Feather Cysts
Feather cysts are a typical condition of the feather and skin in pets. birds chirping The condition occurs when a brand new feather is unable to emerge and instead curls under the skin within the feather hair follicle.
As the feather expands and the lump — resultant from the ingrown feather is also continuing to expand until the cyst turns into an oval or a long swelling. In some instances, it could be a combination of one or more hair follicles at the same time.
Symptoms and Types
A feather cyst may occur anywhere on the body of the bird. Parrots are the exception, as it’s usually seen in the feathers that are primary to the wings. Although any bird could have feather cysts, it typically is seen in macaws, parrots (blue as well as gold) and canaries that typically contain multiple cysts of feathers.
Causes
In the majority of birds the cause of feather cysts is by an infection or injury to the follicles of feathers. For canaries, the feather cysts are caused by genetic predisposition.
Treatment
Feather cysts are typically treated by surgically removing the affected or damaged feather hair follicle. Water Birds  If the follicle of the feather isn’t surgically removed, the bird will continue to grow the cysts within it. But, surgery isn’t always an alternative. Particularly for canaries as they typically have numerous feather cysts.
Be aware that visiting your bird’s vet to determine the cause and treatment is the best choice for a permanent or temporary treatment of a cyst in the feather.
