Pulling at Feathers

[Kerrie]

hello,Im having a problem with my male harris hawk pulling his feathers out of his chest, he's free in the weathering and is flown every day,ive sprayed him for mites,ive given him a tennis ball to try and distract him but hes still doing it!

[BFC 007]

hello,Im having a problem with my male harris hawk pulling his feathers out of his chest, he's free in the weathering and is flown every day,ive sprayed him for mites,ive given him a tennis ball to try and distract him but hes still doing it!

Alright Kerrie hows the Harris doing? Has he stopped pulling feathers?

[Kevin Massey]

moved to correct place

[StormRider]

Has this just started during the moult period?
STU

[Kerrie]

Hello Stormrider,No he started to do it while i was still flying him,had a vet check him for mites and he was all clear.I still dont no the reason he was doing it but since hes been left to moult he has stopped so could be a weight thing?Anyway I guess i'll see what happens when i start to fly him again and go from there.

Kerrie

[StormRider]

Have you considered that it may be a dietary issue? Do you feed any different food during flying? Sometimes when a bird doesnt get what it requires in calcium and vits, etc it will resort to feather chewing/pulling. If it occurs again I would suggest a blood screen at you vets to see if there is anything underlying.
STU

[Kerrie]

Thanks for the advice stormrider,ive been through all of that at the vets already with blood screens etc. All came back fine,he has a varied diet and i also suppliment it with vitamins,hes free lofted and also was being flown daily.The vet did say it could still have been mites as the feather samples they sent off may not have had mites on,the sprayed him for mites anyway.

Thanks Kerrie

[StormRider]

Sounds like you have all the advice you need. Good luck.
STU