# losing feathers...must be molting



## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

just making sure that feathers all over the place is just a regular part of molting. my bird scooter has feathers everywhere...mostly small puffy tiny white ones...but a few medium ones and one big one have fallen out.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Yep, seems like normal molting. If you add some high oil seeds, such as safflower or hemp, that will be helpful. In a few days, the new feathers will emerge enclosed in a sheath - looks spikey and is uncomfortable for the bird so be gentle when handling them. They may be grouchier than usual. Offer them a bath since soaking the sheaths makes them easier to remove. Once the new feathers are all grown in is a great time to take pictures since your bird looks wonderful!


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## Happy (Dec 19, 2004)

Hi BadBird, Yes this is Very Normal & Healthy at this time of year.... Good care of your bird/birds now will ensure having nice feathers for another year. It will take some more months to complete the molt.... Hap


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

*Continued Molting...*

I thought Mr. Squeaks had finished molting but I see that he continues to do his best to make another pigeon using feathers only!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

badbird said:


> just making sure that feathers all over the place is just a regular part of molting. my bird scooter has feathers everywhere...mostly small puffy tiny white ones...but a few medium ones and one big one have fallen out.


Yep, its molting season. If you think you have a lot of feathers, you should see my coop of 48 birds! It looks like a pillow factory at times!

You can add a little bit of flax seeds to the seed mix, also, for healthy feathering, and garlic also provides thick luxurious feathering as well as white powder.


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## Guest (Sep 17, 2005)

Poopy also continues to molt. We just spent three hours cleaning my office. I moved all the furniture and was amazed at the dander and feathers. I hope he stops molting soon. I've been really sick since he started molting. We usually clean the surface areas and replace the newspaper everywhere, but I told my husband that we had to move the furniture this time and clean under and behind it. I think there were enough baby feathers to make 5 pigeons under the furniture. I'm definitely going to buy an air purifier. I read that the HEPA purifiers are the best, but the filters cost a fortune. I guess I'll just have to sacrifice some things to afford them. I know that I sound obsessive compulsive, but I'm really not. The mess that Poopy makes is like nothing I could imagine from something so small. I still love him though. I'm attaching a picture of my office. Does anyone else have a "newspaper" room? I have 5 cats and they're nothing compared to Poopy.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Love the picture, with the reflection as well as the shadow!!

Actually they molt all year long, although it is heaviest in August & Sept. With one pigeon, you won't see much at all after these months have past.


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## ZigZagMarquis (Aug 31, 2004)

... well, I've got 20 pigeons and I've been cleaning enough feathers out of the loft daily here to make another pigeon now that they're molting ...


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## ratified (Aug 25, 2005)

*Losing feathers*

Interesting. There are tiny feathers all over at my house too. And my clever pigeon sat in her water dish soaking all afternoon--for the first time ever!
Lisa


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## Guest (Sep 18, 2005)

Thanks, Treesa. I love taking pictures and I thought that one turned out to be interesting. Poopy makes great shadows. I'll really be glad when September ends though. Poopy has lost feathers here and there since we've had him, but the past few weeks have been unbelievable. When he flies around the office, baby feathers fly everywhere. His face is still white. He's becoming so beautiful though. His neck feathers are green and purple and they are getting prettier every day. I just wish I weren't allergic to him.


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

my bird has been losing a lot of teeny white feathers, i'm not sure what part of him they're coming from. . . . he's lost a few larger feathers too.

he has some feathers that were clipped by previous owners and some feathers that are roughed up and look nasty, probably from him flying into things, swatting his feathers around and brushing up against things, etc. i hope those feathers improve after i give him a bath or after he molts.

right now he is SO cute he actually fell asleep next to me i've never really seen him sit there with his eyes closed, sleeping. usually he closes his eyes and then perks right back up again.

when he goes to bite me, is there anything i can do to discourage this or should i just let him be? he gets too agressive.


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## ratified (Aug 25, 2005)

*Bad Bird may just be worried bird*

For one thing, I don't react when a pigeon bites. His bite is not very strong and I don't want to let him know it's effective. This is called NOT REINFORCING THE BEHAVIOR. Any response at all, good or bad, is reinforcing. So I ignore him and do whatever I had to do anyway. Later I do wash the bitten area with soap and water, of course. (Bird love=mutual bill rubbing and grooming--don't mistake this for biting).

For a second thing, I try to be predictable for my pets. If they don't know what you are doing, or what to expect, they are going to be afraid. Or they may just feel you are very rude and want to teach you to be more respectful  Either way, it's best to treat them like your neighbor rather than your turtle or something: say what you are doing-one clear word over and over is best--before and while you do it. Be sure the bird is awake and expecting you, too. ANY TIME he does the right thing,behaves, you want to tell him in a very encouraging, happy voice that he's a good boy. Maybe feed him a treat (by hand if he isn't still pecking you, otherwise on his floor). This is reinforcing the behavior that you want, and communicating, too. This builds the trust you want. He knows what to expect, and won't worry or bite. Lisa


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Sometimes the biting is playing. Our Mr. Humphries loves to tug with me every time I put my hand in with him. He isn't upset - just playing around. I agree with the things Ratified said. You really need to be predictable around them and I've found too that you need to move rather slowly anytime you need to change their food, water, cages, etc. Sudden movement really scares them. Pigeons can be trained. We have been trying to get our two young ones, Rachel and Raymond to get in their cage after flying around the house and just this morning when we told them to get in their box - they did! maggie


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## Victor (Dec 18, 2004)

On the molting, last month Tooter started loosing small plums and long feathers as well, pretty much to start a baby pillow, maybe!? This afternoon, he accompanied me into the garden while I was watering the flowers and cleaning my outdoor birdbath, and he took a long splashy bath. I noticed that he is looking quite well now and even his "bald spot" on top of his head is gone now...wish I could say the same for mine


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## badbird (Aug 15, 2005)

Lady Tarheel said:


> Sometimes the biting is playing. Our Mr. Humphries loves to tug with me every time I put my hand in with him. He isn't upset - just playing around. I agree with the things Ratified said. You really need to be predictable around them and I've found too that you need to move rather slowly anytime you need to change their food, water, cages, etc. Sudden movement really scares them. Pigeons can be trained. We have been trying to get our two young ones, Rachel and Raymond to get in their cage after flying around the house and just this morning when we told them to get in their box - they did! maggie


my bird tries to get in his cage when the door is closed...and sometimes when its open he will try to get in from the roof or the sides and i have to "help" him. he doesn't like to be outside of the cage much...i wish he would he needs the exercise because he is fat lol.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Our male loves to wrestle with us -- biting and shaking and charging. He'll actually come out of the hutch to *get* our hands if we don't put them in-- I'm certain he enjoys this. (Sometimes the hen will peck him while he's distracted  They are definitely not afraid of us in any way.


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