I posgted some pics of Star and Wylie's babies yesterday and Nerwen mentioned that babies might be being plucked. I had thought it stranged that the bubs weren't covered in fluff yet, but figured it wasn't the right time. I went back and looked at Precious at the same age (and younger) and she is covered was covered in fluff.

 

I'm wondering if it is plucking or if they have feather problems (ie- french moult). If it is plucking what would you recommend. Should I take the bubs away from their mom? Both mom and dad go in the cage but she spends the most time in there. Could the babies be plucking each other. Could it be from them constantly crawling all over each other.

 

I'll do some research but would love to hear from members about how they have dealt with this if it has been an issue?

 

Thanks

 

Shawna

 

I did find this link that says it is not unusual for mom's to pluck the down. http://www.budgerigars.co.uk/breeding/pluck.html

Edited March 22, 200718 yr by Shawna

Sorry shawna I only know the look of plucking from pictures of others that have been plucked. I haven't had to deal with this and can't quite recall what others did. either of your other nests have bubs in at the moment so I wouldn't think moving them would be safe. It might just been the fluff is plucked and when the pin feathers come in they are left.

 

I hope another answers soon.

I don't think you have a plucking problem at all, but the baby does have a ********* feather growth problem. The first thing you notice about a plucked chick is the back of the head is bald, and your chick isnt. Often with a ********* feather growth problem the new feathers grow straight in ( if a little later ) and no more problems. Sometimes the feathers drop out again on fledging which can indicate a french moult or polyoma problem. I have a couple in a nest that look like yours and have had before, but later on all feather growth is fine. Have the parents or chicks had vitamin supplements and or calcivet or calcium in their water. Calcivet contains extra vitamins. You can also use childrens Pentavite.

Another thing to look out for is...has this nest been "muckier" than any others ? This seems to be a common denominator in nests with babies with ********* feather growth and indicates a health problem with parent and or babies.

Edited March 23, 200718 yr by Bubbles

This is baby 1 today. It is 19 days old.

 

This was Precious at 19 days.

Edited March 23, 200718 yr by Shawna

Baby isnt being plucked.

I don't think you have a plucking problem at all, but the baby does have a PLEASE BAN ME!! feather growth problem. The first thing you notice about a plucked chick is the back of the head is bald, and your chick isnt. Often with a PLEASE BAN ME!! feather growth problem the new feathers grow straight in ( if a little later ) and no more problems. Sometimes the feathers drop out again on fledging. I have a couple in a nest like yours and have had before, but later on all feather growth is fine. Have the parents or chicks had vitamin supplements and or calcivet or calcium in their water. Calcivet contains extra vitamins. You can also use childrens Pentavite.

Another thing to look out for is...has this nest been "muckier" than any others ? This seems to be a common denominator in nests with babies with PLEASE BAN ME!! feather growth and indicates a health problem with parent and or babies.

 

Thanks for this info Karen. I have been giving them vitamin enriched premium seed, veggies daily, crushed boiled eggs, and ancient grain bread but no vitamin drops. They also have millet a few times a week and lots of cuttle bones and mineral blocks. I'll pick some vitamin supplement up tomorrow. Not sure if we can get calvicet though.

 

I don't know if the nest is any muckier as this is my first multi chick clutch. Precious' nest was quite clean but it was only her.

it's the 3 baby I was worried about, not the first.

 

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....picture=13689&st=60

link to other thread

Wait it out to see how the feathers develop. I have had a few that start the same but end up with all their feathers. Maybe a missing vitamin .....just watch it. But isnt a sign of plucked baby. :sad:

Calcivet is a liquid calcium supplement with added vitamins too..very valuable thing to have around. anything the same will do.

 

it's the 3 baby I was worried about, not the first.

 

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....picture=13689&st=60

link to other thread

 

Thats the one I am referring to...baby number 3

Edited March 23, 200718 yr by Bubbles

Here is baby 3 today.

 

Edited March 23, 200718 yr by Shawna

This article may make some sense to you considering you have a baby exhibiting some symptoms of "french Moult" ....i.e. ********* feather growth.

 

QUOTE ....Now that you've read a wide range of theories about French molt, I'll present the one that makes most sense to me. It is put forward by the American Budgie expert, Cessa Feyerabend, who believes that nutritional deficiency in the young Budgie plays a major role in the development of French molt. The theory is supported by the newest research findings, which indicate that nutritional deficiency most certainly is involved. Feyerabend's theory supposes that this trouble starts when the feeding behaviour of parent birds or the so-called "Budgie milk" they provide is not adequate over a period of time. This milk, made up of half-digested food, is rich in fats and proteins. If certain proteins or protein precursors (called amino acids) are missing, then the young are supposed to exhibit French molt symptoms. Even if the deficiency is corrected later on, the symptoms are supposed to remain. For proof, Feyerabend points to the fact that some birds in a brood may have French molt, while others are free of it. She attributes this situation to the large difference in age that sometimes occurs within a brood. Also she postulates that the sick birds were deprived of Budgie milk of a certain composition at a time when they needed it critically. Instead, they received milk of a composition suited to the needs of their brothers and sisters. Budgie milk of the wrong composition could be present as the result of negligence, inbreeding, or excessive breeding. A second cause could be a supply of the wrong kind of seed or too-old seed. Thirdly, vitamin deficiency could be involved. Experiments have shown that vitamins from the B and G groups are essential for feather growth. Fourth, extremely warm weather during the feeding period could be a possible cause if the parents then do not feed the young properly. To avoid providing the wrong seed, Feyerabend advises against using red millet and old seed that may have lost some of its critical feeding value. Instead, Feyerabend recommends white millet mixed with cod liver oil and powdered beer yeast. She uses a tablespoon of the yeast in five pounds of millet. I add the following advice: 1. Buy and breed only totally healthy birds. 2. Thoroughly clean and disinfect nest boxes so that parasites don't get a chance to develop. 3. Always furnish a properly constituted diet that provides the proper vitamins. A supplement that includes a protein rich in Vitamin A is also strongly recommended.UNQUOTE

 

extract from this article http://www3.sympatico.ca/davehansen/molt.html