Ask Lafeber

Odd molting feathers

My 5 month old male cockatiel is currently in his first molt. His behavior is completely normal but his feathers are looking odd. His new feathers aren’t closed but instead looked splayed open like ferns. He’s been mostly on a seed diet recently, but I am working on getting him eating more range. Recently we also went to the vet to trim his nails and wings and I asked the vet if those feathers were normal and they said they weren’t really sure but asked if he had any other behavior changes and the vet said he seemed fine overall.

Thank you for reaching out to Ask Lafeber. Your cockatiel’s “fern-like” new feathers during his first molt are most likely due to a seed‑heavy diet causing poor feather structure rather than illness, especially since his behavior is normal and the vet didn’t see red flags. Young birds need more protein, vitamin A, and amino acids during a molt, and deficiencies commonly show up as splayed or weak new feathers. Improving his diet with pellets, Nutri‑Berries or Avi‑Cakes, leafy greens, orange veggies, sprouted seeds, or small amounts of cooked egg should help future feathers grow in normally. If later molts still produce abnormal feathers or you see breakage, bald spots, or behavior changes, then a deeper veterinary workup would be warranted.