[kellywess]

Yes, you should be "gently" helping to peel away the keratin (start at the tip and work your way back towards the body). You have to be careful and preen only the feathers that have come all of the way through the skin. If you do not preen your baby, especially his head, wings and tail feathers... his feathers will be very dry and lack luster when the keratin finally flakes off on its own. This will not keep him from learning how to preen on his own. Even as he matures, you will have to help preen his head and neck feathers as he molts, unless of course you plan on getting him a mate.