When will feather grow back?

[Gizmo_efc]

Hi everyone,

 

When I first bought Gizmo last August, he was 12 weeks old and just starting to fly. I decided to get his wings clipped in August because my house inside is free flowing and the kitchen is exposed due to no doors.

 

Also when he was flying when I first got him, he was getting quite high and he hitting the wall and then hitting the floor with a terrible thud.

 

It was always my intention when he got to know the house a little bit better, that when the flight feathers grew back then I would let him learn to fly. We are now obviously in May and the feathers still havent grown back?

 

When he does try to which is rare, he cant gain any height at all so just crashes into the door/wall?

 

How long will it be before these feathers grow back?

 

Also after hitting the chair one night, one of his 'stems' (dont know what to call it? - the thing feathers are attached to? Is it a quill?) broke and he pulled it off, no blood. Will this grow back?

 

By the way, I was a member previously but have forgotten my password due to changed email accounts etc so thats why I havent introduced myself again. If Admin want me to do so, then please ask.

 

Thanks for any advice

[dblhelix]

Primary flight feathers generally molt out yearly. This can vary by several months on the plus or minus side, but it is a pretty long period. When they do grow back be prepared for "clumsy" flying attemtps, banging into walls, crash landings etc during a learning period. This can be scary to the owner and you do need to be aware of this reality to try and provide an environment conducive to learning with minimal opportunities for injury. I suspect from your statements that Gizmo never did learn full flight proficiency as you mention he was still having crashes. Flying is a learned skill and some birds will take to it better than others. It could take many months of practicing depending on the birds determination, your encouragement etc. If you are committed you should be fine Regarding the feather that broke/pulled out...it should grow back, probably along the same time line (eg 12 months).

[Tycos_mom]

It Took Tyco my rescue alsmost a 1 and 1/2 yrs to grow his flights back and she also broke a few blood feathers from playing to rough and the feathers have no other feathers around them for support so you will have to supervise her playing when she starts to molt and get her new ones.