New Tail?

[pigeonpoo]

My 8 month old garden fantail is growing, what I think is, a new tail. Sort of what look like quills are growing up in front of his tail. Do I need to do anything? Will his old tail fall out when this one has grown? He is just a pet, not for showing and I don't really want to pull feathers out if it will hurt him or it's not necessary. Thanks.

[Skyeking]

The old feathers will fall out when he molts. If he has already gone thru the molt, then you will have to wait until the next molt, unless you pull them out.

[pigeonpoo]

I don't know if he has moulted or not. There are always feathers around the xovecote but his tail hasn't as far as I know fallen out yet. Does pulling the feathers hurt the bird?

[Skyeking]

Hi pigeonpoo,

We just had a thread come up, not too long ago on the subject of "feather pulling" where it is explained how to do it without any complications.

Why don't do a search and type in PULLING FEATHERS and click on and the thread will be brought up, with many others, I'm sure.

[pigeonpoo]

Thanks, will do.

[pigeonpoo]

The new feathers are now about 3-4" long but only the very top of them has opened. Is this normal on a fantail's tail? Should I try to slit them in some way? Or do they open later? Someone told me that keeping pigeons is easy - I seem to have one problem after another!

[upcd]

Happen with all pets that one has never owned before. It you have had a pet for a year or two then you might have an idea as to what might happen.A little pik into the future. To pigeon who have a pigeons before.Growing feather is quiet normal and common. Just like a mammal shedding hair and getting a new coat.