How to Care for a Parrot with a Wing Injury: Tips and Advice

Recently, we discovered that DaVinci, one of our young male cockatiels, had injured a few of his flight feathers. I'm going to walk you through what we did to treat this injury at home.

DaVinci showing off his feather injury.

1. First, we immediately removed DaVinci from the rest of the flock once we noticed he was injured. Our birds are cage-free during the day, and they are all together in a flock environment in a dedicated bird room. To give him some peace and quiet, we placed him in a hospital cage in a separate room. A hospital cage is a cage set aside specifically for injured birds. Housing it in a different room allows the bird to be quarantined and have a quiet, peaceful place to rest.
   

2. Next, we used a hand towel to restrain him so we could assess the injury and decide if vet care was needed. The towel restraint method is what veterinarians use, and there are demonstrations on YouTube if you would like to learn how to use this technique on your bird.
   

3. My first concern whenever I see blood is that a pinfeather has broken. (Pinfeathers are new feathers that are still growing, and they are attached to active blood vessels.) A broken pinfeather must be removed or else it will continue to bleed. If that happens, it can be fatal if the bird loses too much blood. If you are unable to stop the bleeding (you can try using styptic powder) or are unable to remove a broken pinfeather, contact an emergency avian vet immediately. DaVinci's injuries were sustained to mature feathers, and the injury was clotting and forming a scab, so I knew he wasn't in immediate danger.
   

4. I assessed his wing with clean hands for broken bones by gently stretching out the wing and feeling the bones under the skin. Thankfully, the bones were not harmed and he had full use of his wing. He was able to flap and move normally, and there was no sign of pain when pressing gently on the bones. I also gently inspected the rest of his body for any other injuries, from the top of his head to his toes.
   

5. Once I determined the injury was simply a few broken flight feathers, I knew I did not have to take him to see his vet. I applied some organic coconut oil on the injury with an oil dropper (making sure not to get the oil on his other feathers) and let him rest while I mixed up a paste of turmeric powder and water. Organic coconut oil has anti-fungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties, so it is often used on animals in place of ointment to keep injuries moist. Turmeric paste is an antiseptic, and it also has antibacterial and anti-parasitic properties. It helps wounds heal faster. I applied the turmeric paste with a Q-tip, and then I administered the appropriate amount of pain medication for his size. You can get a gentle pain medication to have on hand from your vet if you believe your bird is in pain. Discontinue use once the bird is feeling himself again.
   

6. I furnished DaVinci's hospital cage with toys and perches, fresh water, and a tablespoon of his favorite seeds as a treat. I let him rest and checked in on him every few hours. I kept an eye out for any new signs of illness such as being puffed up for long periods of time, changes in eating and drinking habits, and changes in personality and behavior. But DaVinci seemed utterly unfazed by this injury. He continued to be his normal chipper self, singing to us at the top of his lungs, and gorging himself on millet.
   

7. For the next two weeks, I monitored his injury to make sure it was healing properly, and it was. He took care of himself, grooming and bathing, and the injury continues to heal nicely. It will take a while for his flight feathers to grow back in, but once they do, DaVinci will return to the bird room with the rest of the flock. In the meantime, he is getting a lot of snuggle time with the humans.
   

8. For any bird injury, if you are ever unsure about what to do, it is always best to consult your avian vet. They can either give you advice over the phone or let you know when to bring your bird in for a visit. Always take your vet's advice over something you read online -- someone who can visually assess your pet in person will always have the best perspective on the situation.