First molt pre-signs?

[Knight05]

I was wondering if greys give signs they are about to molt. Chloe is about 11 months or so and close to the one year marker, and the past 2 days I've found at least 20 little white fuzzy pre down feathers all around the house. I know she is not plucking because I watch her and I haven't physically seen her pull any of them out.

So I was just wondering if there is usually an order of how they lose their feathers and how long the average molting session last's from start to finish. Also when they molt will my bird be totally naked for awhile or do they grow feathers in as fast as they lose them? And when they are naked from molting do you have to compensate for anything like less showers or expect worse balance etc. Do they lose all their feathers or keep the head feathers?

[Guest Skuffy]

A Normal Moulting Process In Birds...

 

You can have a read of this Knight05..Hope it helps abit

 

http://www.parrotpassionsuk.com/Advice/Moulting.htm

[judygram]

Spence you are not going to have a naked bird, the neck feather start molting first and you will see the little downy ones first. They gradually lose their feathers so they will look fully feathered all the time except for the wings and tail. They will molt out at different times so the tail and wings will have enough feathers to maintain flight.

 

It will be more important to bathe them regularly when molting, new pin feathers coming in kind of makes them itchy and the baths help them feel better, be sure to use the aloe vera juice afterwards to help soothe the skin.

[Dave007]

What you're seeing right now is the actual molting process. Your bird's age is about the right age in which this happens. In molting, all of the fluffy feathers are shed and new ones replace them even though you can't actually see them coming out It's those new feathers that are pushing the old feathers out. In a normal molt, no bald spots appear althogh some minor ones may appear if excessive scratching occurs. Head feathers come out exactly the same way that others come out ..very small amounts over a long period of time. Some feathers are a bit stubborn when falling out. Wing feathers as well as tail feathers fall out but in no particular order nor do they fall out at a particur time of the year. Basically, it's 1 or 2 feathers here and there anfd that goes on all year long.

 

""""And when they are naked from molting""""

 

They don't get naked and concerning the bathing, that should be done all year long both for cleanliness of the feathers and keeping the bird'sskin soft and not itchy.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2008/04/14 20:49

[Knight05]

I've never used aloe baths I use african grey shampoo is that good enough or is aloe better and if so how do you apply it like shampoo? So she is clipped now are you guy's saying it could be potentially like 4-6 months before she loses her old flight feathers and the new ones grow in?

[danmcq]

Never heard of "African Grey" shampoo. I would stick with misting with Aloe and/or showers and bowls for baths also.

 

But, Aloe seems to working the best at removing the dust and also soothing the irritated skin and making it much more supple.

[pixiexoxo]

Hi all,

 

Biggles has some new tail feather appearing which are a lovely bright red colour, although his old ones haven't fallen out yet. I have noticed the old tail feathers are not as vibrant as they were before though so I was wondering whether this is also a sign that he is about to molt??? He is nearly 10 months old now and has been losing the small downy feathers for ages now.

 

Amy xx

[lovemyGreys]

sounds like bigggles may be beginning his molt, he is the correct age & the loose of downy feathers is also a sign, you should see new pins coming through on his neck/nape .The new tail feathers will be a vibrant red as opposed to baby tail feathers that have the darker grey/black edging to them.

[Christina]

Finnigan turns a year old in May and she is starting to molt. Her new feathers are coming in a much darker grey so I can tell all the new from the old. Also, one thing I have noticed when my B&G molts, he loses the same feathers on each side of his body. For example, he will lose one wing feather, say third from the front, the next day or within a week, the same exact feather on the other wing will come out. It seems a very exact science that is going on with their molts and very interesting. You can almost tell which feather he will lose next as he pays special attention to it while grooming. He won't pull it out, but its almost like he knows that one is no good anymore. I imagine its because the new feather is underneath, perhaps pushing the old one out and he can feel it? I find it fascinating to watch. We once had a caique who once she molted her feather, she would never touch it again, you couldn't even put it near her. Loki and Finnigan both love their molted feathers. Okay, I confess, I make Finnigan toys out of Loki's feathers and she loves them!

[lovemyGreys]

:laugh: Yes christina my gang like to play with their molted feathers too.You are correct in saying that the feathers molt in pairs from either side.It is amzaing & the new feather will be pushing the old one out

[siobha9]

Liath is coming up on 2 and seems to be losing a lot of feathers, very much like the first molt. Do they lose all their feathers within a couple of months each year? Or is it a gradual and continous process after the first molt?

[lovemyGreys]

There are two kinds of molts with different degrees of feather replacement. In a complete molt all feathers are replaced.In a partial molt only some feathers are replaced.Damaged feathers are replaced during a molt. A feather that has been lost completely is replaced immediately.The molt is influenced by season, temperature, diet,Living indoors, in climate-controlled homes, molting can be thrown off quite drastically.At about 18/ 24 months there seems to be another molt but this is just another obvious part of the "first" molt. Once this phase is complete the bird should just about have its adult coloration.

[siobha9]

Oh ok, so really she hadnt finished the first time! She isnt plucking, isnt bald anywhere but is losing a LOT of feathers. And is very grouchy sometimes because she has so many pin feathers all over her that she must be sore. Petting her at the moment is a bit like petting a hedgehog:)

[lovemyGreys]

sometimes it's ongoing, once this is over it should be once per year thereafter. she will be grouchy siobhan wouldnt you be with pins sticking out of you !