Cocky Losing Feathers ?

[Nawtier]

My Cocky has just started to lose some of his feathers on his chest and under his wing.

Never had this before and had him for 6 years.

Anyone know why or some treatment for it ??

Do they grow back ??

I have seen a few bald ones and they look ....... embarrassed.

[dustbunny]

Is he pulling them out? That would be the most common reason. Has he been stressed lately?

[Nawtier]

Have not seen him pulling them out......not stressed that I know of, he sits there quite relaxed looking and content most of the time....does squawk a lot though at different times of the day.

[sbk]

Do you have another rooster?

[bina]

Do you have another rooster?

cokatiel? im assuming cockatiel and not cock as in rooster...

check for mites... moulting due to weather changes? food changes? stress? maybe ask the guy that raises birds....shows up occasionally on the forumcant remember his avatar....... take a pic of the bird

but more or less for roosters it would be the same questions although ive yet to meet a 6 yr old rooster...

bina

[sbk]

just assumed chicken! you are right, must be a cockatiel! And you'd be surprised, bina, my Mr Rooster made it past 6 years, but he was a well kept chicken.

Anyway, our chickens used to get mites and that would cause feather loss too..

[Nawtier]

Cockatoo.

White, orange crest.......talks, thai and english....but cannot tell me why himself.

Thought about mites.....shall try to get some powder locally.

No change in food, stress nothing.......moved house recently but no real difference.

gets plenty of fruit, seed and fresh water daily.....

[Forethat]

Sorry to hear about your bird.

The reason for feather plucking has never been established scientifically, other than the more common factors like mites, allergies amongst others. There a psychological factor involved as well which is believed to act as a catalyst. In many cases a medical cause cannot be diagnosed, hence it is believed that the bird plucks it's feathers because it's mentally unhappy, i.e. alone, stressed or similar.

Sometime he plucking appears to be a behavioural defect that develops when the bird is bored (this is a syndrome that doesn't appear amongst birds with a partner). There are extreme cases where owners have restrained the bird from plucking by applying a collar which limits the birds ability to reach affected areas.

There is tons of information to find on the Internet.

[bob4you]

Sorry to hear about your bird.

The reason for feather plucking has never been established scientifically, other than the more common factors like mites, allergies amongst others. There a psychological factor involved as well which is believed to act as a catalyst. In many cases a medical cause cannot be diagnosed, hence it is believed that the bird plucks it's feathers because it's mentally unhappy, i.e. alone, stressed or similar.

Sometime he plucking appears to be a behavioural defect that develops when the bird is bored (this is a syndrome that doesn't appear amongst birds with a partner). There are extreme cases where owners have restrained the bird from plucking by applying a collar which limits the birds ability to reach affected areas.

There is tons of information to find on the Internet.

I used to own a Parrot shop in Pattaya with sometimes over 50 medium and large parrots, never had one as a plucker. I attribute that to the fact they had plenty of company, consta\'/;\;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;nt interaction with myself and my Thai wife so they were notik.8u78u bored or left alone day or night. A companion parrot may be a good idea but I caution you.

There is a fairly common disease that is most common in Toos called beak and feather disease. Much info available on internet, no known cause and no known cure. I had one of my pet Toos contract it, fortunately I was able to keep him isolated in his own room and it spread no further to other birds, but he was the ugliest loving Too you ever saw. It was embarasing to take him outside with me after he got sick and finally had to have the vet put him to sleep.

If the feathers are missing on his wings and chest only then it is plucking if they start going missing on areas he could not possibly reach with his beak than it is a disease.

Is your Too in a family environment with lots of people around? Do you take him out with you when you go out? Are his wings clipped or is he chained to a stand or put in a cage all day?

PM me if you want some other ideas or if you would like to have me and wife babysit for a month or two to see if the pattern can be reversed.

Edited May 15, 2011 by bob4you

[Nawtier]

Cheers Bob...

I had thought about a companion for him, but one cocky at the moment is enough.

