First Aid For Broken Blood Feathers
Birds normally replace their old and worn feathers through yearly molting. A pet bird on a good diet
containing lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts and an adequate supply of protein, (pellets) usually has no
problem growing new feathers. Many pet birds molt gradually, replacing some feathers during each of
several molting periods, during the year.
Growing from a follicle in the skin, new feathers contain a blood supply and a nerve until they are fully
developed. As the feather grows further from the skin, the blood dries up and the mature part of the
feather becomes stiffer and tougher. Until the feather is fully matured it will contain blood in the section
of the feather shaft close to the skin. The growing part of the feather is relatively soft, vulnerable and
can easIly be broken - resulting in blood loss. New feathers, or BLOOD FEATHERS present a problem
only if they break and bleed. Be careful not to trim your birds wing feathers too short. Clipping a
growing feather in an immature area - shorter than the top primary coverts - can cause that
feather to bleed. New feathers grown past the top-primary coverts, by at least half an inch, seldom
bleed when clipped. A feather plucking bird can chew on a blood feather and cause it to bleed. A
startled bird may jump off a perch, or fly off it’s cage and land wrong, damaging a growing blood feather.
If you see blood on the perch, in or around the cage, or on the bird itself - you must check the bird
carefully to find the source of the bleeding. Sometimes a blood feather will be damaged, but not broken
completely and will only bleed a little. The bleeding may stop, but can start bleeding again when the bird
changes the position of the wing or tail. This occurs most often with tail feathers.
A damaged blood feather should be removed to prevent severe blood loss. The bird must be
restrained properly and may be wrapped in a towel to control the beak, wings and feet. The bird’s chest
must be permitted to expand and contract to allow the bird to breathe. The head must be controlled to
prevent you from being bitten. The bird may be upset by your inspection, but you must find the
source of the bleeding. A small flashlight may be used to help locate the source of the blood. You may
also have to rinse the general area with tepid water to find the broken feather. Keep yourself and the
bird calm.
Uncover the toweled area near the broken feather - usually on a wing or the tail. Carefully hold the fleshy
area of the wing and gently separate the broken feather from nearby feathers so you can clearly see the
break. Carefully grip the bird’s wing - as close to the blood feather as you can - without touching the
feather itself. If the feather is broken at skin level, apply corn starch, sugar, or flour ** - while applying
pressure to the area with your finger. The material used to aid clotting must be packed into the end
of the feather to form a plug. Maintain pressure until bleeding has been stopped, or until you reach
your veterinarian’s office. If you see enough of the feather shaft to grasp it firmly with a pair of needle
nosed pliers, you should be able to pull the feather stump out. Get a firm grip on the feather shaft and
pull it out quickly and smoothly. Do not jerk or wiggle the feather stump around, as this could cause a
break closer to the skin and make the stump more difficult to remove.
Normally the feather will pull right out and the bleeding will stop. If the follicle continues to bleed after
the stump is removed, apply pressure to help stop the bleeding. If the bleeding continues, apply more
corn starch, or flour, packing it into the open follicle, while continuing to apply pressure. A follicle usually
does not continue to bleed after the broken feather shaft has been removed. If the bleeding continues, a
part of the feather shaft may still be in the follicle - holding it open. In this case, continue to apply
pressure to the follicle and take the bird to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
**
NOTE: Styptic powders, such as Quick Stop, can cause a dangerous infection if used on a bleeding
wound or broken blood feather. They are designed for use on dog, cat and bird toenails and should only
be used on a bleeding wound, or broken blood feather as a desperate, last resort. A liquid coagulant
such as Clotsil can be obtained from your veterinarian - and is safe to use on wounds and broken blood
feathers.
York Area Pet Bird Club