I have a female cockatiel that seems to have brittle tail feathers ,?

Question

I have a female cockatiel that seems to have brittle tail feathers , My other three do not They are in a double flight cage so room shouldn’t be the problem , the were all vet checked and I was told they were in good health , Does any one have any suggestions to why this it .

Answer 1

- Brittle feathers can be due to a deficiency of an essential amino acid.  Amino acids are the basic building blocks of proteins. Proteins are polymers of amino acids, and feathers are almost entirely protein.  (Some) birds who dine exclusively on seeds often develop nutritional deficiencies that lead to dry flaky skin, brittle feathers, and infection.

- Brittle feathers can also be indicative of a thyroid problem.  A slow molt is another common symptom.

- IF the problem is not nutritional, you could use a tail guard.  Tail guards are useful for birds who have brittle feathers or whose behavior tends to lead to damaged feathers.  The problem could be behavioral, btw.

- Not all feather abnormalities are necessarily a problem.  You might want to take the vet's word for it.