Unusual feather formation!!

[sparkysmom]

I am freaking out. My Pi, Mackey, is going through his molt. He was really looking good. But now I am really worried.....on his wing feathers he has one curled feather and also a feather that looks like one giant pin feather. I took him out and looked at it and it is like this long spike of an unformed feather. It is weird...

I am calling the vet on Monday. I have read around about the PBFD.......is that how it goes?? Should I move him away from my other birds? Could they be in danger?

He is an older bird I have only had him 9 months this is the first molt I have seen him have...but when he got here he had some cowlick like curled feather on his back.

He has been tested for this too....

I am worried sick

[sparkysmom]

Okay let me try again.

Since I can do nothing but wait until Monday......

Is there anything else that can cause abnormal feather formation?

[green_feather]

Well it could be PBFD but only a couple of feathers are affecteted. If all his other feathers look fine e.g feathers that have fallen out before are looking good and feathers on the head and neck look nice it probably isnt. the feathers that PBFD usually affect irst is the head feathers and neck. Also your bird is older and the older the bird gets the less likely it is to have PBFD or to catch the diease. Dont stress i'd say it most likely isnt.

[sparkysmom]

Thank you so much for answering me!!!! I appreciate it. I have been pouring through info for hours and not knowing what to think. I feel so relieved that at least one person replied to me. And my mind can calm down.

All looks well with his other feathers. Both molted and on his head. But he is still going to the vet for whatever reason those feathers are coming out weird.

Thank you again for being the one person to answer.

[sparkysmom]

I took my bird in today to the vet and got a blood work up done. And a test for the PBFD. It was an extemely long and scared weekend for me.

I'd just like to say with all do respect that I came here looking for advice or any kind of feedback and I got 1 person who was kind enough to reply. (which I greatly appreciated) I thought this was about supporting each other in our birds wellness here. Needless to say I felt very little support.

Hopefully the tests come back okay.

[Lisa B]

Sorry for the delay. this is the first I saw the post. The way some of us watch the board, is to hit new posts. After a certain amount of time, they no longer highlight as new, (and we dont see them) so that is prob what happened to several who could offer advice.
It is less likely for an older bird to come down with it, unless they are a carrier, and it is stress induced that brings it out. If he was a carrier, your other birds would already be sick. So most likely it is not the case.
With that said,
I would still keep him separtated from your gang pending results. Sometimes feathers if they are damaged, will come in curley or tattered and not smooth. However, its usually just one or two.
Its not easy waiting for results but hang in there. I have been there and done that after someone visited my home and didnt BOTHER to tell me her birds were sick.

[CALVINS MOM]

Calvin gets several twisted or curly feathers and he is perfectly healthy. Try bathing him and see if the feather straightens out. That usually works with Calvin. He's a Shamrock Macaw.

How old is Mackey?

[sparkysmom]

Thank you....now I will feel better while I wait for the results.

Mackey's age is unknown. But we do know he is at least 5.

I mist him. He is totally untamed. So getting him out for a shower hasn't been an option yet. Which is a drag.

Anyway the deal is after the vet looking at him the wing feathers, new ones, are splitting. The long spikey feather was only a split portion come to find out. So there are 2 maybe 3 that are split. And he mutilated one of them. There are also 3 curly ones on his back. But they are old ones.

I feed him so healthy I don't understand this at all. He is also my best veggie eater...

Anyway thanks for reassuring me. I was scared for him and I was so scared for my Zappy. He is only 2. The others are older birds. SO I wasn't as worried for them.....but still.

I wasn't trying to get sideways on you guys. I am just so frustrated.

[CALVINS MOM]

Are you sure he isn't overpreeing? Calvin is somewhere around 19-20 years old. He has popped up with those strange feathers for years. It reminds me that he needs a good soaking.

I am not sure what you are describing with the split feather. Where is the split?

[sparkysmom]

It is on the follicle on two feathers and then the other was split/tore right up the middle of the feather.

Okay I may towel him and get him in the bathtub tomorrow and see what we can do.

Man I am paranoid.

To be truthful I think hearing of a perfectly healthy bird die like Alex did has triggered me into paranoid overdrive.

But I am still glad for the tests.

Thank you. I am grateful.