feather problems

[johnyboy305]

Hi there was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on a feather problem. First of all I would like to explain that I live in Saudi Arabia and a Avian vet is something that I have not come across. This problem started while I was on a 3 week vacation and my little guy was being looked after by a freind. When I returned he had lost a lot of feathers from the back of his neck and his upper chest just below the neckline. His skin looked a bit raw so I thought maybe he was itchy due to moulting and was over itching himself. I have started spraying him down with aloe vera juice every other day, this seems to have sorted the skin problem. He has lots of new feathers coming in but the sheeth that covers the feather as it grows seems to be too hard and not coming away as it grows, subsequently the new feather looks just like a spikey quill. I have had Alfie for best part of 6 months, when I bought him he had been clipped, all primary feathers were gone. In the 6 months I have had him he has not dropped any of his primary feathers to date. My friend has a Timney and he drops his clipped primary's frequently. His diet is good and he eats well, plenty veg and fruit and all the good things. He is a great little character and has no behavioral problems apart from this feather thing. Any ideas anybody ?

[chapala]

Are the problem feathers just on his head and neck? I'm asking because that's the place he can't reach and must rely on a bird or human friend to help break up the sheaths on the new feathers there. I have seen on a Greenwing Macaw feathers sheaths on her head that turned very hard, and the feathers weren't able to come out in the right form because no one helped her with preening. Do you gently break the tips off the new feathers (when they're not still too tender)? Then as the new feather loses it's blood supply, you can help break up the sheath all the way down the feather. Hope that might help!

 

My Grey fledged as a baby, but the breeder clipped way too many feathers just before he sent him off to me. I waited a very long time for the primaries to grow back in, more than six months. So I wouldn't worry that the flight feathers haven't been molted out yet. Greys by the way only need the outer four primary feathers clipped (an occasional bird might need 5), not all of them. They are heavy bodied birds, and don't need as many feathers clipped as Macaws, 'Tiels, etc. To be safe and not fall and break their keel, they need to be able to glide downwards on those wings, not fall like a rock.

Reta

[danmcq]

Hi Johnyboy,

 

Reta has given you excellent advice and your taking the action of spraying him down with Aloe juice should help soften the sheath and also relieve some of the skin irritation you have observed.

[birdgranna]

One of my greys wings do not grow in. He had chlamydia as a baby and came to me with very clipped wings. I give him a feather vitamin every day (Nekton)and mist him with Aloe vera juice and water. He is a very good eater and eats lots of fruits and veggies , nuts,and Zupreem pellets. He is also very nervous and spooks easily. I hate to see him thud to the floor. He usually breaks a blood feather. It seems they just start to grow in and they fall out or are knocked out. I have done everything the vet has told me to do yet his wing feathers do not grow in properly. He is almost 5 yrs. old. I guess this will be his lot in life...or is there any other treatment that any of you know of?

 

[birdgranna]

Yikes! HUGE PHOTO!! sorry...but at least you can see Quinnie's wings.