My African Grey is pulling a painful hanging feather. What to do?

If you are sure she is not actually pulling them out then here are some reasons why the feathers could just be falling out. 1. Dermatitis: skin infections a. bacterial, fungal or viral b. chemical (e.g., nicotine absorbed from the caretaker's fingers) c. allergic (unproven at this time). 2. Folliculitis: inflammation of the feather follicles 3. Malnutrition: nutritional imbalances are a common cause of illness in our pet birds. Seeds should compose less than 20% of the diet. A balanced pelleted diet like the Harrison's you are feeding should be fed as well. Hard boiled egg yolk, pancakes and cornbread, the tops of fresh greens, dairy products such as yogurt and cheese, fresh fruits such as apples, pears, melon, kiwi, and berries, vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, beets, asparagus, cabbage, sweet potato, and squash, and even tiny pieces of meat should be offered. 4. Environmental conditions: extremes of humidity, aerosol contamination and cigarette smoke. 5. Underlying medical problem: liver pathology, osteomyelitis (bone infection), pancreatic disease, renal disease, neoplasia (cancer), underlying abscesses 6. Reproductive activity/inactivity 7. Parasites: mites and lice 8. Stress I strongly recommend you get her to an avian veterinarian for an exam and some testing. At her age I would be worried about an underlying health issue (#5 above). You vet will need a thorough history which should focus heavily on the bird's interaction with its environment and the people and other animals around it. My guess is that some diagnostics will be needed in the form of blood and urine tests and whole body X-rays. Skin biopsy may also be recommended. Be sure to use a vet that is well-versed in treating birds. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thanks for reaching out about Chipper and including photos. You should monitor the growth of the next feather from that follicle. If it grows in rotated, there is a chance this might be a persistent problem. Then a veterinary visit is recommended to diagnose the condition, which might include blood work, a nutrition discussion and possible follicle biopsy. Often times it is a one time problem, where the feather was tweaked in the follicle and grew in abnormal. Good luck.

I would very gently catch Sky and carefully check under her wings for any damage such as cuts. I imagine you won't find anything as like you say she has likely pulled out a blood feather. As long as you don't find anything I would don't monitor her for the next few days. If you find anything worrying I would have her checked by your vet.

Thanks for reaching out about Chloe. This is most likely a broken blood feather, possibly from night fright. This situation should be thought of like use having a splinter. We pick at at a splinter until painful, then stop and wait, try again. Birds do the same thing with broken blood feathers. If not actively bleeding, leave alone and let Chloe work it out. If starts bleeding, a veterinarian is recommended. Good luck.

The rest of the shaft should be removed to allow a new feather to grow in. Removal will also prevent bleeding if it gets knocked again. Have your veterinarian or an experienced avian vet remove it if you have no experience doing this. Any ointment you apply will likely be removed, and possibly ingested, by Madeline during preening so this is not recommended. A balanced diet and regular bathing or misting with warm water will promote healthy skin and plumage. An exam with your veterinarian to diagnose any infection would be recommended.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach. It is recommended to remove a broken blood feather as it could potentially cause large amounts of blood loss if it breaks open again. If unsure of doing this yourself, I recommend contacting a veterinarian that treats birds. Here's some articles with a bit more info https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/pin-or-blood-feathers-in-birds https://www.aav.org/page/basiccare?

I would recomend a vet visit as it is not normal molting for feathers to fall out without new feathers coming in to replace them. This could be caused by viruses, nutrition deficit or metabolic disease. The vet may recomend some bloodwork after performing a full exam and history. Once the cause is determined the approriate treatment can be started. Good luck with Misty!