What should be done if a blood feather starts to bleed?
On occasion, a blood feather will break and start to bleed, or it may accidentally be cut when the wings are trimmed. In a healthy bird, a broken blood feather is usually not a life-threatening emergency if appropriate steps are taken. Even if the bleeding stops quickly, however, you may wish to have your bird examined by a veterinarian, and have the broken blood feather removed. Even if the blood has clotted, broken blood feathers are often removed so they cannot be reinjured and consequently bleed. If a broken blood feather is removed, a new one will start to grow. If a blood feather is repeatedly injured, continues to bleed, or the bird has a medical condition, such as liver disease which can affect the clotting ability of the blood, a significant amount of blood may be lost. This is an emergency situation, and action must be taken quickly. If there is bleeding from a blood feather: • Restrain the bird. • Apply pressure to the broken shaft with gauze or a cotton ball. Cornstarch, fl
