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Hi All

I have a quite old budgie (we think he is about 11 this year but he was a rescue so we don't really know) and I just noticed at the weekend that his long wing feathers are missing so he has a rather lopsided wing on one side. I don't know if these have been chewed by the other birds in the aviary or whether they have moulted out but this has never happened to him before. As I said he is old and was starting to struggle in the avairy and I had planned to put him into a cage by himself which I have done and he seems so much happier as he is not getting bullied and falling to the floor as he also has a gammy foot which takes a bit to grip the perch if he moves it.

What I was really wondering was if anyone thinks the feathers will grow back in or not? Obviously with him being separated it wouldn't be a big deal but he was such a pretty budgie and had lovely wing markings.

Thanks

Pamela

It would certainly be unusual for just one wing to moult as birds normally moult & re-grow both wings together - but only 1 or 2 feathers on each wing at a time. If several feathers are missing on one side, I would think that he is being picked on & those feathers were pulled out by another bird. I'm glad you moved him to his own cage. If the feathers were pulled out, they should re-grow - but it will take a bit longer than if they moulted on their own. If the feathers are broken off, it will take even loger as the base will have to moult before the new feather will start to grow - similar to clipped wing feathers.

Thanks Mavis, I had hoped that that would be the case. I've been thinking for a wee while now that he was struggling in the aviary which is 6ft x 6ft x 3ft wide. Unfortunately I knew I was moving from my flat and had to use the bigger cage to transport my tiels.

When we brought him up on Sunday night he slept for about 24 to 48 hrs and I was a bit worried. I think he was catching up on his sleep as he is a happier budgie now than he has been for a while. At least he can't fall 5ft now!!

Thanks again for the advice

Pamela