hey everyone, look at this little beauty i have bred, well at least i hope so anyway.

 

do you think it is a mop or something?

 

or is it just an apsolute ripper????

 

it is only 5 weeks old and doesn't seem to have devoloped quite as fast as the others but it might just be that there is just way more lenght in the feathers to come out. i don't know

its wing feathers seem to be normal

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 10, 200816 yr by Elly
Fixed photo layout - u is not an approved shortcut please spell words out fully, thank you

It looks like a mop to me.

Every now and then I have seen members post chicks like that which have turned out to be normal once they 'grew into' their feathers but I suspect it may be a mop.

She is a little ripper! I dont know much about feather dusters, but the elongated feathers make me think it could be one. there are members here who have first hand experience with feather dusters and i am sure they will be by soon to help you out

 

Looks like a hen too

Edited November 10, 200816 yr by **Liv**

whats the go with mops?

are they a falt or are they good?

do they live?

I was just reading up on these, its not good news unfortunately, read this thread: http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....516&hl=mops

Generally not a good prognosis for them, they tend to live no longer than about 6 months, the majority of info suggests that they may suffer from poor immunity. The ones who have lived for over a year have been supported with lots of supplements, probiotics, etc and kept with few other birds to reduce chance of infection

I was just reading up on these, its not good news unfortunately, read this thread: http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/index....516&hl=mops

 

Oh that is so sad, I hope you can love and cherish this special little cutie, I think he is gorgeous in his own right, poor baby!

Edited November 10, 200816 yr by Trish

Just was reading back over your first post, so much of their energy goes into feather growth which is why she may not be developing as much size as her siblings. Make sure she gets plenty of egg food and high energy supplementary foods to boost her strength

They have been known to live 2 years. Kaz has all the details of this as she knows some one who had a feather duster as a cherished pet. I believe they need a high protein diet with lots amino acids.

Liv is right about Kaz knowing more about this and I am sure she will see the topic and respond when she has a chance .

Looks like one from what I can see BUT there are no side on pictures showing the eyes. A feather duster has a clear area around the eyes.........a good indication.

As a little sidenote to this topic....I collected a feather duster budgie from a fellow show breeder the other day. It was in danger of being killed by its father as each time it came out of the nestbox its dad tried to kill it. FD was three weeks old and a grey green spangle. The breeder asked me to help as he wanted to give it a chance.

After conferring with member Libby, she agreed to try and raise it and as of last week the little fellow went to live with Libby. He was quite the character, walking all around, preening, eager for cuddles and to be held and steps up. Libby is going to try and see if she can keep him going.

they dont sound too common?

 

cool maybe i have bred a duster

 

some thing new i supose.

Matt is it not very common and it is not a wanted thing either, it has been referred to as the "down" syndrome in budgies because it is a genetic disorder. There is debate if the parents of the "feather" duster should be breed again together or with another mate or retired because it is genetic.

 

The bird doesn't live a very long life as it is body is always being robbed of it nutrition because of the continous growing feathers, people like Libby are very rare too who will take the time, patience and have the kind heart to try and give them what they need nutritionally and emotionally.

It looks like one to me, Matt I have bred 4 this season 2 related and 2 not, It is genetic and it looks like my best hen with best pedigree is throwing mops. I have bred her twice this year with 2 different cocks and a mop each time.

what happened to your mops Splat? Are you going to retire your hen? and does the cock need to carry the gene or just 1 of the parents?

Edited November 10, 200816 yr by Elly

they dont sound too common?

 

cool maybe i have bred a duster

 

some thing new i supose.

Most show breeders who are getting there with breeding "feather" into their birds end up with feather dusters. I know of some breeders who have at least 3-4 a year in their breeding. The average lifespan is 6-12 weeks. I have known one to live to 2 years due to dilligent care from its breeder, but once it was put in with other birds, the other budgies killed it.

Edited November 10, 200816 yr by KAZ

The last one is still out there Elly he's 5 weeks old don't know what I will do, The last 2 died at about 8 weeks but that was cruel but a friend wants this one so I think I will give it to him. The last 2 were monsters in the nest but once they came out they just faded away.

 

AS for the hen not sure I think I should pass her on but then some one else will get the same problem but the thing is she has the best pedigree and the other 3 babies out of this nest 2 are crackers all grey green cinnamon opaline hens with really nice heads so far and good size birds. The last one I fostered and she's nice but small.

The mop is grey green

 

I might ask the breeder of her what he thinks because I know I have 4 mops this season but none last year and the year before was my 1st year breeding and my very first baby was a mop but that was the only one.

 

But seems she has chucked 2 in 2 nest from different dads maybe I am out of luck.

They think that feather dusters are caused the same way as down's syndrome in people. It is not technically genetic. What happens when the cells in the ovary or testes divide into gametes, they divide incorrectly and pull the wrong number of chromosome to each gamete. This usually happens in women who give birth over 35 years old. So I'm wondering, how old is the hen? She will probably continue to throw feather dusters from now on, however her babies won't carry any feather duster gene, but they may be more prone to becoming a featherduster producer. I would retire this hen and perhaps if you still want her genetics, breed with another budgie that is related to her, but don't use her.