questions about molting

[brianlinkles]

Hi, I have read so many books about parrots at this point and one thing all of them say is that when a bird is molting they are cranky. I had Kiwi out of the cage today and noticed that when I pet the top of her head I felt a couple of spikey fealthers. Her fealthers on the top of her head look a bit messy, I cannot smooth them down. I don't see any white spikes however. We live in Ohio (don't know if local has anything to do with the time of the year that they molt) I haven't noticed any feathers on the bottom of her cage (a few downy feathers) What happens when a bird molts? You can read, and read but until you actually experience it I don't think you realize what goes on. How long does it take, do they ever just get a few spikey feathers and that's it or does the whole bird change over all the feathers? I am hoping that this might be why Kiwi is so cranky, however I think that realistically Kiwi is an Amazon with a bad past and is just a cranky bird! LOL

 

[birdmama61]

Nope I live in Ohio and one of my quakers is molting and he is freaking cranky too and he is usually one of my best behaved birds and one of the nicest as well but he sure has been a bear lately . I look at him and think my god he looks raggedy LOL !!!! So I dont know if it has anything to do with Ohio or not but it sure is a molting time around here .I would also like to know .

 

[KBEquine]

Checking in from Pennsylvania, here. We've got a new-to-us amazon who is either moulting or plucking (too new for us to be sure) but he IS getting a few pins & a few of his recently clipped (mid-summer, just before we got him) flight feathers have returned, so I'm thinking it is more of a moult.

Also, my little Pionus has so many pin feathers it is incredible. He is looking ratty & acting miserable. I see very few feathers, other than the downy ones around his cage, but he is definitely moulting, as is my cousin's macaw, also in Pennsylvania, and the redheaded something-or-another in the local feed store (not sure what it is).

Might just be that time of year.

 

[lexilu]

My keet just got done with molt. They only need extra protein during a heavy molt time and they are losing big feathers. Also, I add fennel and anise to the food to help with the attitude and it really helps. I also add some dried pepper flakes and a little pinch of crushed red pepper seeds. The heat does not bother them. I made it through molt with not much attitude or crankiness at all.

 

[Spiritbird]

Because our birds have no seasons living indoors they can take up to 6 months sometimes to complete a molt. My TAG is just now finishing up a major molt that started in May. She regrew all wing feathers and tail feathers. That is called a major molt.
Molting is strictly seasonal and living indoors confuses our birds molting calendars. Rosie even broke a large blood feather this time. It is not a fun time for us or the birds.

 

[ScottinVentura]

Lock yourself in the bathroom and don't plan on getting frisky for a while, then shave off all your pubic hair. The next two or three weeks (depends on how fast it grows back) will begin to teach you all you want to know about molting.

It itches. And when you scratch, it burns. You're miserable until it all comes back in and is normal again. Now make each one of those hairs about 100 times as thick. It's not a comfortable time in a bird's life.

 

[henpecked]

Hey, you'll have major molts and secondary molts though out the year.Normally (if that can be said) one in spring and another in fall/winter.t's a good time to bond with your bird and learn how to preen(something their trusted mate usually does).Good time to make some "brownie points" if you want to be the "man" in her life.You'll have to learn what pin feathers are ready and which are too fresh.(she'll let you know,LOL),when she closes her eyes ,your doing it right and when she squawkes it's not "ripe".