New budgie losing neck feathers. Is it normal molting or a problem?

Thanks for your question about Coco, and thanks for the photos - they are very helpful. You are correct that it could be taking him a long time to molt, however he may also be preening excessively and removing his feathers. In one of the photos he looks to have acreddebed area of skin - this is not typical of regular molting. If you are seeing feathers continuously at the bottom of the cage, this would also be suggestive of overpreening. I would recommend ensuring that his cage is very clean, that he is provided with multiple toys (which you will have to introduce slowly as budgies are often very nervous about new items), a mirror if he doesn’t have any company, and proper nutrition. These would all help with a molting issue, and may also help a bit if he is overpreening himself. If you are able to take him to a veterinarian, they would also be able to assist with this problem. They could look at the skin and feathers to ensure that there isn’t a medical reason for his condition. I hope that helps, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Molting is a normal behavior where birds lose their old feathers and grow in new ones. Making sure Chicky is on a balanced diet for her species is a great way to ensure she has the right nutrition to regrow her feathers. Adding in a few extra fresh fruits and veggies, or even some egg food can also give a little extra protein and nutrients to help. Most birds will finish molting and have new feathers in after about a month.

If Bobo is otherwise happy and healthy, he could just be molting. This is a normal thing that happens when your bird sheds their old feathers and replaces them with new ones. You will likely see "pin" feathers, or feathers that look like little pins sticking out of the skin in the places where old feathers were lost if this is the case. If, however, Bobo is itching, there is redness, new feathers aren't growing in, or he seems ill or upset, it could indicate something else such as parasites, skin issues, etc, that should be checked out by a vet.

Hello, Birds can lose feathers for a variety of reasons, ranging from skin disease to nutritional deficiencies or behavior problems. I would recommend having Chicky seen by her veterinarian to best determine what is happening with her. I hope this is helpful.

It is most likely that your bird is either picking out her feather because of stress or boredom or that she is molting. Since she is eating well and otherwise acting like herself I think it is less likely that she is ill. Make sure you are feeding her a well balanced diet of pellets, small amounts of fruits and veggies and minimal amounts of seeds. If she continues to lose feathers for more than a couple weeks or if she stops eating, then I would recommend taking her in to be evaluated by your veterinarian. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hi and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is absolutely normal for parakeets to occasionally shed their feathers, even the larger feathers from the tail. However, since it sounds like there are two birds housed together, I recommend keeping an eye their overall appearance and have them evaluated by a vet if there are any large featherless patches.

If he is not actively pulling out the feathers I would not be worried. It may just be a normal molt for his age. You could always get a feather supplement to help him along like this one from Nekton: https://www.amazon.com/Nekton-Bio-for-Bird-Feathering-150gm/dp/B0002DIM3C?th=1