okay, I am the one asking the question today When I got Pretty he was clipped and by 4 months of having him he started to get the long flight feathers and when he moulted out the first time he had almost all of them by the time he was done. Everyday he flew higher and higher even with just a few.

 

Now I understand Pretty is a lighter bird, bad me I haven't weighed them so I am sure Merlin is a heavier bird. But when I look at his flight feathers they all look grown in except for the last 2 that still look cut. And he still just a little bit of lift but not much. He still falls right down as if he had a full clip. Note he doesn't crash and burn but he flies like a well clipped bird.

 

Lisa said she didn't clip them the rescue center did for whatever reason before he was even fledged. I think she got the mom and the babies pretty young because I got Merlin when he was around 6-7 weeks.

 

Here are pics if you need more let me know and what kind. So I am asking the experts out there what do you think?

 

 

 

 

Thanks in advance for your opinion.

If he was clipped before he even fledged then there is a good chance he never learnt to fly at all and thats more than likely the reason he is clumsy now. He is trying to learn how to fly I think. Nothing at all wrong with his clip and any other bird could fly pretty good with those flights.

 

I maybe wrong but it sounds like thats whats happening to me.

my question is he doesn't have the long ones that crisscross from the back view he only has the short flights. Now granted when you look you can see 2 of the longer ones are still clipped but not much. So you still think okay?

Looks to me like those feathers haven't moulted out yet. Sometimes birds only moult some feathers, not all of them. I really wouldn't worry, I am sure they will moult out next time, and you will be watching a bird flying like he should

question Lin then if he didn't moult them out and they were cut before why are they not cut now? Thanks for responding...

Lovey, he looks like he is still missing more than two flights. I'd guess he's still got at least the first five or six at least (on each side) that need to molt out. If you look at the bend in the wing, in the last two pics, there are only 3 primaries that are NOT cut. There are 10 "long" flight feathers so it's no wonder he is not flying. If you open the wing all the way, is there a good inch that is "featherless" from the tip to the first full feather?

Edited July 19, 200619 yr by Rainbow

I will look again and see, that is what I see though when he puts his wings down. Pretty had like 1 on each side long and then more and more grew in and he doesn't seem to be showing those. I will try for a better look today and get back with you. Thanks Rainbow

He looks fine to me Elly. I clipped Noo's wings almost the same and he cant get any uplift he can only manage a slight flutter - they really need those long flights.

 

I still thing part of the problem was he was clipped before he even learnt to fly.

Rainbow upon reexamination and alot of protest and screaming from Mr. Merlin there are about 4 little feathers on top (as you said) and they where not cut at all, so I assume they will moult out longer? Isn't this odd since when they fledge if not cut they will already have the longer ones to learn to fly? Trying to get a grasp on it

 

He looks fine to me Elly. I clipped Noo's wings almost the same and he cant get any uplift he can only manage a slight flutter - they really need those long flights.

 

I still thing part of the problem was he was clipped before he even learnt to fly.

 

They certainly do , thanks Booms

Rainbow upon reexamination and alot of protest and screaming from Mr. Merlin there are about 4 little feathers on top (as you said) and they where not cut at all, so I assume they will moult out longer? Isn't this odd since when they fledge if not cut they will already have the longer ones to learn to fly? Trying to get a grasp on it

 

I'm not sure I understand you. I didn't see any of the outside flights in those pictures. When outstretched, the wing should look like this:

 

and Merlin's looks like this:

 

 

To me it seems he is missing almost all of his primary flights. If you don't see them on the wing as cut, I would think they have molted out already and just not begun to grow back in yet.

Edited July 19, 200619 yr by Rainbow

Hi Lovey

 

I agree with Rainbow. My initial thoughts were that Merlin is still missing about five primary flights feathers.

 

The 'little' feathers on top I assuming you're talking about covert feathers, they won't grow any longer. It's there to actually protect their secondary and primary flight feathers. It looks like Merlin has still got a long way to go. I have trimmed 7 of Goofy's primary feathers in hope of taming him down, but to no avail... I'm not expecting all his flight feathers to grow back for a few months yet. He's having his first moult now (my spikey).

 

And also they tend to moult the flight feathers slowly to keep their ability to fly, and you'll see that they'll moult the same feathers on each wings.

 

I hope I made sense!!

 

Edited July 19, 200619 yr by Cheeta

I probably misunderstood what you meant at first I am new to the whole feather thing, I didn't have this issue with Pretty when he was 4 months old his primaries started growing in 3 months after I had him and you could see the cut feather.

 

Upon looking at Merlin it is like he has none : is that normal at 4 months of age?

