Northumbrian Notes

AT THE time of writing it’s the end of September and most of the Norwich, save for those from the last round, are well through the moult. Nevertheless, stubborn pin feathers still abound in the head and neck area, and that’s the case with many of the adults too. Of course these parts are unreachable by the birds to preen, so they will always be the final area in practically all breeds.

Spraying does help, but some attention with a soft brush is often needed to coax the feathers through. I only like to do this with the last few awkward feathers that remain, since I find that if it’s done too early, with lots of pin feathers, the sheath material has a dulling, dusty effect on the feathers when first brushed.

While it is welcome to see what colour