Severe Moult

[phoenix 0]

2 of my aviary budgies are having a severe moult. They have no tail feathers and whole patches in their heads where there are just pin feathers. They look awful. There doesn't seem to be any sign of the tail feathers growing back. Is this normal and what can I give them to help? I have "feather up" powder and have given them egg food. But is there anything else?

 

I have had birds all my life and never seen such a severe moult except in my chickens. Could it be that they are only babies?

Edited November 18, 2012 by phoenix

[Bird Junky 0]

Hi. Could it be they're being picked on by an older bird? If you can separate them it might help...B.J.

[phoenix 0]

The 2 that are moulting are a male and female that seem to have paired up. They get quite excited, for want of a better word. The male keeps trying to stand on her back and she is begging for food all the time. I am wondering if they are pulling each others feathers. She is not in breeding condition yet though.

[robyn 0]

You would be coming into winter, I've heard that a severe moult could mean severe weather coming, JUST A THEORY MIND, we on the other hand are supposed to be at the start of Summer, I'm knee deep in feathers also, so maybe we're in for a hot Summer? Time will tell I suppose.

 

I don't usually give mine any different diet when they are moulting, just keep blind down in cool or windy weather etc. if they look really "ratty" I may add some vitamins to their water and extra greens but that's about it.

[phoenix 0]

You would be coming into winter, I've heard that a severe moult could mean severe weather coming, JUST A THEORY MIND, we on the other hand are supposed to be at the start of Summer, I'm knee deep in feathers also, so maybe we're in for a hot Summer? Time will tell I suppose.

 

I don't usually give mine any different diet when they are moulting, just keep blind down in cool or windy weather etc. if they look really "ratty" I may add some vitamins to their water and extra greens but that's about it.

 

Thank you, that is interesting. My aviary is inside but the room they are in is colder that the rest of the house. It wouldn't surprise me if we have a bad winter, our summer was non existent this year. The wettest summer since the 1930s.

 

I don't think there is anyone picking on them. I have 6 budgies. One is the same age, maybe a month older. One is a very old bird who keeps well away from the others. One has French moult so also keeps away from the others, he is very small and virtually flightless. The last one would be the only one who would be likely to pick on them but he is too busy making out with a toy or chatting with the French moult guy. The 2 that have lost loads of feathers pretty much spend all their time together and chase off the others if they come too close.

[hilly 0]

Hi how long have they been exposed to your french moult bird? They may have a mild form of the virus as there is still a possibility the the bird is shedding it.

They should regrow their tail feathers whether or not they have the virus but some don't grow the long feathers back.

Cheers Jenny

[phoenix 0]

The french molt guy is over a year old. They have been with him since September. They have the feathers under the tail. It's just the long feathers that are missing. The female is worse than the male. She has areas of pin feathers on her head, whole patches. I'll try and get some photos.

[phoenix 0]

I can't seem to post pictures on this forum. Every other forum I use I just copy the image code from photo bucket and paste it in the reply but this one seems to block me. I don't get the paste option when I right click. can anyone tell me if there is a secret to it?

[ima.snowbird 0]

CTRL V will paste anything that's in your clipboard including the link to the IMG file.

 

I've just talked with my avian vet about French Molt. We're going to be testing one of my birds for it. Her information says they shed the virus for 6 - 12 months, but from what I understand, it's rare for older birds to show signs. We're doing an 'environmental swab' to test for Polyoma virus (the one that causes French molt), one other that also effects plumage, and Chlamdyiosis psittaci, which can be passed to humans as Parrot Fever. AAV recommends testing every new bird. I'm lucky, I guess. I get to test all 7 of mine at 1 time. :-\

 

I hope whatever the problem your birds are experiencing that it's easily solved.

 

Diana

[phoenix 0]

 

 

 

 

This is all three of the youngsters together, the one on the bottom left is the older boy. You can see the missing tails on the 2 affected.

 

 

 

CTRL V will paste anything that's in your clipboard including the link to the IMG file.

 

I've just talked with my avian vet about French Molt. We're going to be testing one of my birds for it. Her information says they shed the virus for 6 - 12 months, but from what I understand, it's rare for older birds to show signs. We're doing an 'environmental swab' to test for Polyoma virus (the one that causes French molt), one other that also effects plumage, and Chlamdyiosis psittaci, which can be passed to humans as Parrot Fever. AAV recommends testing every new bird. I'm lucky, I guess. I get to test all 7 of mine at 1 time. :-\

 

I hope whatever the problem your birds are experiencing that it's easily solved.

 

Diana

 

Thank you for your help. It worked.

[phoenix 0]

 

This is the male.

Edited November 19, 2012 by phoenix

[robyn 0]

They look like new pin feathers coming but the "pattern" of moult seems a bit erratic/strange to me. Looks like definite new feathers so I don't think it's anything to worry about. Keep an eye on them and see what they are like in a week or two.

[Finnie 0]

How are they doing after all this time?

[robyn 0]

Hi Finnie, Don't know about Phoenix's birds but mine are only now starting to look a bit decent.

Does anyone know if weather conditions play a part in moulting? Our temps have been all over the place 22 one day 36 the next, next to no rain, wind. Our garden is showing the results of the weird weather so I suspect birds are as well. Barely out of a moult and then moult again seems to be the pattern.

I began to wonder if they were lacking in something but they seem to be starting to settle a bit now. FINGERS CROSSED.