Pin Feathers???

[Agapornis]

My little GCC is 5 mos old. I just noticed that he is getting these little spikes around his face and his back, coming up thru his feathers. He has been preening like crazy, he seems a little itchy from it. He has some bigger spikes on his back that I dont think he can get to. When I try to touch them he gets mad, and acts like it hurts him.

Are these pin feathers? What can I do to help him?
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[SandyBee]

Sure sounds like pin feathers.

Baths/showers help
If he is not too fond of those, even being in a steamy bathroom without getting wet helps.
He will take care of all his pin feathers on his back, chest etc. If he allows you you can help with the ones on his head by gently rolling them in your fingers or pinching then slightly to help break the keratin. But if they hurt they may not be ready to be broken yet, baths and showers are the best way to go and try and not touch the pins too much.

 

[Agapornis]

Thank you SandyBee! I'm on it.

 

[Customcasket]

Breaking pin feathers is a very satisfying feeling, lol. I love seeing the content look on my guys faces as I take of the itchy pin feathers.

 

[Agapornis]

Customcasket, i know what you mean! I am DYING to pick at those pin feathers...but I'm only going as far as Fiji will let me.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

I saw the first little pin feathers on Gilbert and scratched them/fluffed them out yesterday. It was so cute. Just have to resist the urge to pick at them until you drive them nuts!

 

[erik7181]

They tend to enjoy you opening them but if he tells you no that's ok. Iv never seen it but iv been told if there black or blueish they have to be left alone because they have blood but iv never seen it.

 

[Agapornis]

Interesting! Actually, the big one on his back is dark...sort of blackish. i will keep that in mind and try to leave it alone. I hope he can reach it himself and take care of it.

I took him into a steamy shower, and it seemed to help! He definitely was less itchy after that.

 

[SandyBee]

Yes leave that one alone for now and keep taking him for steamy bath trips as well as showers or baths. As the feather grows in the keratin sheath will start breaking down and then will disinegrate. As that happens he will either find a way to get it or he will let you help him.

 

[MonicaMc]

Birds can reach every single feather on their body with their beaks except for those on their heads. For their heads, they have feet! This is why, if you ever see a plucked bird, they'll often go for feathers below their neck line... usually keeping to body feathers (predominately stomach), but some have been known to go after tail and wing feathers. Rarely do you come across a bird that plucks wings and tail but not body feathers, or one that plucks *all* feathers... the typical pluckers leave the wings and tail feathers alone. Even rarer are those parrots who learn to pluck their own head feathers! Being different is great, but that's taking it too far! LOL


Anyway, point is, they can, for the most part, take care of all the feathers on their body. Of course, if they are willing, they do appreciate help! And they'll know when to take care of a bothersome feather and how.


Blood feathers are the larger pin feathers in the wings and tail. Since the quill is often see-through, it's easily visible to see the blood inside of them. In fact, you can see blood in many new pin feathers if you can look careful at them. As long as the feathers don't break when there's blood in them, that's fine! If a blood feather breaks, hope you can stop the bleeding! If you can't get the bleeding to stop (flour, corn starch, cayenne pepper/cayenne pepper paste, quik stop, etc), you may need to pull the feather.