From Ohio Bird Sanctuary
Remember this Screech Owl that had an unfortunate run-in with a chain saw? Today it underwent an imping procedure whereby donor feathers were used to replace missing and damaged ones. Our Bird Care staff do this delicate and specialized procedure right on-site in our Avian Hospital. Thankfully, the little owl patient is recovering well so far!
Yup, as long as the follicles the feathers grow from are not damaged, these should last until they are dropped naturally.
If they didn’t do this, it wouldn’t be able to fly (or at least well enough to be on its own) until new ones came in, which would be up to a year or so.