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Feather Plucking?


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I have 6 baby budgies in the nest. One of the older birds 2 1/2 weeks old is missing some of the feathers on the top of it's head... I haven't seen any other birds going in the nest box and it is the only bird this has happened to. If it gets any worse I will take it out and hand feed it. But I just wanted some input before it comes to that as i believe the best place fot the baby is with it's mother. I have handraised IRN before but not budgies. My avian vet is going to ring me back this afternoon as well. I have some roudybush formula 3 handrearing formula left from the IRN's is that okay for budgies?

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one of the parents is plucking the top of your baby's head that is what is happening, you have to watch and see if you can figure out who. One of our experience breeders who have dealt with this can give you more advice on what to do.

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place some soft wood for the bird to chew normally its normaly bordom but once they start it is very hard for them to stop also there is a liquid now you can put on the birds head it came out just as i stoped keeping birds so cant remember the name

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I found this in the FAQ section of our boards

 

What to do if your hen plucks the babies?

METHOD #1:

 

PERSPEX DOORS ON NESTING BOXES: this has saved many a chick from `down plucking' and `feather plucking'. It is imperative that when the perspex door is fitted that you remain in the breeding room until the hen and/or cock have been encouraged back into the nesting box. The sudden increase in light tends to frighten the cock and hen away from the box so it is imperative you check they have fed their chicks to avoid the death of one or more chicks from starvation.

 

Once the cock and hen have adapted to the light the hen will generally round up the young and keep them at the back of the box. In many cases she has been known to totally clean the bran/nesting material out of the nesting box, beak full by beak full -maybe when she has completed this task she is too tired to pluck the chicks! Just remember to replace the bran daily so she has something to keep her occupied.

 

If possible leave a small gap between the perspex and top of the nesting box, or drill holes in the perspex or side of the nesting box, so air can circulate in the box - the box can become quite humid if we experience a hot day. I have had a wonderful success rate using this method.

 

METHOD #2

 

Mix up some baby oil and detoll 1 table spoon of oil to 1 teaspoon of detoll. once a day wipe the backs of the chicks. This will not only deter the hens from plucking but sooth the chicks where they have been picked and stop infection.

 

Make a note in your records, against the hen or cock, so you can use this method again if it has been previously successful.

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Put a block of safe wood in the nestbox as Hath has suggested and also some millet sprays. Watch for further developments as you may have to remove the chick.

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Yes as Kaz suggests, watch them close, as once they seem to start & they seem to start at a certain stage of feather development, they usually do it to more than one chick & it can progress beyond just feather plucking to actually drawing blood, which means you have to withdraw the chicks to save them. Do you have other nests of similar chicks where you could foster them?

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Thankyou everyone for your help. I have been watching them really closley and it was one of the other babys doing it. Nipping at the head of the one chick. I removed the two babys and have been handfeeding them. The one that was nipping has now stopped and I have returned her to the aviray- I think she just wanted a bit more food and the other was getting in the way. They are both doing well. Ozzy- The one that was being nipped at has healed up well and I am going to return him to the aviary tommorrow. But I will continue to watch that his sister doesn't do it again. Mummy bird seems to be keeping up with the feeding well now...

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Good news that you found a solution :wub:

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