We call them "pin" feathers because they look like tiny spiky pins (especially when on the head) of our birds. Baby birds have loads of them, but even an adult bird going through a heavy molt can have that spiky look too. New pin feathers often give a bird a bit of a scruffy look. However, it is so important for birds to shed those old feathers and regrow beautiful new feathers.
Pin feathers are simply the new feathers coming in. Pin feathers are essential for birds as they provide new insulation, aid in flight, and help with waterproofing. Pin feathers have a sheath of keratin surrounding them which helps support and protect the new feather as it grows. It is important to handle your bird with a little extra care when they have pin feathers, as the "pinnies" can be sensitive and painful if broken or damaged.
Depending on the type of feathers growing, they can be quite sensitive sometimes and your bird may not want you to touch them when they are first coming in. If the new feather is a wing or tail feather, they are often referred to as blood feathers, and they are usually the most tender when first coming in. As the name implies these feathers have a blood supply which nourishes the feather as it grows, and if accidentally broken or damaged, your bird may bleed profusely, so you always want to take and help your bird protect these larger incoming feathers.
If you have your bird feather clipped for flight reasons, you will want to make sure any new blood feather in the wing area is protected by surrounding mature flight feathers until the new feather is fully formed and no longer an easy bleeder. Once the new feather has grown in it is safe again to feather clip if required.
Once the feather begins to grow out and mature, the blood supply will also begin to recede and when the feather is fully formed, the tenderness is also gone.
Many birds with pin feathers on their head and cheek area will often let you gently rub the pin feathers between your fingers to help loosen the feather sheath so the feather can open completely. Warm baths can help the feather sheaths soften and come off more easily.
