How to Stimulate Feather Growth

Whether chickens, parrots, doves or ducks, all birds possess similar feather structures demanding similar care techniques. A bird possesses several different feather types, located on different parts of its body. Contour feathers provide protection from inclement weather and injury and are identified as body feathers or flight feathers, located at the wings and tail. Beneath the contour feathers are the down feathers. Down feathers are fluffy and secure the bird from the heat and cold. All feathers originate in follicles, from which a vein and artery provide nutrients. The blood flow subsides as the feather ages. These developing feathers are called "blood feathers." Most problematic feather-loss issues involve these blood feathers.

Things You'll Need

  • Bird
  • Veterinarian
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Instructions

    • 1
      Work with your vet to eliminate any possible medical reasons for faulty feathering.

      Take your bird to a veterinarian. Staggered feather loss is normal and expected, but if your bird displays abnormal bald patches or unusually frequent feather loss, it could be the sign of a more serious condition. For example, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease, or PBFD, is a fatal disease affecting parrots, cockatoos, lovebirds and other species. Feather loss is a symptom of PBFD, as the disease attacks the follicles and renders them unable to produce feathers. Fungal infections can also increase a bird's self-plucking, causing baldness.

    • 2
      Inadequate housing will stunt feather growth.

      Focus on grooming and environmental factors contributing to feather health. Adjust your bird's environment so that it is conducive to healthy feathers. During the winter, do not expose your pet bird to household heating systems. Dry air, common in heated homes, will dehydrate a bird's skin. This causes the bird to frequently itch and aggravate its feathers. When a bird constantly plucks a feather from the follicle, that follicle can be permanently damaged. If this happens, the follicle will no longer produce feathers.

    • 3
      Excessive plucking will permanently damage feather follicles.

      Improve your bird's psychological health. Birds under stress, abuse, boredom or lacking a consistent routine will often result to feather plucking. Any follicle undergoing excessive feather plucking can be permanently damaged. Assessing your bird's mental state, and making changes where appropriate, can radically decrease plucking and feather loss. Changes could include diet variety, introducing more toys and stimulating environment and even more frequent interaction with your bird.

    • 4
      A bird can cause feather loss in its mate by excessively grooming.

      Remove the bird from obsessive mates. Sometimes, an eager mate will excessively pluck a bird, causing the follicle damage behind most permanent feather loss damage.

    • 5
      Over-the-counter products often dramatically increase feather growth.

      Purchase over-the-counter grooming products. There are sprays and shampoos available that enhance feather and follicle health. Some products even possess anti-plucking ingredients that discourage birds from plucking out their feathers.

    • 6
      Unkempt bird claws can cause greater feather loss than is normal.

      Groom the bird often. Keeping the nails short prevents serious follicle damage if the bird itches. Misting the bird's entire body also provides an enjoyable, moistening experience, particularly when the bird undergoes routine molting.

    • 7
      Feather follicles are healthiest when exposed to lighting similar to the variations occurring in nature.

      Monitor your bird's light exposure. If natural light is unavailable, exposing your bird to artificial UVA and UVB lighting facilitates feather growth. It is also important to turn off the lights during the night. Patterns closely monitoring that of a natural day is the key to stimulating feathers through light monitoring.

    • 8
      Proper grooming and environment contributes to healthy, vibrant feathers.

      Consider using a bird collar. Special collars, often called "Elizabethans," restrict the bird's ability to aggravate its feathers. Because plucking is the primary reason for stunted feather stimulation, using a collar could immediately alleviate the problem. This should be a last resort, however, because often environmental or grooming changes is enough to stimulate a bird's proper feather growth.