# Dove pulling out wing feathers and bleeding?



## Pirus (Apr 13, 2008)

Hi there,

I have had this dove for about 5 years now I think and for about the last 2 years or so when she malts (sp) her bottom wing feathers irritate her a lot, she ends up snapping one or 2 half way down and it just bleeds and for a week or so she is very irritated by it.

I have took her to a vet before and they put a little neck collar on which caused her a lot of problems getting her beak stuck in it.

Is this a common or well known thing and is there anything I can do about it?


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## philodice (Sep 30, 2007)

I'm sorry, but that vet is wrong. Doves don't pull feathers unless something is wrong.
I would start by checking for parasites, mites burrowing into the feather shafts and feather pores and hurting her. You need to treat this with an anti mite and flea treatment.
I would also check her diet, what she is eating, for nutrition. I would say she needs greens and sunlight.

For more accurate help, we will need to know everything she eats, if she gets fresh air, lays eggs, drinks vitamins, and please do a full inspection of the bird. Look for small black or white specks along the feather shafts under her tail, look for swelling around the base of the feathers. Any signs of bugs, no matter how small. A picture would be great.
Also, how long has it been since she has had worming medicine? 

Her problem could be internal parasites, external parasites, or dietary inequities.


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## Pirus (Apr 13, 2008)

She only eats a premium seed mixture. I have tried giving her things like wet bread, peas etc but she only tends to eat them if they are in my hand not when I put them on a dish for her. For instance if I am eating a sandwich she will fly onto my hand and annoyingly start eating it instead of me and making a huge mess in the process  but if I rip some off and put it next to her seed bowl she isnt interested.

I will try and get hold of her tomorrow and spread her wing and take some photos for you. She lives indoors because she has a damaged beak that over grows and needs clipping and she cant fly very well.

She lays eggs yes she hasnt laid any for a month or 2 now but before that she was laying them quite often.

There are no bugs on her, I have a pigeon who lives in the same room as her and he doesnt have any problems. I do notice though that when she has a bath she is just soaked and when she tries to fly she will just drop but the pigeon doesnt have that problem at all and is very waterproof.

Its the same 1 or 2 feathers, I thought this could be some sort of ingrown feather or something? It never gets long enough to form into a full feather. 

I have been reccomended a new vet the last one was useless and was more intersted in telling me that keeping a wild bird is illegal even though I found this bird upside down close to death years ago nursed it back to health and looked after it ever since and is now part of the family.


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

You know... we had another similar story methinks a couple of years ago... we need to search for that thread. There are some real search wizards around here and maybe they'll take on that task.

Pidgey


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## Pidgey (May 20, 2005)

This might be the one:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/help-14161.html

I also read that feather-picking in pigeons and doves can sometimes be due to a mycotic infection. Anyhow, I think we treated one on here (might have been the one in the link above) for awhile with a local pain reliever like oragel painted onto the skin surrounding the feather follicles every day for awhile. Seemed like it had some effect although temporarily. You'll need to pursue the other possibilities.

Pidgey


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## Pirus (Apr 13, 2008)

Her feathers do not look healthy, she is not underweight but you can just tell her feathers are not rich or oily like a normal bird should be.

I will go to the rescue lady and try and arrange an appointment with the vet who treated my pigeon who was attacked by a hawk. I will post what I find out from him for anyone who may be interested.


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