Why is my pigeon's tail short and rough? What should I do about it?

The pictures are really blurry so it's hard to see, but if you're seeing round cylinder-like feathers protruding from the skin that is likely a pin feather. This is a normal feather that is growing back in after the old one is lost. If your bird recently lost a lot of feathers and is now growing them back, they likely were molting, which is normal! This is just the normal replacement of old feathers with new ones. If Sheephony seems cold, moving them to a warmer location until their feathers have regrown can help.

Thanks for reaching out about Rio and including a photo. Nutritional deficiencies, bacterial infections of the feather follicle, some viral diseases, are all possibilities (among others). With how "pinched" to tip of the feather appears, concerns over Psittacine Beak & Feather Disease, should be ruled out. A veterinary visit is recommended for testing and a nutritional consult. Feather growth requires a substantial protein expenditure so plant based proteins (beans, sprouted seeds, legumes) should be a component of the diet. Good luck.

Sometimes a delay in regrowth of feathers can be due to husbandry and diet, or it can be due to disease. I would recommend evaluating your husbandry closely to start. If there is an abnormal day/night cycle, temperatures that are out of the comfortable range for the species, a diet that is too high in fat or deficient in nutrients, or if the humidity is not correct, a lack of feather growth may occur. If you evaluate all of these parameters and they are normal and appropriate, then it may be secondary to disease or stress. At that point, I would recommend that you take Mitu to a veterinarian for evaluation. They can take samples of the feathers, evaluate the skin, and may also recommend additional diagnostic testing in the form of blood work to evaluate systemic health and radiographs (x-rays). I hope this gives you a place to start, and good luck!

It sounds like yes, this is normal behavior for Lokkhu since she is otherwise acting fine. If you notice her having an inability to fly, perch or balance normally then I would be concerned. You can trim the tail feathers if you feel that it would make her more comfortable. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thanks for reaching out and including photos. With the bright cheek patches, most likely a male. If the tail feathers have been pulled out, new feathers should re-grow as long as nutrition is adequate. If the feathers are broken short, new feathers will not re-grow until the feather remainders are molted, probably next spring.

It is possible Penny is molting. This is normal and is the process of losing old feathers while new ones grow in. You may see pin feathers, or small feathers that look like little pins sticking out of the skin as they grow. It often looks like a mess because some birds tend to lose a lot of feathers all at once, while others have a slower, gradual molt. As long as she is otherwise healthy and active, making sure she is on a balanced diet to ensure good feather growth is best. If she seems ill or new feathers are not growing in, it could indicate she is ill, has some mites, or another skin condition which should be checked out by a vet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be due to something not ideal in her nutrition. This may also be due to her being sick as she is also very weak. This is something that can be due to a number of reasons but for sure warrants a veterinary evaluation for further assessment and treatment. I recommend you consider going to your veterinarian for further assessment. They may be able to check for these possibilities and treat accordingly. Best of luck!