# Will flightless cockatiel breed?



## Fran.bath89 (Jun 12, 2016)

Hey guys I need some help I've got a female cockatiel she's called poppy and she's a white faced cinnamon pearl I've had hew about a month. She came with her boyfriend who is a normal grey and their previous owner says she thinks they are about 3 years old but she can't be sure as they got them from an old man who had to get rid. She says she doesn't know if they have ever had a clutch before but her boyfriend has a blue metal ring on his leg. This maybe able to help me identify his age but I haven't had a good look as I didn't want to stress them more than I had when I tried to catch them in a cluttered cage! So anyway let me get to he point the female is flightless! She is missing the flight feathers on her right wing and is able to get up to the perches but can't actually fly. I need to catch her and have a good look at her wing to see if there is sign of damage I suspect she damaged when havin it clipped when younger or maybe mutilated as a chick but I can't be sure. I was hoping to breed her as she is absolutely stunning! Do any of you know if there is a chance it's a defect from breeding? Or would she be fine for breeding? And do you think there is even a chance of her actually breeding? Her mate doesn't spend much time with her when she's on the floor he is with her when she feeds or when she manages to get up to the perches. I'm thinking I will have to adapt best boxes with easy access for her perhaps branches going from the floor to the entrance hole? Has anyone had any experience with flightless parents? Thank you in advanced guys!


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## Darkel777 (Jun 7, 2013)

I have had clipped birds breed plenty of times. There is a chance this wing problem is a congenial birth defect. I am thinking given the location though that this is a favorite spot for parents to pick their chicks while encouraging them to eat. Parenting is a suspect cause and even seeing it I don't believe its possible for me to know for sure.

About nestboxes, since I buy mine and don't make them the little perch that usually attaches to the outside of the box is a must for clipped or flightless parents. It might be as simple as that.


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

Darkel777 said:


> I have had clipped birds breed plenty of times. There is a chance this wing problem is a congenial birth defect. I am thinking given the location though that this is a favorite spot for parents to pick their chicks while encouraging them to eat. Parenting is a suspect cause and even seeing it I don't believe its possible for me to know for sure.
> 
> About nestboxes, since I buy mine and don't make them the little perch that usually attaches to the outside of the box is a must for clipped or flightless parents. It might be as simple as that.


I also buy my nest boxes but I put a flat platform perch under the opening to give the parents east assess and help sp babies don't fall out of the nest as easy when they fledge.


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## Fran.bath89 (Jun 12, 2016)

Thank you for your replies my nest boxes are shop bought and have the little perch at the entrance will this be easy for her to get to? She's in an aviary but I guess if she's able to get to the perches then the box should be easy enough. I guess I will just have to wait and see. It will probably be next year they breed if they attempt to as they have had the stress of moving and I don't know if they got much exercise and variation in their diet at their old home. The cage was big but it had so many branches and toys they couldn't move around much they definitely didn't have room to stretch their wings while in the cage.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

The perch at the front will definitely help her get in the cage. I would wait and see if her wing feathers don't grow back. If the cage was that packed, she may have broken them repeatedly and had a hard time growing them back out. Only time will tell.


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## Fran.bath89 (Jun 12, 2016)

Have any of you guys got any tips for speedy feather growth? Poppy has snapped two tail feathers this week God knows how she does it! It looks like she may have a little blood on her but she didn't appear to be acting injured. She seems very nervous. When I go in the aviary she likes to get as high as possible and hide right up in the corner. If I'm watching she paces. But she will eat in front of me and will let her mate preen her. She's confusing me a lot. Obviously I don't want her hand tame as she's in the aviary but I don't want her to panick and shy away when ever I go in. All my other birds just sit on the perches or bowls watching me. Maybe she's just not used to me yet I've only had her a few months


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

No there really is no way to promote fast feather growth. She needs to moult for that to happen. 

It's going to take time for her to get used to you. Millet helps.


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## Fran.bath89 (Jun 12, 2016)

Thank you. It will be so much easier when we have our new aviary she will hopefully feel more safe and secure. It's going to be planted so she will be able to hide if she feels the need and hopefully it will give them more enrichment and make them even happier


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## Wulvena (Jun 9, 2016)

Actually, if the feathers are broken off you can use a pair of tweezers and pull them out. They will start growing back in right away then. This is particularly easy on tail feathers, as they don't seem to be in as tightly. However, the wing feathers might be actual damage from an idiot clipping them too short. I bought two birds from someone I thought was a decent breeder and didn't notice until I got them home that their wings were all cut too short, above the coverts, and the male was never able to grow flight feathers back in. I can't imagine how they did this, as I have dealt with them before and had no problems with the birds. Also, giving Nekton-Bio seems to really help in feather replacement, too. It also seems to help during molting.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> Actually, if the feathers are broken off you can use a pair of tweezers and pull them out.


