Broken tail Feather

[ParkersMom]

so Keiko has a broken tail feather...should I cut it like you would if clipping wings or leave it alone? it's about the 3rd one in toward the middle

 

[Jtbirds]

let him deal with it on his own would be what i say. they will eventually get down there and fix it how they want to. or aleast that is what i let me macaws do.

 

[ParkersMom]

She is a former plucker... so I don't want her to start again

 

[weco]

You could just pull it out.....birds feathers & especially tail feathers are designed with quick release mechanisms, so if a predator were to grab feathers, the feathers stay, but the bird escapes.....unless you have a very firm grip, use a pair of pliers, look at the angle the feathers come out of the tail & give a quick snap like jerk & you'll have the broken shaft in your hand.....

Usually pluckers pluck for other reasons, but pulling like described will not give her an endorphin rush.....

 

[MikeyTN]

I wouldn't worry about the broken feather unless it's split or he's chewing on it towards the end of the shaft, that's when you need to yank it. I've had to do that to Willie a few times when it was split in half. He breaks them all the time cause he likes to play on the bottom of his cage and he breaks them in the grate.