How to Remove Your Pet Bird's Pin Feathers

By eHow Pets Editor

Instructions

Things You’ll Need:

Spray bottle

Step 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.
Step 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.
Step 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

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