FINCHforum

I was wondering if someone could give me some advice. I have a gouldian that seems to have a raw spot on the top of her wing. It isn't very big but is a little red and puffy. She seems perfectly fine other than that - she's eating as usual and looks fine. It's on the underside of her wing and you can barely notice it but I don't want it to get any worse. There isn't anyone picking on her so I've ruled that out. I was wondering if there was any kind of ointment I can put on it. I tried S76 for a few days thinking it may have been mites but have ruled that out because there isn't any other feather damage. Can anyone suggest something to heal it up I would really appreciate it.

I just put neosporin on any type of wound. I don't put much, so they won't ingest too much when preening. Sometimes, Quick Gel can help and is edible.

Were you able to get a close look at the defect?

I ask because you mentioned a bump and bumps are often the result of an ingrown feather, also called a feather cyst.
It's just like an ingrown hair only with a feather.
And like ingrown hairs, it can get infected. They tend to recur because the follicle gets damaged.
You can manage them at home. I had a budgie who was super prone to these. Treatment was simple. Numb it up with numbing cream, knick it with a scalpel, pull out the feather, clean out the goop and irrigate with wound-wash saline.

And an addendum to Deborah's note....
You can also use antibiotic cream instead of ointment.

The oil in the ointment can muck up their feathers, causing them to clump up. In large quantities, the clumped up feathers would make them cold (and lots of ointment would be a risk during preening.)

In small areas, it's generally not a problem, but you mentioned this is on her wing. So I suppose there's the risk ointment could muck up her flight feathers, depending on the location/amount applied. Just something to keep in mind.

If it's well away from the flight feathers or a super small amount, then the ointment is no worry.
It actually stays on better than the cream, so I tend to prefer it.

I would not jump to a feather cyst especially if I didn't see it. Please do not knick it with a scalpel till you know for sure what you are dealing with. Canaries and budgies are more prone to cyst's then gouldians.
I would go with the antibiotic cream/ointment and watch it closely. It could be as simple as the bird banged the wing during a night fright or got it caught up in the bars of a cage. Hard to say for sure not knowing what type of set-up you have.

Here's a link to pictures of feather cyst's
https://ladygouldian.com/node/229

good luck

Thank you so much for your help. By the pictures in that article it is definitely not a cyst. I think I'll try the neosporin and see what happens. Do you think I should apply some s76 also just in case it is a case of mites or just stick to the neosporin? Thanks again for all your help. I'm an avid reader of the forum and all of your helpful information is immeasurable.

I personally have not had a bird with feather mites but I would think you would see bare spots in other places as well. I would treat it as a isolated injury for now and just keep an eye on it making sure it doesn't become infected.

best of luck

I would leave it alone and let it heal on it's own.