How long for those feathers!?

[jessdecutie18]

So Yoshi was born in April... clipped in July...

I really wanna see Yoshi flying! Yet I have no idea how long it will be before Yoshi grows new feathers, I'm waiting for that first molt right? Then after that I have no idea how long the feathers take to grow in enough, lol...

Sorry but Yoshi trys so hard, I really want her to be able to practice flying while she is still young since she barely had a chance before... one short flight and 'CLIP!' by the breeder

Any ideas on when this stuff will happen? Thanks!

[luvparrots]

I got Ana Grey when she was 4 months old and she was clipped by the breeder before I even purchased her. :angry: She was a year old August 6 and I am still waiting for new flight feathers.

[Debandbella]

I think it depends on how they were clipped. Some breeders butcher them and they never grow properly but if theyre done right they should come back at the next moult.

[Dave007]

Just so that no one gets any false hopes---flight and tail feathers won't all grow in evenly after the next molt because they don't fall out at the same time. The reason for that is because they lose a couple of flight and tail feathers here and there all year long. That applies to clipped or unclipped birds. So when the next molt comes in, only the feathers that are involved in that particular molt are the ones that will come back all at the same time. Regular molting times of the year ( either one or two) have nothing to do with the loss of flight and tail feathers that fall out all year long in no particular time frame. It's not unusual to see a bird with a full set of old or new flight and tail feathers remain on the body when a yearly molt occurs.

That's why it's taking luvparrotts's bird so long to get a new set of flight feathers. Any clipped bird is gonna have to wait a long time before a new unclipped set of flight feathers appears because they come back unevenly.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/09/29 00:12

[Debandbella]

Does that mean it could take a couple of years for a clipped bird to regain their feathers? Never had mine clipped through my choice so not had any dealings really with clips,

[Dave007]

Well, if you never clipped your bird, you should feel very good about it because neither side of the flight areas will look like they lost any feathers. There may be 5 on one side and 4 on the other but the only way you're gonna know that a dead flight or tail feather is gone is when you see them in the tray. Imagine a bird who molts and loses all their flight and tail feathers all at once. The bird wouldn't be able to fly anywhwere. What determines when a flight or tail feather falls out is how muchblood supply those feathers are getting. That's why people get upset when all the flight and tail feathers don't grow back evenly.Don't clip your bird and you'll never see the problem.

PS--and yes, that's why it takes a long time for all of them to grow back. It's only luck when a full set of unclipped feathers apperar on each side.<br><br>Post edited by: Dave007, at: 2009/09/29 00:32

[luvparrots]

Thank you Dr. Flock for the explanation. It is a long an impatient wait for me. Ana Grey tries all the time to fly and it heartbreaking to watch. When she finally really flies, believe me all of you will hear about it loud and clear!

[Debandbella]

Thanks for that, Bellino has a very puny tail, one red feather on one side and 2 on the other, there is a few tiny ones in the middle that look like neither use nor ornament and a big gap, his long ones curve into each other at the bottom, hes 9 months old and his tail has always seemed puny compared to Bellas gorgeous one. his clutch mate is the same! Hes never been as good at flying as her either, should i be worried about this?

[Dave007]

At 9 mts, there's nothing to worry about. Who's the better flyer, I don't really know but at that age it's nothing to worry about. As far as the shape and number of feathers, they'll come back in shortly but unevenly. Your bird has a lot of feathers to lose and those are the ones that you should be aware of---all feathers that will soon molt out. Skin shouldn't be as dry as normal. Bathing or misting is the secret. And as far as luvy's bird goes, that's not unusual either. I can't even tell you how many times people have asked about when those flight and tail feathers will come back. She's just being patient and that's all a person can do.

[Debandbella]

Thanks, much appreciated, i will give you a karma tomorrow! :cheer: