Feathers growing back?

Lauraj

Regular Member
Good morning all!

Just a question about how long it typically takes for wing feathers to grow back in.

I have had Bo for three weeks, so not very long and we got told one feather on one wing was clipped when he was a baby so the breeder could handrear him. On getting him home they've clipped a lot more than one feather, our poor little lad had one outer wing feather and then none. Bo is 6 months old now and I appreciate these will take time to grow back in, just wondering on a rough time scale.

He is paying more attention to that wing with preening now so assuming there's some movement which is irritating him. I feel bad that he can't come out and fly like a normal bird, also he has to be monitored when he's out of his cage because he tries to fly and cant so this is making his out of cage time less because he needs someone in the room to prevent an injury.

Thank you all in advance! Just want him to get these feathers back haha!!
 
I am so sad to hear they clipped Bo wing, people are so cruel and unkind. How would they like a leg broken so they could not run away or an arm broken? Makes me feel like doing it .
I guess to grow back could take roughly up to a year, but should grow after a moult. as I've never clipped wings or had birds that have been clipped I really am only guessing.
 
Thank you for your reply.

Yeah i was so sad when i got him home and he stretched his wings, one is so full and beautiful and the other is hardly there. I was very angry and my boyfriend had to stop me ringing the place we got him and giving them a piece of my mind!
Alfie my other bird is not clipped and never will be clipped, i love that he flys in and out of his cage whenever he feels like doing so.

Can't wait for Bo to get them back, it worries me that he never flew before they clipped him also so that's another hurdle to overcome. We will get there eventually!
Such a shame for the little lad, it's him i feel sorry for!
 
Well I would definitely have phoned the place where he came from and give them a piece of my mind, it is a barbaric practice these days.
 
Very true!
They also told me they could clip him for me every time they grew back (after they said one feather was clipped) they seemed very shocked when i said i wouldn't be clipping him at all and told me that it would be my fault if he flew out of the window and i lost him. They didn't know what to say when i said well i won't open the windows without some safety covers in place :rolleyes:

Hopefully his feathers will be back soon and he will be happy flying round my house at his own pleasure!
 
Birds tend to moult on average twice a year. But outside factors can effect this such as weather etc.

If it's causing discomfort see if there is anything your avian vet would recommend.
 
Thank you, this seems like the best idea. I don't want his irritation to lead to plucking or other behaviour that'll make him suffer.

Someone on this forum mentioned aloe vera oil in his water spray so when he sprayed down he will be getting aloe Vera also so looking currently for some parrot friendly oil!
 
I think the moult frequency and duration (for want of better words) depends very much on the species. Our budgies seem to moult quite often and rapidly. It's like a snow storm, especially if they are in sync. They look quite tatty for a while then all the new feathers come through quickly.

Eclectus Frankie's moult has been going on for about 8 weeks and I don't think it's finished yet. I believe that larger birds moult less frequently and each moult takes longer - several months for some. I'd be very interested to hear the experiences of the carers of larger birds. @Michael Reynolds probably has a sideline in filling pillows with the number of birds he has :D

For Christmas 2018, we filled some clear baubles with a selection of feathers and distributed them to various family members to hang on their trees. They really liked them.
 
Use diluted Aloe Vera juice once a week use just water for your birds other spray or sprays, if you use Aloe every time it will build a film on the feathers and skin, and not have the required affect of soothing, it is also a mild disinfectant just add a table spoon of aloe in my large pump up 5ltr sprayer and is bird safe.
 
I think the moult frequency and duration (for want of better words) depends very much on the species. Our budgies seem to moult quite often and rapidly. It's like a snow storm, especially if they are in sync. They look quite tatty for a while then all the new feathers come through quickly.

Eclectus Frankie's moult has been going on for about 8 weeks and I don't think it's finished yet. I believe that larger birds moult less frequently and each moult takes longer - several months for some. I'd be very interested to hear the experiences of the carers of larger birds. @Michael Reynolds probably has a sideline in filling pillows with the number of birds he has :D

For Christmas 2018, we filled some clear baubles with a selection of feathers and distributed them to various family members to hang on their trees. They really liked them.


That's a lovely idea! We have a good few feathers from our parolette and they're beautiful greens and bits of blue.
Sure Bo's feathers will be equally pretty in baubles. Thanks for that idea!
 
once or twice a year, wing feathers normally fall and grow evenly on each wing, if the cut feathers are not damaged near to the root there should be no problem in them being replaced. when new feathers start growing they are like sharp looking needles the outer white coating will be taken off but your bird when preening and the new feathers underneath the sheaf will appear. the new feathers at first as they start to grow are called blood feathers they can get broken and bleed this is why I recommend having stop bleed as part of the first aid kit for your bird. if the bleeding persists then it may need extracting, if you are not confident pulling a blood feather out them most vets can remove them, you should not need to see an avian specific vet,
 
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