# Would bleeding be obvious from a broken blood feather? (Pic)



## Madeline410 (Jul 13, 2012)

Lex just flew into a wall and I found this feather on the ground. The blood has me freaked out. Does it look like it came out all the way? If she was bleeding, would it be obvious, or would I have to "dig" to see it? She doesn't like me checking out her wings, so I haven't been able to take a good look, but there haven't been any drops of blood or anything, even when she shakes off. I put paper towels at the bottom of her cage so blood would be obvious. What should I do?


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

It looks like she just knocked it out. The area where it fell out should heal up fine on its own and will grow a new feather soon.


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## Madeline410 (Jul 13, 2012)

Thank you! Man, how do I know when she's done molting so I can clip her wings again? She's been molting on and off for like 2 months now. Do I have to wait until all of her flight feathers are in? This girl worries the heck out of me.


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## stiffchick (Oct 23, 2012)

At least in my case, any blood from a broken blood feather has been very obvious. you did good putting paper towels down to watch for blood. You can cut the flight feathers any time, just check them for blood in the shaft before you cut them. if there is blood, wait a few days and check again. see how the feather in your hand is kind of clear in the shaft area? that will be dark reddish, brown or purple when it is filled with blood. They look like straws when you are drinking soda through them. The feather in your hand looks like it was just stained with left over blood, I dont think that was fresh blood as in the kind found in a blood feather. If you clip her and she is uneven because of blood feathers waiting to be cut, you have to be care ful when she tries to fly, because 1 she will be off balance, and 2 she can still gain height with only a few feathers intact, so dont take her around celing fans or outdoors. good luck!


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## RedQueen (Feb 21, 2012)

If you do decide to clip before all the blood feathers are grown out, make sure to leave 2 regular feathers (one on each side) beside the blood feather to protect it from breaking. They break much easier with no other feathers protecting them.


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