Loss of feather around the neck

[Milly]

I am just curious what the answer could be. I am minding friend's lovebird peach face already for a year. He is overseas and I am more than happy to have his bird. Chico is an angel, 5 years old, very tame and sweet personality. He was in care of friend's friend two years a go for a few months. When my friend took him, Chico didn't have feather around his neck. Friend's friend didn't say anything how did it happen, did anything unusual happened etc. Lovebirds don't pluck themselves? Could it be stress? Any idea?

[wilsta]

is the bird kept on his own or is there another bird with him?

[Milly]

He was always alone. I am just wandering if he maybe tried to escape, pulled food container door or other up and somehow got stucked or else? Would it cause loss of feather? I saw on internet photo of love birds and two of them didn't have all feather around their neck. Is that specific in some way for love birds?

[wilsta]

two things it may be something pyhsical ie trying to escape - check his environment - the cage, food containers, etc
or it may be an illness where you should seek medical advice from a bird vet. either way you should console a vet.

[Milly]

He lost feather 2 years a go, long time before he came in my care. It's been one year since he is with me and had no problems so far. I bought him new, roomy cage, he has regular flying around, food, attention, bath time - everything. The owner didn't see vet when he picked him from care of his friends and didn't have a clue what could have happened to Chico. If anything happens to him in my care, I wouldn't hesitate to tell the owner.

[Phill]

It is more than likely that when he was in the care of the other people, that he might have been stressed or frightned, or abused, or boredom, any of these thing's may have made him pluck, he may have plucked that area soo bad that he has damaged the feather molicuels in which case the feather's in that area will grow back.

[vankarhi]

he could be a feather plucker too.

[AussieBirds]

The only time I had a problem like this was from plucking from other birds but you say it was a single bird by it's self looking at the pictures you have posted Milly it seems that the area with the missing feathers looks to be from poking the head through some bars in his cage, possibly looking for human company or trying to get out of the cage.

John

[Milly]

Could be John . Important is he's o.k.
now. I noticed some feathers at that area as trying to grow but never fully develop and just come off. At the end of those feathers, that part which grows out from the skin has black, a bit thick part?!