<aside> 🪶 “Pin feathers” and “blood feathers” are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference! “Pin feathers” are feathers enclosed in a keratin sheath, while “blood feathers” refers to feathers that still have a blood supply. There is a very large overlap between these two characteristics during the feather growth cycle—hence the confusion!—but they do not fully match.
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Stages of feather growth. Credit: Cornell Lab Bird Academy
<aside> ❤️🩹 A common misconception is that if you see a pin feather, they should always be pulled out. Seeing a feather growing in or seeing a blood feather is not a reason to pull it! Blood feathers should only be removed as a last resort—for example, if the feather breaks, starts bleeding, and will not stop bleeding even after application of a styptic powder such as KwikStop or cornstarch.
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When a new feather starts to grow, it is encased in a protein sheath made of keratin, and the growing feather has a blood supply. As the feather matures, the blood supply slowly recedes from the tip; as the blood supply recedes, the bird can preen away the bloodless sheath, freeing the feather. This occurs until the feather is fully grown, at which point the blood supply completely dries up, except for at the follicle.
Scientifically, all of these stages are referred to as pin feathers, but what owners usually refer to as “pin feathers” are feathers that the bird cannot reach to preen the shaft off on their own, so we see the entire tube of keratin after it’s done growing. They look like little pins growing out on the bird.
Pin feathers on a molting bird’s head and around the eyes.
“Blood feathers” are feathers that are still growing and have an active blood supply. They’re most noticeable on the wings and tail, where the feathers are the largest. If you want to see what a growing feather looks like, look at baby birds—you can see the development really easily.
If the blood supply is still present in the feather and the shaft breaks, the feather shafts will bleed! This can happen even if the feather is partially freed from the sheath at the top, since it’s still growing below that.
Grown-out feather on the left (no blood supply) and a blood feather on the right (clearly visible blood supply). Credit: National Cockatiel Society
Birds grow new feathers all the time: young birds grow out their first feathers during the first months of life, and adult birds regrow feathers during a molt. Usually, blood feathers aren't a bother to the bird—except for some tenderness—but they can break if hit against something with enough force.
When blood feathers break, they will either clot and continue to develop into a damaged feather or they will fail to clot and act as a funnel for blood to continue weeping from. If the blood feather is a primary wing feather, it can be incredibly dangerous for the bird, as this will continue to be reopened whenever the bird flies and will result in significant blood loss.
The bird may exhibit symptoms of pain or reluctance to use the affected limb, however the most obvious symptom of a broken blood feather is unexplainable bleeding, particularly on the wings, feet, or tail. Upon inspection, there will be no physical injuries to the bird's body causing the bleeding, but a funnel-like feather will be leaking blood. You may have to part several feathers or have someone hold the bird for you while you extend the wing or tail to find these broken blood feathers if they broke at the base of the feather close to the body.
To treat broken blood feathers, the broken end should be treated with a styptic powder such as Kwik-Stop—or cornstarch if this is not available—and pressure should be applied. This can be done by either pouring the product directly onto the feather or by pouring the product onto a cloth and then holding the cloth on the broken blood feather with pressure. Ideally, this should assist in clotting, and once bleeding stops, the bird should be closely monitored.
If bleeding fails to stop, the bird reopens the broken blood feather, or it is bleeding seriously then it is recommended to get the bird to an emergency vet as soon as possible. If that is not an option—or the broken blood feather is in a place you feel confident pulling out—the next step is to remove the feather from the body.
<aside> ❤️🩹 This step is only to be used as a last resort! Please attempt to get your bird to a vet before attempting this yourself.
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To pull a blood feather out, the base of the feather should be gripped firmly with either your hands, tweezers, or pliers and sharply and firmly pulled out in one straight motion.
While the average keeper can do this for muff (foot), body, or tail feathers, it is once again recommended the bird be taken to a qualified veterinarian if the broken blood feather was a primary wing feather. The bones in a bird's wing are delicate and as primary wing feathers anchor into the bone, serious damage can be caused to the bird’s wing bones if feathers are pulled inappropriately.