# Head feathers not growing back?



## Joe_1974 (Feb 28, 2009)

Hi - I am attaching pics of one of my birds. He/she is one of the 6 tiels I have in a large cage. I am not sure either of her breed or gender. I suspect this one is a pearl male (judging from the pale color of her feathers). I could be wrong though.

This bird has, as far as I've had her, always had weak feathers (gets pulled out easily if her feathers gets stuck in cage). His/her tail came out twice and took considerably long to grow back. For some strange reason, the feathers on the back of his/her head does not seem to be growing back (The bird was not bald when I bought her about a year and half back). Does anyone know why the feathers on the back of the head are not growing back. I normally feed the birds seeds fortified with vitamins (and other good stuff) and occassionally corns, broccolli and cabbage. 

He/she is otherwise a health bird...very timid though and gets frightened easily (compared to the other 5 tiels in the cage). This bird also does not have a mate...mostly because I think he/she prefers it that way. It could also be because the only other bird in the cage that is not bonded yet is a male (and I suspect this bird too is a male). But his/her timidity confuses me leading me to think he just maybe a she.

Does anyone know why his/her feathers are not growing back? Is there any way to get the feathers growing? Also any indication of the birds breed and gender will be greatly appreciated.

Joe


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

It's a pearl hen. The feathers missing on the head looks like another bird is plucking her.


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## Joe_1974 (Feb 28, 2009)

Hi - I always thought the colours of male pearls fade away as they mature. That makes me want to think that this is a pearl male. Could you please take one more look at these fresh set of pics and let me know what you think? 

I am attaching 2 pics of the original light feathered pearl (bald head problem) along with a set of 2 pics of my other dark feathered pearl (who I know is a female because she mates with a lutino male). Also attaching a photo of the two pearls together to get a sense of the contrast in their feather colours.

Many thanks...

Joe

PS: More importantly (the intended purpose of this thread): Is there a way to treat the bird and get the feathers to start growing again?


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

ALL pearls are different in their patterns and the brightness, and eveness of the pattern. Some pearls will have an incomplete pattern to the pattern on their backs such as your hen.

You will have to find out which bird is plucking the back of her head. If it goes on too much there can be permanent follicle damage and feathers will not grow back.


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

Their pearls usually do not fade, but moult out. If your bird were a cock it would look like a normal gray or with very few pearls after it's first moult.


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