# I'm really worried about some deformed looking tail feathers?



## jennatori (Jun 20, 2012)

My cockatiel recently went through his first molt since I got him and he lost a couple tail feathers. I am really concerned about his new feathers. They are very skinny and long and not the same color as the feathers he lost.
I took some pictures so hopefully somebody can tell me if they look normal or if I should call a vet.


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## jennatori (Jun 20, 2012)

I've also never posted on these forums before so if I did something wrong then let me know!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Don't worry, his tail feathers are normal (and you posted in the right place).

What's happening is that he's starting to change over to his adult plumage. He's getting in his longest tail feather right now, and it will look kind of skinny until it's fully grown out. Males lose the barring that they had on their baby tailfeathers, and their new tailfeathers will be a solid color. They also lose the stripes on their rump and the spots on their flight feathers and will get solid colored feathers in those places too. And of course they get a nice bright face color (except for pied birds who will keep the same face color they had before).


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

hes a boy and hes growing in his long feathers, theyre not fully done growing yet, everything looks fine to me


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## jennatori (Jun 20, 2012)

Ahh thank you guys so much! I was so worried, I'm so glad its something normal thank god.

also, I should probably point out that I don't actually know if he is a boy or a girl


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

The bird is molting so you'll find out soon! The pictures didn't show too much of the bird's body, but I thought I saw some solid-grey feathers coming in on the rump. If that's correct, your bird is a boy. The long tailfeather also looks male to me, but I have only one hen with grey tailfeathers so I don't have very much to compare it to.


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## Renae (Feb 9, 2008)

Do you have a photo of your Cockatiel? (including face, body, etc) 

Jack’s tail feathers looked like that too I am pretty sure, the barring is all gone now though. (he is a male) On the inside of the tail it was the same, but he now has all solid grey and yellow tail feathers, and only one tail feather with barring on it. 

Okay, I don’t have any photos of Jack’s tail, but I have photos of Mishka’s, who is also a male. 

See the barring on his tail here, this was when he was a baby (he is the grey)










In this photo of him he is older, but he has barring on the inside of his tail










He slowly started losing the barring on the inside of his tail, and the feathers turned into a solid grey color










Not a full tail shot, but you can see on the outside of his tail, he no longer has any barring, and the feathers are solid grey


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## jennatori (Jun 20, 2012)

Here are some pictures. If you need any other views then just let me know and I'll take a couple more. I'm not entirely sure how old he is either. I got him from a little family owned bird store in March and they said he was about a year old.

also he had his wings clipped a while back but a couple new ones have grown in since the molt


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Your little bird is a puzzler. Most males have their adult coloring by the time they're a year old, so if the store owners were right about his age this bird might be a female. But some birds are late bloomers (Squeebis didn't get his adult coloring until he was 15 months old, and I know exactly how old he is because he was born in my house), and your bird has some signs of male coloring. It looks like his face is changing to the bright yellow face mask of an adult male. I don't see any markings on the one long feather that he has on each wing; a female would have spots. And some of the tail feathers growing in on the underside of the tail look like solid grey.

All young birds look like adult females no matter what sex they are, so he has lots of signs of female coloring too. But overall I think he's male, and either the store was wrong about his age or he's getting his adult colors later than the average male.

Look at his rump. If you see any plain grey feathers there (no stripes) he is definitely male.

Behavior is also a good clue. If he sings a lot, in a nice clear whistling tone with several different notes in the song, that's male behavior. Most females don't sing much, have a squawky sound, and only one or two notes in the song. Dancing and making heart wings is also male behavior.


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## jennatori (Jun 20, 2012)

Yeah definitely a puzzler I have thought about taking him to the avian vet for a DNA test but they want 200 dollars for it! Yikes! Maybe in another couple months it'll be more clear. Thanks so much for taking a look


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

That is WAY overpriced! If you can take the sample yourself or know someone who will do it for free, you can have your bird DNA'd for about $20. That's the typical fee when you send the sample to the lab yourself. There are lots of labs out there. Avian Biotech is a popular one and they charge $19.50 to do a blood test - see http://www.avianbiotech.com/Pricing.htm


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

You can do the DNA yourself for under $25.00. it is the same place the vets do the DNA without the mark-up in price. http://www.avianbiotech.com/Index.htm

You can phone then (click on Contact Us) and explain what you need and they will send out the form and kit to use to submit the samples for sexing.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

the bird is a late bloomer, but most DEFINITELY a boy. yellow face coming in, solid grey feathers on the tail and rump, his new flights coming in have no spots, he is a boy for sure, just very late molt. they can go through their first molt 3-12 months! dally, my female pearl started molting at 3.5 months old, but ive heard of some others not molting until 11-12 months old too. yours is just a late bloomer


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## jennatori (Jun 20, 2012)

I recently found out about avianbiotech and I am thinking about trying that. I thought for sure he was a girl but now I am definitely doubtful! I think he was probably much younger than I was told when I bought him because I've already had him for almost 6 months and he was supposedly a year old when I got him


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

yeah they lied to you. no way he is molting in male feathers at over a year old... at a year and a half... seems fishy to me, seems more like they sold you a younger bird.


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## mournfulbliss (Mar 11, 2012)

Also, dont be afraid if your little deary decides that he is scared of something and "lets go" of his tail feathers. I have a 5 month old right now that seems to get spooked easily and has done this twice now. He looks like a chicken.


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