# Is my pigeon going bald?



## julianek (Sep 1, 2012)

I've noticed he started looking odd about a week ago. I know it's the molting season, and those white streaks look a lot like something a baby chick has before it develops feathers fully, but I'm still not sure why it's happening around his head and not the rest of his body and suspect there might be something wrong. Is he just growing new feathers or is he going bald because of something crazy? I'll really appreciate it if anyone can help. Thank you.


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Looks like a perfectly normal molt, to me. The white streaks are the protein casing that coats new feathers as they grow in. Pigeons often get rather scrappy looking about the head during a molt.


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## julianek (Sep 1, 2012)

Oh, thank you so much, I got so scared. I had a baby pigeon that died a month ago out of nowhere (it seemed that way) and now I watch like a hawk and get scared every time there is something weird about them


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## Part Time Pigeons (Jul 27, 2012)

I have a roller now that looks almost exactly like yours. I was kind of worried myself because it was the only one out of entire kit like that. I reckon he is just further along in the molt that the others. Makes me feel better since i was not sure if it was some type of parasite or just molting


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## julianek (Sep 1, 2012)

I got so scared you have no idea. It's just it looks so weird, as if some mites are attached to him. I'm a little new to pigeon care and it took me a while to actually recall that his babies looked that way just before they developed the feathers this summer. But I was still not convinced, and wasn't even sure whether I should post his pictures here because it seems like a stupid question not to know whether a pigeon is going bald : ) but makes me feel better too now that I know it helped someone : )


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Not a stupid question at all! Many of us have been alarmed at how ratty the feathers can get on certain birds while molting. Better to ask, and get an answer -- you can be sure that someone else is probably wondering the same thing


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## minimonkey (Apr 7, 2005)

Also, I am very sorry to hear about the baby that died. It is so sad and shocking when that happens.


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## julianek (Sep 1, 2012)

Thanks minimonkey. This guy is nice and healthy now, he grew the new feathers and looks all cute and it even seems to be working with the ladies : )


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## julianek (Sep 1, 2012)

It was sad and shocking, I'm still not over it.


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