Pin Head

[KarenB]

My poor Gouldian male, he looks so pitiful.

[finchmix22]

KarenB
Aww, poor guy needs some relief. Do you give them Feather Fast to speed up the molting time?

[Ginene]

Happy Birthday finchmix22!!!

@KarenB...He's a beauty...even with his porcupine look ;)

[KarenB]

finchmix22, Oh, yes, he gets Feather Fast every day sprinkled on his greens and sprouts. My male RTPF is also molting, and they are in the same flight, so he's getting it, too.

BTW, Lil Red loves wax worms. And Happy Birthday

[finchmix22]

KarenB
THANKS!

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

You are doing great for him!! They are always so miserable during a molt, bless their little hearts. I'd imagine it's like the human equivalent of a hangover. At least that's the expression I read.

My RH boy going through the same:

[KarenB]

TheWhiteFinchAviary, Yep, equally as pitiful. Poor babies. I just want to undo the pins for him like I do for my macaw. I just don't think he'd appreciate it as much. From a distance, he looks like a grey haired old man.

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

LOL no probably not!! I LOVE removing the keratin for my hand tame babies though, they feather out so much faster and they adore that feeling. Great bonding time. It's gross, but their feathers come out so beautifully.

[lovezebs]

TheWhiteFinchAviary
Removing the what? Please explain.

~Elana~

[KarenB]

lovezebs, Removing the feather sheath, the pin part of the freather which is made of keratin

[lovezebs]

KarenB
Do you do this with young birds on first molt? With older birds, or both? How do you accomplish this without giving the birds a heart attack?

~Elana~

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

That's the point lovezebs, Karen can do it for her Macaw and I can do it with my hand raised Zebras but our Gouldians would NOT be pleased. Lol! I don't think they'd have a heart attack but there would be lots of protesting.

[KarenB]

I've only ever done it with my hookbills: cockatiel, cockatoo, macaw, African grey, conure, etc. When their feathers grow in, as with my Gouldian here, you see how the feathers have the whitish sheath on them. Well, hookbills will preen one another to remove those sheaths. As in the case of a hookbill kept as a pet, the human takes this role. The birds enjoy having you preen the sheaths off, revealing the brand new feather inside.

[TheWhiteFinchAviary]

Same goes for Zebra Finches. Parents will remove keratin for their babies, so it only makes sense to participate in the same bonding experience through the hand raising process. Babies will also do it themselves eventually. I'd imagine it's very itchy!!

[KarenB]

I'm thinking my Gouldian hen should be helping her husband out here.