Telling the age of a cockatiel. Which feathers grow first, the top ones or the tail feathers.?

Question

I found a cockatiel, he had been attacked by crows.

He did not have any of his tail feathers (to me it looked like they'd been chewed, broken off) But he had all his top feathers. His beak isn't smooth it has lines over it ( dont know if its relevant but it makes him look older)

I took him to the vet, the vet said he "looked old, breathed like an old bird, but has no tail feathers so must be young"

The vet didn't even know the difference between, growing tail feathers and ones that had been broken through a struggle.

SO, my question is, with cockatiels - if they haven't yet grown their tail feathers completely - then wouldn't their top feathers not haven't fully grown yet.

I got a young cockatiel, her tail had grown but her top feathers weren't very long yet - because she was so young..Which feathers grow first?

I think this vet just wasn't a bird person!!

hope this question wasn't confusing

and when cockatiels tails grow. They look like they do when they're older don't they? Cept the tails shorter. - This birds tail looks all torn, if it was growing it wouldn't look like that would it?

Answer 1

You can only tell a cockatiel as before or after it's first molt. The tail feathers don't really have anything to do about it.
A young cockatiel (under 6 months) will have a shorter stubbier crest than when an adult, and the cheek patches will look like a female if the bird is a male.

There is no way to tell if they grew their tail feathers completely or not- they have a good set by 6 months. In a struggle, he could have completely pulled out some, and broken others. If you pull out all the tail feathers, they will grow back the same way a baby grows them for the first time. An adult cockatiel will also molt all of their tail feathers 1-2 times a year.

As for the lines on the beak, it usually is a nutritional or stress issue. My male (known at 3 yrs) has no stress marks, and was well cared for before I got him. My female (unknown age, over 3 for sure) had an extremely lined beak when I got her 2 yrs ago- now most of the lines are gone, and there are only a few cracks left.

Answer 2

Why are its feathers out? I certainly have a cockatiel and the patch from his head is bald too. yet it extremely is from overgrooming. you will purely might desire to attend some weeks, or in all possibility months.

Answer 3

I think you know more than most vets...lol I have cockateals and I personally find it hard to 'sex' them ~ let alone 'age' them (unless they were born in my aviary