# Fantail's tail is messed up



## SnRadcliffe (Dec 9, 2014)

My fantail pair's tails are so messed up :/ 








Feathers are damaged and once I cut their tails for mating,their tails are so uneven now....

What should I do?I want this type of tail...


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## Ananth_Tvli (Jun 26, 2014)

before you cut'em were they similar to the first pic, a painting?


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## SnRadcliffe (Dec 9, 2014)

Yes,kinda,,, they lie their head on tail...


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

Cage is to small to achieve what you want, to much Wire which is wearing away their tails as it comes in contact with it. Wood sides or perches set up in a bigger cage so as to avoid them rubbing their fans on something.
High Protein, and HIGH Mineral content in their diet, and wait for the next Molt.
I love Fantails but you have to give some special consideration because they tend to break tail feathers,or wear them down.


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## CBL (May 13, 2014)

I would never cut tails for breeding, they can work it out fine, as Lucky said, flat sides, no wire, bath and lace tails and then allow them to preen as well, then lace when dry. Leave nest bowls away from sides of cages so they dont lay in and squash the tails against mesh.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Beautiful pic enclosed and your fantails are awesome looking too. White fantails are my favorite fancy pigeon breed.
I have kept fantails in the past. They may be hard to keep emaculate if the set up you keep them in is inadequate. As William said the wire need to be removed so they don't get their tails caught up in it. And you'll have to keep the cage as clean as you can,scraping the droppings out twice daily.
Instead of perches,long shelves are used for fantails to sit on because cooing and dancing is their favorite thing and if they do it on perches they mess their tails up. On floor bricks are fine to perch on. Most important thing is room. They must have enough room to manoeuvre themselves around their living compartment that they don't mess their feathers up.


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## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

First the fantails you have pictured ,are indian fantails. The picture you show is a standard fantail. Indian fans do not sit the pocket. And do not have a very flat tail. Then as stated the wire. You can take the lower half cover it. with wood or something so the tails do not catch.. Trimming the tails for breeding is pretty much a needed thing. So that is OK. You if you can find some pine shavings or such would help on the floor. Fantails no matter will mess the tail up some what. NOW after breeding and when the moult starts you can pull the tail do this over a say 3 day period. If you choose to.. Remember indian fantail have a muff and a crest. Standard fantails are clean legged have a flatter tail. set the pocket and are smaller. Setting the pocket is having there head back on the cushion of the tail. Any way good luck with the birds.


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## LUCKYT (Jan 17, 2009)

re lee said:


> First the fantails you have pictured ,are indian fantails. The picture you show is a standard fantail. Indian fans do not sit the pocket. And do not have a very flat tail. Then as stated the wire. You can take the lower half cover it. with wood or something so the tails do not catch.. Trimming the tails for breeding is pretty much a needed thing. So that is OK. You if you can find some pine shavings or such would help on the floor. Fantails no matter will mess the tail up some what. NOW after breeding and when the moult starts you can pull the tail do this over a say 3 day period. If you choose to.. Remember indian fantail have a muff and a crest. Standard fantails are clean legged have a flatter tail. set the pocket and are smaller. Setting the pocket is having there head back on the cushion of the tail. Any way good luck with the birds.


 Very well said, shavings if poosible, if not available, Hay ect.


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## SnRadcliffe (Dec 9, 2014)

re lee said:


> First the fantails you have pictured ,are indian fantails. The picture you show is a standard fantail. Indian fans do not sit the pocket. And do not have a very flat tail. Then as stated the wire. You can take the lower half cover it. with wood or something so the tails do not catch.. Trimming the tails for breeding is pretty much a needed thing. So that is OK. You if you can find some pine shavings or such would help on the floor. Fantails no matter will mess the tail up some what. NOW after breeding and when the moult starts you can pull the tail do this over a say 3 day period. If you choose to.. Remember indian fantail have a muff and a crest. Standard fantails are clean legged have a flatter tail. set the pocket and are smaller. Setting the pocket is having there head back on the cushion of the tail. Any way good luck with the birds.


Pull the tail feathers?I hear that hurts them,btw; when does the moult start?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Unless you give them more room to be able to move around in, you will never get good tails on them. And yes, they do get their tail feathers caught in the holes in the wire and mess them up. You can't get what you want in a small cage.


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