Here's one for you!! (Tail feather issue)

GoffinLily · Jun 20, 2011

My Goffin Lily just turned 1 on June 7th, anyways her tail feathers are continuously growing in because she is constantly breaking/damaging/killing them. She doesn't pluck, actually I end up plucking the dead ones out bc they will start to hurt her! And she only does this with her tail feathers... She damages them before they even finish growing in!??
Could this be because she's still young & getting used to grooming herself? But at the same time she knows what she is doing with the rest of her faethers...??
She doesn't pluck, she's very happy, healthy, active & spoiled!! lol..??

stephend · Jun 20, 2011

Sounds like chewing which as I understand is related to plucking in causes and solutions, but I am not an expert.

GoffinLily · Jun 22, 2011

really?? uh oh... ok not sure what would be wrong I'll keep any eye on it... Thanks!

suebee · Jun 22, 2011

how does the damaged feather look??

Pedro · Jun 22, 2011

Your bird is probably damaging her tail on the cage or from landing awkward. Does she have her wings clipped & if not has she got plenty of room in the home to be able to fly.?

I feel your doing the wrong thing by pulling the damaged feather out as your not helping the situation in fact your making it a little worse. Old feathers are already weak so by pulling broken feathers out the new feather doesn't have the protection of a stronger feather beside it. The best way around the constant feather breakage is either leave the tail alone to drop out when it's time to molt or take your bird to a Vet & have all the tail feathers removed so a whole new tail grows out at the same time. That will take 6 weeks for a whole new lot of tail feathers to grow out.

I let nature take it's course with my birds & usually all is fixed after the 12 month molt. But if she continues to break her tail feathers i would have a Vet take a look at her & also check her cage to see if there is something that need changing or removing.

GoffinLily · Jun 22, 2011

suebee said:
how does the damaged feather look??

she fray's & brakes them on the feather itself & the "root" part blood turns black too...

GoffinLily · Jun 22, 2011

Pedro said:
Your bird is probably damaging her tail on the cage or from landing awkward. Does she have her wings clipped & if not has she got plenty of room in the home to be able to fly.?

I feel your doing the wrong thing by pulling the damaged feather out as your not helping the situation in fact your making it a little worse. Old feathers are already weak so by pulling broken feathers out the new feather doesn't have the protection of a stronger feather beside it. The best way around the constant feather breakage is either leave the tail alone to drop out when it's time to molt or take your bird to a Vet & have all the tail feathers removed so a whole new tail grows out at the same time. That will take 6 weeks for a whole new lot of tail feathers to grow out.

I let nature take it's course with my birds & usually all is fixed after the 12 month molt. But if she continues to break her tail feathers i would have a Vet take a look at her & also check her cage to see if there is something that need changing or removing.

She does damage them occasionally when she lands wrong, but I was mostly talking about her doing it to herself. I've seen her do it.

I'll stop plucking them (I was told by the breeder to do that) & see if the issue clears up on its own.

Thank you

suebee · Jun 22, 2011

i think it will, nuts still a feather chewer grrrr!!! the ends look badly cut with sissors, she seems to like to nibble at the ends, rather then bite mid shaft etc

photo be good, if you can, but IF she is, don't pay attention to her when you catch her at it, and don't watch her constant to catch her at it lol

she is a young bird, she most probably damaging ends an being a little over zealous with her grooming

Pedro · Jun 22, 2011

Have you actually seen her chew the feather off or is she just grooming? My SC Too gives his tail feathers a good going over when he is grooming but doesn't break any off. Something else you can consider is her diet is it balanced. A Vet check just might be a good idea if this continues.

I have a 12 month old male eclectus that has broken every tail feather & to be honest he looks shocking, like a rat has had a good old chew of his tail. I know my bird has not chewed his tail & that he has damaged it by falling the wrong way & climbing all over his cage & getting the tail caught in the bars. Some birds seem to be a little more clumsy than others. I have left them alone in the hope that when he goes through his molt shortly the tail will be replaced with new stronger feathers. I also don't make a big thing of it either.

Here's one for you!! (Tail feather issue)

GoffinLily

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stephend

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