Why Do Birds moult?

Author: Aussie Vet Products   Date Posted:23 April 2014 

It is quite common for all birds to moult once a year or for large birds such as parrots once every 2 years. Moulting is the process whereby birds replace any old or damaged feathers with new healthy feathers.  In the wild birds would usually restore their plumage for optimum mating potential prior to spring. However moulting can be a stressful time for your bird as new feather production requires a huge amount of energy and the availability of large levels of protein, lysine and cystine to be available in the bird’s diet.

The moulting process is proven to be 2 x more stressful on your bird than egg production, so unless your bird’s diet is supplemented during this time its feather quality may be significantly reduced and this can affect the overall health of the bird.

The best supplements for birds that are going through their moulting cycle are:

Extra fruit and vegetables, egg and biscuit or breeder pellet supplements, nuts and a moulting supplement such as Vetafarm Moulting aid. Moulting aid contains all the essential vitamins, mineral and amino acids that your bird requires for the development of strong healthy feathers.