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Broken Feather

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Broken Feather

Postby Michael » Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:33 pm

I noticed Kili flying a little weird lately. On one wing, her primaries never grew in right and there were many broken ones. On that wing there are just 4 primaries with the rest missing. These are the outer most feathers with a bunch in the middle missing.

The quills were pulled once and the feathers grew in a second time. But some of the second time feathers broke again with no surrounding feathers to protect them. When the quills were pulled a second time, those primaries did not grow back. If a feather is pulled twice in a row basically, how long is it till it grows back out next time? Not until next molt? Or are they supposed to keep coming in every time they come out?

So one of those 4 remaining primary feathers, the inner most one, seems kind of loose or broken. It flutters around a bit when Kili flies. I can tell by looking at her wings and it makes a different look than it used to with the gap of missing feathers. Upon examination I had difficulty finding any break in the quill but the feather feels kind of loose and I can move it a bit from side to side. I'm not certain but it seems that it is loose at the connection point rather than broken along the quill.

I am wondering if I should get the feather pulled or just leave it? I prefer the remaining 3 feathers (just 3!!! I don't know how she'll be able to fly and still a while till next molt) to have the protection from the 4th, which while loose and probably dysfunctional in flight, still offers some protection to the others from breaking. I'm more worried that without the 4th, the remaining 3 feathers will end up getting broken one by one.

Any advice and anyone know why the primaries didn't grow back in a second time after quills pulled?
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Michael
Macaw
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is male
Posts: 6286
Location: New York
Number of Birds Owned: 3
Types of Birds Owned: Senegal Parrot, Cape Parrot, Green-Winged Macaw
Flight: Yes

Re: Broken Feather

Postby Crazy Bird Lady » Wed Dec 23, 2009 3:33 am

Hi Michael
i replied to another post of yours minutes ago regarding this, but i would like to add that my vet didnt pull the feathers out a second time, as she said it would cause too much distress to the bird mentally and immune wise. im unsure if the feathers will grow back if plucked a second time, and this may well have been part of my vets logic.
My cockatiel Luca has had those feathers fall out and regrow, but has had several setbacks, especially when it was just one or two primaries growing back at once, they seem very vulnerable. thankfully on the third regrowth there were four feathers growing on each wing at the same time which seemed to help keep the feathers intact. When it was just one or two feathers on her wings they were loose as well.
She has had 4 moults and she still hasnt lost most of her secondaries that were cut, but i wont get her plucked to stimulate new growth, as i dont want to cause her any more stress at all. Just today i came home and found that she had shed one of her cut feathers - so i am hopefull that things will improve, but its going to take quite a bit of time. I have to say that finding that cut feather on the floor made my blood boil, even though i was glad it was gone and hopefully the next feather is coming through to replace it - its just another reminder of my birds suffering.
I would just keep checking your birds wings, making sure you know which feathers still have the blood supply, and maybe its worth going to the vet to get something to keep on hand incase you get any bleeding. i dont know the name of the product my vet gave me, as she put it into an unlabeled container, but it is orange like betadine, and stops bleeding and also disinfects (maybe it is betadine but i cant be sure) - i found it to be really effective, although it does sting the bird a little.
goodluc, i wish you well and would like to hear what happens next.
parrots arent mere ornaments, and they're hardly "just a pet" they are intelligent and emotional creatures who want our companionship. As a bird owner, its a pleasure to make my parrots lives as happy, enriched and healthy as possible
Crazy Bird Lady
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 44
Location: Australia
Number of Birds Owned: 7
Types of Birds Owned: 5 Budgies and 2 Cockatiels
Flight: Yes

Re: Broken Feather

Postby Crazy Bird Lady » Wed Dec 23, 2009 3:46 am

If you are interested, i also have a few other older updates on Lucas wings on my youtube channel (warning very amateur).....



parrots arent mere ornaments, and they're hardly "just a pet" they are intelligent and emotional creatures who want our companionship. As a bird owner, its a pleasure to make my parrots lives as happy, enriched and healthy as possible
Crazy Bird Lady
Lovebird
 
Gender: This parrot forum member is female
Posts: 44
Location: Australia
Number of Birds Owned: 7
Types of Birds Owned: 5 Budgies and 2 Cockatiels
Flight: Yes


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