Do tail feathers come in as pin feathers?

[KateMyshkin]

My guy has had several pin feathers on his head and neck. He’s lost many tail feathers and I see one growing in but it doesn’t seem to be a pin feather. How do tail feathers grow?

 

[SailBoat]

My guy has had several pin feathers on his head and neck. He’s lost many tail feathers and I see one growing in but it doesn’t seem to be a pin feather. How do tail feathers grow?

All feathers come in as pin feathers. The difference is the size. The larger tail feathers will come in as a larger version (thicker) and then longer.

Commonly, they only loss a couple of tail feathers at a time.

 

[KateMyshkin]

My bird has lost about three tail feathers since I got him two months ago. I haven’t seen any new tail feather growing yet. I’ve seen many pin feathers on his face and neck. I guess I just haven’t seen them yet!

 

[KateMyshkin]

The weird part is that he has a small feather on the outside /backside that looks like the color of his tail feathers but is a very small feather. Lol I thought it was a tail feather growing .. der.. i just watched a bunch of YouTube videos but none really showed a tail feather just blood feathers on wings and other places.

 

[SailBoat]

There is series of overlapping Feathers from above and below that support the Tail Feathers under-load. They are smaller than the longer tail feather.

 

[MonicaMc]

New feathers are called pin feathers or blood feathers. Pin feathers typically refer to the smaller body and head feathers, where-as blood feathers usually refer to the larger wing and tail feathers. In truth, they are one and the same - they start out as pins with a blood supply.


It's possible that you don't see the tail feathers as "pins" because by the time you *do* see the feather, it has already emerged from the shaft.


Quick search, I found a website with a picture of a new tail feather growing in - although the keratin should have been broken off at least an inch or two (at the end) by the time the image was taken.

Green Cheek Conure Molting | PetGreenCheekConure.com

 

[KateMyshkin]

I know what I’m looking for now! Thank you