Feather trouble

[Mama CJ]

I need some advice and/or opinions. I have a 10 year old CAG, Millie. I have had her since mid September. She has always been a very laid back kind of bird. She came to our home and fit right in without skipping a beat. She even spent 2 weeks over the holidays with my daughter while I was out of state, no problems. We have parakeets and 4 dogs, no problem. She has never let us handle her, we just go at her pace. She seems to roll with the changes...... Until we brought home Rocky, a 4 year old male CAG. Within 3-4 days I noticed many tail feathers on the bottom of the cage. Not chewed, no blood, just seemed to be old ones.They are coming back in now. But now she is really working her chest area. Not just the white fluff, but the other ones too. Sometimes they are chewed off but no blood. All seem to be old ones. I did see 1 pin feather pulled about a week ago.

 

After we got Rocky in January, I made sure Millie was cleaned, fed, showered (misted) and greeted first. The only thing I can think of that might upset her is that Rocky can fly but Millie had her wings clipped and does not fly. Rocky never gets on her cage. They pretty much ignore each other. Sometimes she'll make a loud sound and he'll tell her to shut up, but she just laughs at him.

She is eating great and plays. She has been a little quieter. Just not as talkative in the morning and evening as usual. Droppings look normal.

 

I took a few pics of her. A couple from last night and the others from today.

 

Any help would be appreciated greatly....Thanks, Carla

 

Edited March 13, 2011 by Mama CJ
spelling

[Mama CJ]

Now after I got the first post completed with pics and took a quick phone call, this is what I found. She's fine all day then I find feathers like this in about 20 minutes....

 

[Shelly Yokum]

I would try moving the new bird to a new area, somewhere that she can't hear or see him. This would be easy for me because I have a 2 story house. See if that works. I would also give her extra attention, make her feel special. Talk to her more and let her know she is still loved.

[Mama CJ]

Thanks Shelly. I have a ranch style home. I could put Rocky in the spare room so she can't see him but anywhere in my home he can be heard. And she gets lots of extra attention from me, my son and hubby.

[Barbara2]

I'll let some of the experts chime in but it sounds like molting to me.

[Mama CJ]

Thanks for the reply Barbara. I've felt so bad thinking I've done something that upset her this much. I've only had parakeets, tiels and love birds and they never went through much of a molt. Well, my keets have to be the messiest birds I've ever had. Tiny feathers on the floor ALL the time! I'm really hoping that some of it may be due to the better diet she's on now compared to what she was getting before. But that was back in September. Her feathers were pretty dull but she was only fed seed most of the time, and junk food.

[Barbara2]

I know that my Senegal and my TAG are molting right now. They do pick at the feathers falling out and those growing in because I think it itches. As long as you are not seeing skin, I doubt that it's plucking and has nothing to do with the other bird. I would just keep an eye on things right now but I don't think it's a problem.

[judygram]

I tend to think it is a molt too but do you see any bare spots? If there are bare spots then she is plucking but if not it just may be a heavy molt.

I would not move her cage out of the area she is now in, she needs to stay where the family spends the most time and the same room as the new grey, if you move her she may be very upset and they like to be where the action is. It is almost impossible to put her where the other grey cannot hear her, even upstairs.

If you have any concerns or are worried about the feathers just give your avain vet a call and find out, he/she may want to see her but it could relieve your concerns.

Now that I have seen the pictures you shared it does look less like a molt as she looks like it is down to the downy feathers on the chest, give your vet a call is my opinion.

[Mama CJ]

Thanks for the reply, Judy. I don't see any bare spots. This has slowly been going on for about 6 weeks. It started with the tail. She lost all but a few tail feathers in just a few days but they are coming back in now. Some are in quite a bit, some just coming in about an inch long, the pin feathers. She seems to be leaving the tail alone but has moved to the chest and some under her wings.

[Dave007]

Unfortunily, your bird isn't molting in that whole breast area. Signs of molting aren't as extreme as your bird's breast area looks right now. There should be loads of those 2 feathers on the body right now (that last picture) which should be covering that white area by now even as molting continues. Actually within 1 or 2 weeks after molting begins, that area already has new feathers in. I don't see any except for the neck. The only reason they're still there is because your bird can't pluck them because of their location. You should start spraying your bird with water or aloe Vera juice and do it frequently--everyday. Soak that area down. I can see she's picking feathers on her lower parts of the legs.

The tail and wing feathers fell out because they were dead and it was their time to be replaced. This is what a bird should roughly look like 3 weeks after molting has started and continues.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v50/DaveVP/Image35.jpg

Edited March 15, 2011 by Dave007

[Mama CJ]

Well, Dave, it wasn't what I wanted to hear, but now I know. I will be picking up aloe vera juice in the morning. What are the chances she'll stop plucking? I don't know what to do to fix the situation. I couldn't imagine having to rehome either bird. :confused:

[Dave007]

10 yr old bird

0nly did this for the last 6 to 8 weeks?

Never did this before?

That's called acute plucking-------which will definitely stop. That's what your bird is doing.

Chronic plucking applies to a bird who will never stop, has started early in life and has adapted to a world without feathers.

How long before this happens?

Can't say but if you do the spraying thing constantly (SOAKING her down to the skin plus under the wing at the skin) it should ease up gradually and you'll start seeing those tiny feathers coming in and as soon as they come in, the skin will get less irritating. She's now very dry in that area and that area needs moisture. Very cool water should be used. Greys like very cool water. Put up with the squawking, growling, nipping--it needs to be done.

Why is she doing that? Can't say but something set her off and it periodically happens and there's no quick answer.

 

Ps--if you're gonna use the juice, use it straight. Don't mix with water and chill it abit before using.

Edited March 15, 2011 by Dave007

[Mama CJ]

Thanks so much Dave. Yes, 10 years old and first time plucker (from what I've been told, she was a family members bird).

I think what may have set her off was a new bird added to the flock. This behavior started just days after. I don't know how to fix that without losing a bird and that really isn't an option. Maybe she's jealous the other bird can fly and she doesn't. I don't know if or when she ever flew. She came with wings clipped and her other owner said it had been a few years since she was even out of her cage. She is now out on a daily basis, several hours a day but she just climbs all over her cage.

 

I will start the cooled juice bath in the morning. She doesn't fuss much for her misting/bath but I have a hard time getting under her wings. I've had a hard time keeping the humidity up in the house even with a humidifier cranking 24/7.

 

Thanks again, Dave.

 

Carla & Millie

[Dave007]

I will start the cooled juice bath in the morning. She doesn't fuss much for her misting/bath but I have a hard time getting under her wings. I've had a hard time keeping the humidity up in the house even with a humidifier cranking 24/7.

Carla & Millie

 

Get a mister--fill with the juice----turn nozzle until liquid is a stream---get as close to her as possible. 12 to 16 inches is good.

Aim stream between wing and body. Use 1/2 squirts. Just press trigger 1/2 way, not all the way.( it's called spritzing) The wing doesn't have to be open. The fluid will shoot between the inner wing and the body. The feathers located at the body under the wing aren't waterproof so that area gets soaked quickly.. In the future, you can use that 1/2 squirt method anytime you're bathing your bird for whatever reason.

[Mama CJ]

Will do! Thank you for the great advice!