September 5, 200915 yr Good news! this chick Is not a FD I checked the feather tonight and the quills have stopped growing, the feather sheaths have gone - in a feather duster there is always a few millimeters of feather still unclosed in the sheath. Well she is absolutely gorgeous! Best of luck with your breeding plans for her!
September 6, 200915 yr The comment I've heard is that birds that breed feather dusters also breed birds with your best feather - maybe something to that coz this one is lovely. Hope her hip is good enough for you to use her as a stock bird.
September 9, 200915 yr Author Time for a photo update of the FD boys. Here is poor little Shaggy, looking more scruffy than shaggy now. He is doing so much better now that i clipped him short. he has started preening again and is gaining weight And here is Cirrus is all his glory back view
September 10, 200915 yr Once again: they are adorable and look sooo happy and healthy. Glad about Shagy.
September 29, 200915 yr Author 14 weeks old Cirrus as beautiful as always. He is doing fantastically, looking awesome and as happy as ever. He is starting to show some adult plumage now too. I can see the richer yellow coming through on his head Cirrus has also taken up the talent of the beautiful male warble. He sings very quietly, but its gorgeous to listen too. Shaggy is doing okay. He is still very thin. He seems to fluctuate with his weight. one week gaining and the next week loosing. He is starting to moult now too so will see how he goes with the added pressure I have been modifying their diet each time i find an issue and it seems now its on the right track. The feather condition play a HUGE part in their well being. If the feathers are dull, dirty and mattered they are very miserable. ALL soft food makes their feathers VERY dirty so they now have a seed only diet. Even dry pellets mat their feathers when they have a drink. The seed only diet is 50% canary, 15% oats, 15% sunflower 20% white and jap millet's. Oh, and a side note - both Cirrus and Shaggy perch on the low perch they have in their cage - its 5cm off the ground and this helps a lot with keeping their bottoms clean Edited September 29, 200915 yr by **Liv**
September 29, 200915 yr Aww sounds like you have a real soft spot for Cirrus. They look a bit like dogs if you don't look closely... with that curly scruffy look. They're going amazingly well! Glad that hen was not a FD too.
September 30, 200915 yr Author I do love Cirrus very much. He has always been my favorite (don't tell Shaggy). Cirrus is the strongest one of them all and it was apparent from a very young age. Cirrus will be alone one day and he may suffer as Shaggy's company is very valuable in his life. they seem to live for each other
September 30, 200915 yr Oh dear. It would be awful to lose one when they are so attached to each other. You are caring for them so wonderfully. It is so interesting to learn that dirty feathers affect their whole wellbeing. Seeing as they don't fly, I'd not expect them to be so bothered. They must have learned to enjoy their baths and the fuffy towels and to look forward to them.
September 30, 200915 yr you are doing such a great job its inspirational you giving them the best possible chance in life and well done now here is something that made me smile today xx Elise xx
September 30, 200915 yr i know its not much different from canary but the seeds smaller and its easyer to crack open i use it for all my young and feeding and breeding birds breeders mix finch try some in a small bowl liv just get a small packet from super market first see if it helps for thoughs days they are a bit less up to eatting you are doing an angles work
September 30, 200915 yr Author I use finch mix too GB - its really good. - Its the main blend i give and then just add hulled oats and sunflower as well as more canary seed to it for the breeders or just hulled oats and a few sunflower for the general birds. cockatiels get it too with their correct blend of seeds Funny how budgie seed is no good for our budgies, but finch is ideal (with added seeds)
October 1, 200915 yr Author Thank you for that tip. I had never thought of using canary mix. not canary mix Catherine, but finch mix. Canary mix is no good for budgies either. I use pure canary seeds Canary seed (good) Canary mix (bad) Edited October 1, 200915 yr by **Liv**
October 15, 200915 yr Thank you for that tip. I had never thought of using canary mix. not canary mix Catherine, but finch mix. Canary mix is no good for budgies either. I use pure canary seeds Canary seed (good) Canary mix (bad) Thank you for that. I missed seeing your post until now. I do give them canary seed. I'll go and see what is in the seed merchant's finch mix otherwise I'll just keep making my own mix.
October 15, 200915 yr They hanging in there? You have been doing it for a while now, so you can probably evaluate it it better. How is the wash and trim method going? Do you find it help them alot?
October 15, 200915 yr Author They are doing well.. will get photos again. I am not doing the wash and trim method any more as they are not getting really dirty any more. I changed their diet too what i mentioned above to keep their feathers as clean as possible. Cirrus has taken strongly to perching, he loves to sit on his perch all the time which is rare for a FD
October 16, 200915 yr They are doing well.. will get photos again. I am not doing the wash and trim method any more as they are not getting really dirty any more. I changed their diet too what i mentioned above to keep their feathers as clean as possible. Cirrus has taken strongly to perching, he loves to sit on his perch all the time which is rare for a FD Do you have the perches lower, and how do they get up to the perches, or does he? Can he jump? Ladders? Ramps? This has been a great thread Liv. If we don't pin this one, maybe after we tidy it up, it might be possible for you to make a "Helping Feather Dusters Live a Happy Life" thread that we can pin, as not only has this thread been great to follow, it has been very educational, in a very realistic manner. In reading this, if any of us newer breeder got a feather duster, I think we would all have a great idea of what to do. Thank you Liv and well done. Edited October 16, 200915 yr by KAZ couldnt helpp myself LOL had to change laBBers to laDDers
October 16, 200915 yr Author I have the perch low, I have a photo of Cirrus sitting on it and will post it soon. some have told me to let them live on wire bottomed cages, but this, in my mind is terrible for their feet so i give them fresh news paper all the time. They get lots of poop around their vents that needs to be pulled away regularly to prevent constipation. FD's are far more common than most of us realise as they are culled at first sight and not normally talked about. The FD i feel is much happier in a companionship. Shaggy and Cirrus are very close and are always preening those hard to reach places for each other I have plans to create an article at some point when my studies calm down a bit. Am planning to do only one subject over Christmas so should have time to put something together then
October 16, 200915 yr Liv, the author of the Feather Duster article that we were allowed to use on here ......author Stephen Fowler.............I would strongly suggest you contact him about your guys and have a CHAT. You may have dialogue beneficial to you both and it may lead to an enhanced article.
October 16, 200915 yr Well done Liv in caring for these two! May they continue to live happy Lives! Seconded!
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