There are many types of pigeons as well as pigeons with different coloured feathers. There are king pigeons, racing pigeons, homing pigeons, fancy pigeons and feral pigeons. Pigeons can have blue, grey, white, brown and purple feathers but there are also pigeons that have red, green and black feathers. When healthy, these feathers are vibrantly coloured, full and pretty, but this isn’t always the case. Sometimes pigeons have feather rot and their feathers don’t look so good. If you’d like to know how to deal with feather rot in pigeons then read on.

If you notice that your pigeon is losing feathers, and it isn’t moulting season, then your pigeon may have feather rot. This is caused by either a fungus or mites and can be treated by bathing the bird in camphor water, lighter fluid or a borax solution. Avoid using bleach to treat feather rot. 

Feather rot in pigeons, why this happens and what to do.

True two main reasons why pigeons develop feather rot is either because there is a fungus growing in the feathers or because the bird has mites. If your pigeon has fungus or mites then you’ll first notice it thriving in damp areas which can include: corners of the nest, on perches or in the bird’s excrement. It will then get into the bird’s feathers, in the hollow feather shaft of your pigeon. Over time, the fungus or mites will escalate their damage and cause bald patches. The rotten feathers will be moulted away but the problem can still persist with a new set of feathers.

You can get rid of the feather rot problem by bathing the bird in some camphor water, this will get rid of both the fungus and the mites on the bird. Another way of dealing with the problem is bathing the bird in a borax solution, this is great for getting rid of mites. Lighter fluid is also a solution to your problem. Avoid using bleach to fix the problem, your bird’s body will absorb the chemicals through the skin and this can be fatal to them. 

Why is my pigeon losing feathers?

There are a couple of other reasons as to why your pigeon may be losing feathers apart from feather rot. These can include:

Moulting: Generally birds go through moulting once a year and this is a natural process. If your bird is an indoor bird then this may be irregular as it’s daylight hours may be more irregular. Birds will regrow their feathers after moulting 

Stress: Birds can get stressed, stress can negatively affect birds just as it can with people. Stress can cause the bird to pluck its own feathers. If you notice that your bird is stressed then you need to find the source of stress and get rid of it or at least minimize it 

Viruses or bacteria: Some birds can get sick and lose feathers. Circovirus is a virus that birds can catch, it causes the bird to lose feathers on its wings and head as well as other places. Polyomavirus can cause feather loss in birds and more common illnesses like yeast infections or bacterial infections can cause feather loss in birds too. 

In the case of moulting there is nothing you can do about this process but let it take its course. Minimize stress if the cause of feather loss is stress and take your pet to the vet if the cause is a virus or bacteria 

Can pigeons regrow feathers? 

Yes, generally after losing its feathers the bird will regrow them. If the bird has lost its feathers as a result of moulting then you can expect its feathers to regrow within 4/5 weeks after moulting. If the bird’s feathers were pulled out by another bird, or itself, then the bird can grow its feathers back as well. 

Unfortunately, if the issue that causes feather loss causes the feather follicle to become damaged then the bird won’t be able to grow its feathers back even if the issue is remedied. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, feather rot in pigeons can be caused by mites or fungus. This can be remedied by bathing the bird in a camphor solution, using lighter fluid on the bird or using a borax solution on the bird. Avoid using bleach on the bird. Other reasons for feather loss include bacteria, viruses, moulting or stress. Pigeons can regrow their feathers if their feather follicles are not damaged 

If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other bird related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: How to get rid of pigeons from trees, How to get rid of pigeon lice, Is it safe to pick up bird feathers?, How to pluck feathers from a dead bird, Can birds be scared to death?, How to cremate a bird at home