Some birds are precocial—so when they hatch, they're already covered with fluffy down which helps to keep them warm. Other birds are altricial—and are naked when they hatch, with their feathers developing later. Of course, once a bird develops their first set of feathers, it's not the end of the matter. Feathers are continually shed (moulted) and replaced. This replacement isn't always a straightforward event, and birds may inadvertently damage their own developing feathers.
Pin Feathers
Your pet bird's developing feathers are called pin feathers. They look like little nubs, which then grow into something that resembles a feather shaft, without the standard parts of a developed feather, such as the vane, after-feather, or downy barb. Feather moulting, followed by the development of a pin feather, followed by that pin feather growing and opening into a fully-fledged mature feather—this cycle is a regular event for your pet bird.
Itching and Irritation
The cycle mostly happens without a problem. But occasionally, feather development can be disrupted during the pin stage. Pin feathers can sometimes irritate a bird, feeling somewhat itchy as they grow. The bird's natural reaction to this is to preen themselves, allowing them to scratch the feather with their beak as they tug at the pin. Sometimes this preening can be a little too enthusiastic.
Blood Supply
Pin feathers have a blood supply throughout their entire length. Once the feather matures, the blood vessel becomes concentrated in its base only. If your bird tears a blood feather, there can be a considerable amount of blood. The damaged pin feather must be removed to halt the bleeding.
First Aid
It's not a simple case of pulling the bleeding pin feather out. All pet owners should have a first aid kit specific to their animal. With a pet bird, that kit must contain tweezers and sterile gauze. The gauze may be needed to absorb the blood, allowing you to locate and grip the pin feather. However, it's perfectly reasonable that you may not feel comfortable performing this first aid on your bird. Larger birds may bleed profusely, and you may feel that using tweezers on a smaller bird could cause injury.
Vet Care
A bleeding pin feather can be removed by a vet. Your bird should be treated by a vet the first time this issue occurs, allowing you to observe the removal procedure—meaning you may perform it at home during any subsequent occasions. Your vet will expertly remove the pin feather, and can then sterilise the site as needed. Bleeding should stop once the damaged pin feather has been removed.
The amount of blood produced by a broken pin feather can be alarming, so don't hesitate to take your bird to a vet. For more information, contact a vet near you.