The moult is an excellent indicator of the health of your birds. Birds in good condition molt smoothly and relatively quickly — but the conditions must be right. Give them enough space, avoid overcrowding and provide a balanced diet. Moulting demands a lot from the body: feathers consist largely of the protein keratin, so a good supply of proteins and minerals is indispensable. If a bird is sick or has deficiencies, the moult will take a long time and remain incomplete. For comparison, the total plumage makes up about 10% of the body weight — which speaks volumes about the effort involved.
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