 

I know I sound silly but I worry.

 

I mean it is not normal for all to fall out at the same time and I would have noticed that much moulting yes? Do you think he doesn't have any at all?

How long have you had Merlin? I doubt he has an issue with growing those feathers. If you don't see any cut feathers at all on either side of the wing when you stretch it all the way out, look at where they grow from. Do you see new growth? You will need to look between and barely under the covert feathers at the edge of the wing. They will grow out stick-like, and the ends will unfurl a little from the sheath once the feather comes out a little ways. He may be using a lot of energy trying to regrow all those at once. If you haven't had him long, some could have been pulled at the pet store if they cut blood feathers, others could just have molted out before you got him. And Cheeta is right, when they grow back they will grow back at the same rate on each side, and they do grow much more slowly than body feathers. It takes months.

 

**great picture, cheeta!**

Edited July 19, 200619 yr by Rainbow

I got Merlin mid April he was 6-7 weeks old, he came from a lady in Chicago (remember) who rescued the mom and the 2 babies. Lisa said the rescue center clipped him and she doesn't know why. So his age now would be around 4 months old. I can't stretch his wing out anymore they it already is in that picture, I mean what you see is what I see. I don't see any new feather growth or anything else. What do you think?

 

side note, unless the rescue place pulled them but I can't imagine how horrible to pull out that many feathers and he couldn't have molted them out this would be his first molt and I would have noticed right?

Well, after looking closely at your pictures again, it looks like the tips of two of the longer flights are barely peeking out from under the coverts in front. If you look at the feather that is obviously cut and go to the right, underneath the third covert feather is a rounded feather. That looks like it could be a new one, and there is another one a few feathers away further right at the tip of the wing. Next to the second new "rounded new feather tip" from the edge, looks like it could be a cut feather (and cut very short at that), or a new one that hasn't unfurled yet. If he is really 4 months old, then they should begin to drop soon. You could open the wing more, but you would have to brace it underneath with a finger or two while you hold the wing with one hand and him with the other. It may be too much trouble. Has he begun to molt out any other feathers? The full molt will take approximately two months to complete, so once it starts, you should begin to see more feathers there. I wouldn't worry until the molt is over.

Edited July 19, 200619 yr by Rainbow

he has pin feathers on his head so I know he is starting his moult, I haven't seen any long feathers yet

 

I won't be able to get that wing to open up anymore I am too afraid to hurt him or break a wing, if I do I will see if my husband will hold him or vs versa I did that with one hand and a camera (Laughing out loud) he is pretty patient but when I go further then that he gets to wiggly.

 

I will keep an eye on it.

 

Comparing him to Pretty it just seemed so odd that Pretty could have those primaries coming in so good at 4 months and Merlin hardly anything. In fact within 2 months Pretty was gaining height while Merlin still drops like a clipped bird. That is why I asked and took pics.

 

So I will be that patient mom not worry about it and watch. I will keep you updated.

 

Thanks for your help, reassurance Rainbow I really appreciate it.

Oh Lovey,

 

Isn't it stressful to be a mommy to one of these little ones?!?!? (Laughing out loud)

 

If it helps you at all... Goofy has so far moulted all his baby bars on the head, and I can see a whole lot of body feathers (the new ones are brighter and more brilliant in blue colour), but I've yet to see see any clipped primary moulted. So don't worry, just give it some times.. He'll be flying soon enough..

Thanks Cheeta :hap: Can Goofy fly? I love him too he looks like a little Merlin twin. Yes is stressful, everyday I wake up I check them over and hope they are okay. I get a little wacked out reading how sick these birds can get so fast for no rhyme or reason and then the next day they are gone.

no worries.

 

Goofy can't fly really.. he glides very well though. He hasn't got lift at all.. .he can fly horizontally across the room for a few meters, but he can't get height. I'm waiting for his clipped feathers to come out and let him be. :hap: He's a flirty little guys too with his two cage mate.

good news, I noticed this week that he has the flights coming in, I can see them right now they are peeking out . He now is coasting all the way across the living room. Thanks for all your support ladies.

Wonderful !! We eagerly await the flight pikkies :angel1:

shesh...I can't even get Pretty in flight :(Laughing out loud): but will try.

Oh, that's wonderful to hear.. Merlin will be flying like a pro soon enough..

 

I noticed that Goofy's getting some of his clipped primary flights back.. two on each side.. :fear

Awesome I will take a picture and post it on this thread

Here are his flights coming in all at once they were not like Pretty's his came in one at a time (Laughing out loud). Each bird really is different.

 

 

Isn't that amazing what less then 2 weeks difference makes?