# Over-Preening Tailfeathers



## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

Hello folks, has been awhile since I checked in. Hope everyone and their pijjies are doing well. I plan to spend some time in the next couple weeks catching up.

My male pij, George, has been preening or chewing on his tailfeathers lately. His tailfeathers are pretty chewed up, and a couple feathers seem to be missing (there's a gap). My fear is that the chewed up tailfeathers are affecting his flight -- he's been struggling to land lately.

Any thoughts on what this excessive preening of the tailfeathers could be? Is it a symptom of something? Is there anything I can do to help the tailfeathers?

As always, thanks in advance to anyone who shares their thoughts.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Hi Derrick,

Sorry to hear about George's accessive preening of his tail feathers, do you think it might have something to do with his preen gland?

Here is a current thread on the subject:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f5/enlarged-preen-gland-29773.html

Have you changed his diet, and treated him for blood sucking parasites? Sometimes I see my birds seeming to attack their feathers, so I make sure their diet is in balance and they are getting enough minerals, some greens, lots of sun, and also treat them with Scatt for any blood sucking mites and pests. 

I'm also wondering if his skin might be dry and he could use some extra tasty and fatty seeds, like flax seeds-they help with molting-give just a little.


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## dekebrent (Jun 17, 2005)

Treesa -- Thanks for your thoughts. I have not changed Georgie's diet - I feed him a standard pigeon/dove mix that I have fed him for the past four years. I do worry, though, that he has not been getting enough grit/minerals. His poops have looked fine, color-wise, but Georgie is not a natural grit eater like my hen, Pete. When I have him separated in his own room, I put grit beside his food, and he will eat some. But he does not seek our grit too often on his own. As for fatty seeds, I will give him some sunflower seeds as a treat in the morn, and some of a Spanish peanut either in the morn or in the evening.

I have not treated him for parasites. His fecal samples have come back from the vet as healthy every six months, so the vet has not recommended any treatments. I did give him some acidopholus the other day just to help him with good gut bacteria.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

Is he heavy into the molt?

Are you giving him any green vegies? Kale, Endive, carrots...

Try that and the flax seeds are great, a much better fat for them then the fat from peanuts.


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