His feathers that he is losing are on his chest and under his wings......no big feather or flight feathers, only the small body ones.

We are at home most of the time, so he sees or knows we are about all of the day.

We put him in a cage at dusk only, all day he is out on his perch under a tree or on a 4m long perch where he prances back and forth.

He is a very affectionate and quiet, as in nature, not noise, bird and gives you a kiss whenever you are near him.

He is also squawking a lot in recent times, becoming annoying actually as we live in a very very very quiet locale so he is heard by everyone around as well.

[bob4you]

It may be that he is in adolescent stage and wanting to mate and no one to mate with. If you can afford it a playmate or mate may actually be less trouble than one frustrated single Too. Find a shop that will let you buy one on a trial basis, put them in cages next to each other for a week or so and if the come close in different cages they can then be put in same cage. If they shy away from each other they are not ready to be friends.

Good luck to you, I know how heart breaking it can be to worry about the health of a pet.

[samsiam]

My cocky is losing lots of feathers.

She is not stressed, just bad habit it seems.

How to stop as its getting worse, tried many things.

Would be interested in a collar as mentioned above, but anyone know where to get it from, or order online and delivery?

Also anyone kn ow of an experienced vet in Bangkok perhaps that has an idea how to cure?

I am sure it is not mites as never seen any on her, nor in her cage or the blanket covering it at night.

She is outside all day long on a 5m + stand with fresh fruit and vegetables. Lotsa seed and we hang a fresh cut long branch up for her to destroy every few days. She is rarely alone as in we are home with her near every day, so I believe boredom or stress is not the issue.

She is pulling them out, seen her doing it, but what is the reason for it is not known.

Thanks

Edited January 25, 2012 by samsiam

[F1fanatic]

As others have pointed out, birds pull their feathers out when they are bored, stressed etc.

You may not understand why your bird is in either of these states, but if you actually see them doing so (and have eliminated possible medical problems), then you need to accept this is the case.

A 'collar' will only make your cocky more stressed.

[samsiam]

More stressed...but more handsome with feathers again.

[mangotogo]

Sometimes feather plucking can also be diet related. TRy supplementing his diet with some chicken bones (watch so they don;t go off). In nature these birds will eat insects that they come across while picking at bark on trees. They are not a meat eater but sometimes lack protein and will resort to their feathers. You can also use dog chewy sticks (the ones with chicken wraps).

Eating fruit they also come across grubs and some people offer them meal worms as a treat.

if it is the beginning of PFBDS, then it is not good news....they go bald ovetime: check on the feet and beak: they should look slghlty covered in powder: if they are very shiny .The bird has probaly PFBDS.

[samsiam]

Sometimes feather plucking can also be diet related. TRy supplementing his diet with some chicken bones (watch so they don;t go off). In nature these birds will eat insects that they come across while picking at bark on trees. They are not a meat eater but sometimes lack protein and will resort to their feathers. You can also use dog chewy sticks (the ones with chicken wraps).

Eating fruit they also come across grubs and some people offer them meal worms as a treat.

if it is the beginning of PFBDS, then it is not good news....they go bald ovetime: check on the feet and beak: they should look slghlty covered in powder: if they are very shiny .The bird has probaly PFBDS.

Pretty sure not PFBDS...she still has the powdery substance, beak and feet not shiny, still have that white substance, feather follicles not infected or pussy like some pics on the internet.

I shall try the dry chew sticks.

I read on the net about success where a guy made a coat for it, covering chest etc and after a couple of months the feathers grew back.

I tried this with an adapted small dogs jumper you can buy in pet shops, fitted ok....but she chewed it to pieces in less than a day and it was left hanging around her neck like a tramp.

Shall try again with another tailored version, but think she will just destroy it.

A collar made out of velcro and some plastic might work but then worried about eating and at night etc. and possibility of it stressing too much.

She is a good bird, very affectionate and wish I could find a way to stop it.

Only other idea is to build her a large aviary and get her a friend.