How to Remove Your Pet Bird's Pin Feathers

Pin feathers resemble a feather shaft and occur when birds grow in new feathers. The outer shaft eventually peels away, leaving a new feather. In pairs, birds will often help each other trim away the uncomfortable sheath. Single birds may need your help around hard to reach places such as the neck and head.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Spray bottle

1. Keep the bird hydrated. The drying and withering of the shaft around the feather causes the bird to lose moisture. Be sure your birds have plenty of water drink during molting season. Spray the birds once or twice a day with water. This will soften the pin feathers and relieve some of the itchiness involved with molting.

2. Look for blood feathers. These are pin feathers with a blood vein still in them. This means the feather cannot be preened without inflicting pain and bleeding on the bird.

3. Preen the shafts that are not coming off easily. Squeeze the pin feather gently between your thumb and forefinger. Gently roll the end of the quill between your fingers. The sheath should fall off easily.

Tips & Warnings

• Feathers are made of protein, so give your bird a veterinary approved protein supplement.
• Bald spots are not normal in molting. If your pet bird has bald spots, contact a veterinarian.
• Take your bird to a vet if you preen a blood feather and it does not stop bleeding quickly.

Resources

• A veterinary resource from Washington University