MOLTING

Molting is a natural and necessary occurrence for birds to replace old, and/or damaged feathers with new ones. That's it! Nothing scary! A little messy perhaps, but perfectly normal. Generally, birds molt once ot twice a year at about the same time each year. Quakers generally begin their very first molt at around 9 to 10 months of age.

Birds are equipped with feathers for flight. Parrots will only molt out several feathers at a time so that flight is not inhibited, whether we trim our Quaker's wings or not. Because birds will only molt several fethers at a time, the molting process can last for several months. Not every feather will be replaced in each molt, but molting will occur in regular patterns over a bird's body.

The easiest way to know if your bird is molting, is to check for the appearance of pin feathers. Pin feathers, also called blood feathers, will emerge encased in a sheath called a quill. The quill is whitish in color, with a plastic-like appearance. The quill will contain a blood vein. As the feather grows inside of the quill, the blood vein retracts, the quill flakes off and disintegrates. To learn more about pin and blood feathers and how to identify them, visit BLOOD FEATHERS in the QUICK PICK MENU.

If you have a pair of Quakers, or, your Quaker has another bird "friend", they will preen each other to remove the old sheaths. Owners can preen the new feathers in the places that their Quaker can't reach, such as their head and neck area. Before you preen your bird's new pin feathers, check for blood feathers. Blood feathers are sensitive and your bird will let you know if you accidently try to preen one of them! When helping your Quaker preen those hard to reach feathers, gently roll the quill between your fingers to remove the sheath. The sheath should fall off easily, and your feathered friend will thank you!

You may notice your bird scratching more often while molting. While birds are molting, they benefit from extra moisture to prevent feather sheaths from becoming dry and hard. Bathe or spray your Quaker daily with plain warm water. This will also help relieve itchiness he/she may experience during a molt.

Feathers are comprised primarily of protein. The addition of protein before and during a molt may be beneficial in promoting new healthy plumage. Check with your avian vet about your Quaker's diet and if the addition of extra protein or other supplements may be needed during a molt. Never self medicate or suppliment. Too much protein or over the counter supplements can be as harmful as too little. A well balanced formualted avian diet may contain all your Quaker's needs

While moltng is natural, it is not natural for a bird to have bare or bald spots during a molting Bald or bare spots should be examined by an avian vet, to rule out any underlying skin ailments, or plucking.

Some birds may exhibit a few behavioral changes during a molt. Sensitive, new feathers can be painful to the touch. Itchiness caused from the flaking feather sheaths, may make your quaker a little uncomfortable or moody.

Always examine your bird's new feathers during molting. Looking for any signs of abnormal feathers. Abnormal feathering can be a sign of an underlying medical condition. If you suspect abnormal feathing, you'll want them examined by your avian vet.

After a molt, check your Quaker's flight feathers to see if a wing clipping is needed. Wing clipping should be performed after the completion of the molt, if needed. To learn more about wing clipping, please visit WINGS