Unless you're a vet I wouldn't recommend this, it HURTS. It's better to let the feathers fall out naturally and grow back on their own. They don't fall out all at once either, which provides some support to new feathers. Otherwise, you have all new feathers coming in at once with no support and they typically get knocked out repeatedly, which is also painful.


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## Fran.bath89 (Jun 12, 2016)

Well Poppy's feathers just appear to be getting worse she has broken all her tail feathers so she has scruffy little stubs for tail feathers. Also noticed one of the males who came with her (not her mate) has some flight feathers missing on the left wing too! He flies much better than her tho you wouldn't even think he had any missing! I'm concerned for poppy as I've been readin up on poor feather quality and I'm worried it could be that she's from over inbred stock? There were part that mentioned she may have less body and down feathers which means she will suffer if it gets cold! There is tips for making sure she doesn't pass on to any young by breeding her with a strong feathered grey which her mate is, but she shows him no interest when he's popping in and out of the nest boxes. I'm not fussed if they breed or not this isn't a requirement lol but I am worried she may not make it through winter. Does anyone know if there is supplements to strengthen feathers? I already give good quaility mixed seeds, egg food and greens daily plus a water bath that's changed daily.


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## Fran.bath89 (Jun 12, 2016)

I will attempt catching her today to try and get pictures of her feathers and to get a closer look at her wing. Hopefully it will be easy to do! It's surprising how hard it is to catch a flightless bird!


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

Fran.bath89 said:


> Well Poppy's feathers just appear to be getting worse she has broken all her tail feathers so she has scruffy little stubs for tail feathers. Also noticed one of the males who came with her (not her mate) has some flight feathers missing on the left wing too! He flies much better than her tho you wouldn't even think he had any missing! I'm concerned for poppy as I've been readin up on poor feather quality and I'm worried it could be that she's from over inbred stock? There were part that mentioned she may have less body and down feathers which means she will suffer if it gets cold! There is tips for making sure she doesn't pass on to any young by breeding her with a strong feathered grey which her mate is, but she shows him no interest when he's popping in and out of the nest boxes. I'm not fussed if they breed or not this isn't a requirement lol but I am worried she may not make it through winter. Does anyone know if there is supplements to strengthen feathers? I already give good quaility mixed seeds, egg food and greens daily plus a water bath that's changed daily.


I personally would not breed her if she is of poor quality or in ill health. Only animals in tip top shape physically, mentally and genetically should be chosen for breeding. She sounds like she would make a great pet, why not just enjoy her as she is?


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## Fran.bath89 (Jun 12, 2016)

I originally got her and her boy friend to breed from as she is beautiful but since noticing what terrible condition she is in have decided it's probably best not to breed from her it's such a shame tho. I don't feel she would want to be a pet either as she's incredibly nervous. She can live out her days in the aviary and when we get our new house I will have a heating system for the aviary so won't have to worry. If i don't have a new house by winter then she and her boy friend will have to come inside for abit. I just assumed she was going through. Moult when I got her as she only had a little scruffyness to her tail feathers and a few wing feathers missing. it will be a lot easier to bond with poppy and the two boys who came with her once I have my new house. The extra male I'm hoping will bond with one of this years chicks so at least I can have 2 breeding pairs then


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## ParrotletsRock (Oct 8, 2013)

Fran.bath89 said:


> I originally got her and her boy friend to breed from as she is beautiful but since noticing what terrible condition she is in have decided it's probably best not to breed from her it's such a shame tho. I don't feel she would want to be a pet either as she's incredibly nervous. She can live out her days in the aviary and when we get our new house I will have a heating system for the aviary so won't have to worry. If i don't have a new house by winter then she and her boy friend will have to come inside for abit. I just assumed she was going through. Moult when I got her as she only had a little scruffyness to her tail feathers and a few wing feathers missing. it will be a lot easier to bond with poppy and the two boys who came with her once I have my new house. The extra male I'm hoping will bond with one of this years chicks so at least I can have 2 breeding pairs then


Glad to hear it, I think she will be happy just allowed to be her....


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