Has anyone used Camomile?

[birdhouse]

From about December/January, my ekkie Kura starts to feather barber. Somewhere about March/April, she'll finally stop. Depending on how much damage she's done, by August/September she's gorgeous, again. This cycle has been repeated every year since she's been here.

 

It's apparently hormonal & the only thing to do is try to treat the symptoms. I read everything I can & try everything that makes any sense. But no suggestions about light, food, toys, aloe, etc have really changed much for her.

 

It's just gut wrenching to have to watch helplessly as she destroys her beautiful feathers every winter. This year has been the worst by far. I've even resorted to over feeding her in the hope that if she's busy eating, she'll stop w/the feathers. At least for a little while.

 

I read that camomile can be beneficial for pluckers. Half strength tea is said to be calming for birds & isn't supposed to have any bad side effects. That just felt too much like drugging her. So I've avoided it until now. However this year's been so bad that I was finally driven to look into it as a serious option.

 

While I was researching, I found people also used it as a spray. That idea didn't bother me so much. So this morning, I brewed a cup of chamomile tea to use instead of her aloe juice bath.

 

Three things struck me, immediately. She beat on the sprayer when I showed it to her & started her usual objections. But after a few seconds, she quit avoiding the mist & stood still. Not unheard of, but noteworthy. She usually only does that on good days. This was not a good day.

 

After a spray bath, Kura will normally sit & preen for a while then take a nap. Only natural of course, but it makes me a little crazy under the circumstances. After today's bath, she preened for maybe a minute or two, then went off to play.

 

That was about 2 hrs ago. I've stayed in front of her the whole time to make sure that there wasn't any type of reaction, because Yes, I can be a little paranoid. There's no sign that she's unhappy or uncomfortable at all. Everything has been normal, normal, except she hasn't touched her feathers once!!

 

I would be so happy to find anything to help Kura be comfortable in her own skin again. Although it's way too soon to tell much, I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

I'd like to see if anyone else has used chamomile for their fids? How often? How long? Was it a pill, tea or spray? I would really appreciate any information or references anyone has about using chamomile in any form for parrots. Thanks.

[judygram]

This is a first for me Val, I haven't heard about using chamomile tea this way but maybe someone who has or knows more about it will chime in but from what you have told us it has made somewhat a difference since you used it on Kura today, I hope it helps for I know ekkies have beautiful feathers but then what bird doesn't but theirs are a softer more delicate feather, keep us updated Val.

[Wingy]

http://www.mybirdstore.com/GOLDENFEAST-Goldenfeast_Dehydrated_Chamomile_Flower_1_oz.html Edited April 22, 2012 by Wingy
had to find the link.

[Greywings]

You can purchase the dried form of the herb at the grocery store usually in the produce department. It can often be found in the Spanish spice & herb section as Manzanilla.

[birdhouse]

Thanks guys. Sorry I haven't had a chance to get back before this.

 

Thanks, Wingy. I've seen where Goldenfeast has Chamomile in a few of their mixes, too. I have no idea how much or anything. But it did make me feel a little more comfortable about using it.

 

Thanks, Greywings. I was surprised when I had no problem finding it in the first grocery store I checked. I just wish I could find some more specifics about what makes it work or if there's a suggested potency or frequency or anything.

 

Kind of funny... Kura decided to help herself to the bottle. She barely got the first bud & I was right behind her. But she really liked it & got kind of pushy about getting me to give her some more. For some reason, all I could think about the way she reacted was "catnip". I still can't decide if it's a good thing. lol But I went ahead & let her have a couple. Nothing bad seems to have happened, so I've let her have a little since, too.

 

At the moment, I'm using it as a spray twice a week, w/a clear water spray in between. It doesn't seem to have caused any problems. It seems to make her more comfortable than aloe. She does have a lovely herby apple scent, now.

 

Seems like it makes her mellow, whether she gets to eat it or gets sprayed. At most she doesn't seem to be any more sedated than after a human has a small glass of wine. Other than that, I can't really say much one way or the other. She's still at her feathers, but a little less often for a while after the chamomile.

 

I'd like to let her have it as a bedtime treat because she's destructive at night when I can't stop her. But I'm pretty conflicted about that because I still can't find any solid facts. Until I do, I guess I'm just going to have to take it very slowly & keep trying to find more information.

Edited March 11, 2012 by birdhouse