FINCHforum

One of my young zebra hens has an unusual tail - her feathers appear to be curly! She had normal tail feathers until a month or so ago, when they all moulted out. Now they have grown in and are curled. She doesn't roost anywhere or sit in a nest that would cause the feathers to be squashed into a curl - their cage is pretty open. I have placed this in health because I am concerned that when she moults again these feathers will remain curly and may not grow out properly - that they may become ingrown. Or, is there some deficiency, perhaps in her diet, that may be causing this? All my other zebras are healthy and have no abnormal feathers. Of course I could be worrying over nothing, but if anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them!

Does she perch and back up to the side of the cage, maybe while sleeping. Her little tail reminds me of some of my nesting birds, the sign they are sitting on eggs.

cindy wrote:Does she perch and back up to the side of the cage, maybe while sleeping. Her little tail reminds me of some of my nesting birds, the sign they are sitting on eggs.

That is initially what I thought must be happening, but there isn't anywhere she can do that. No nests, the perches are all away from the cage wires... it's weird!

Does she ever sit on the floor of the cage with her tail against the cage bars? Has she ever lost or broken feathersfrom her tail?

I have seen this happen with a male that likes to pluck. Any female that he gets put with develops these curls as he preens way too enthusiastically. All his babies fledge with no tails at all.

If she perches on the perch next to the side of the cage, if she turns a bit, her tail will get mashed against the wires. Most of my bird will sleep next to the wires on the front of the cage, so the one next to the wires could get that happen to its tail.

Her curly tail feathers have all come out now - moulting time. I guess we'll see what happens when they come in again. She's the only one like this. She has no particular favourite spot to get mashed into and isn't plucked anywhere else. It doesn't seem to affect her one way or another, so I guess it will remain just "one of those things!"

Well, if they grow in vurly again, maybe you've got a new mutation!
Keep us posted!