before. In any type of bird. Always nice to learn something new :p
 

MikeyTN

New member
Feb 1, 2011
13,296
17
Antioch, TN
Parrots
"Willie"&"Lola"B&G Macaw,
"Dixie"LSC2, and "Nico" Scarlet Macaw.
And again I mention this! To clip or not to clip is a personal opinion and choice! Clipping feathers is far from chopping off foot of an animal. Feathers can grow back!
 

ShellyBorg

New member
Apr 8, 2013
890
2
Redding, CA
Parrots
TAG Spirit,RLA Danny,Senegal Damon, Parrotlet Opal, B&G Paris
This is from Wiki for those who do not know what pinioning is.


Removing the pinion joint of a bird stops the growth of the primary feathers, preventing the acceleration required for flight.[1] Pinioning may be done by a veterinarian or by a trained breeder, and is similar to other forms of modification of domestically raised animals, such as docking the tail of a dog.
In general, there is thought to be little to no long term negative effect from pinioning if performed correctly and at a young age.[2] However, the animal welfare impact of pinioning is debated, with some evidence that is unnecessarily painful even in young birds, and that it may cause a phantom limb syndrome similar to what is observed in human amputees.
Pinioning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 

Most Reactions

Top