I have been away in Melbourne and when I got back late last night and checked my birds this morning I have discovered one of my dominant pied babies is a feather duster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 201212 yr by **KAZ**

What will you do Kaz???? I probably shouldn't say this............ but he is a sweetheart.....

 

Is it just the photo, or a problem with his feet as well??

 

 

What will you do Kaz???? I probably shouldn't say this............ but he is a sweetheart.....

 

Is it just the photo, or a problem with his feet as well??

 

 

What will I do ? He wont live long will he. I dont have to do anything. I am not sure about his feet. I will check tomorrow.

Sorry to be a pain but what is a feather duster? im only new to all this?

So annoying, I have only one this year (touch wood).

Sorry to be a pain but what is a feather duster? im only new to all this?

 

 

It's basically an issue with the growth of feathers. If you do a search on here of it, you'll find lots of topics about it.

 

Sorry to hear this Kaz xoxo

Edited October 19, 201014 yr by maesie

CONGRATULATIONS

Edited October 19, 201014 yr by KAZ

A couple of signs to indicate you have a feather duster in your nestbox is that clearish area around the eyes like this

 

and the bird actually has two tails ( kind of ) instead of two main tail feathers it has FOUR

 

Like this

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 20, 201014 yr by KAZ

 

Is it just the photo, or a problem with his feet as well??

 

Seems he has three toes forward most of the time on both feet.

What a sweetie! Brings back memories of my feather dusters.

 

Have you heard the weird squeak they make?

What a sweetie! Brings back memories of my feather dusters.

 

Have you heard the weird squeak they make?

 

 

Yeah. It has a different "voice" to other budgies

It's such a shame they don't live long because he is a sweetie. Very interesting about the double tail.

my bird is a half duster it didnt keep growing feathers but is spastic and very long feathers and all the other things two tails funny noise

shes got a weird sized body and head too but shes now after 3 months still not kept growing feathers but is very different still to other birds kind of slow like stupid

hope yours stops like mine did kaz looks same as mine did mines an albino

its fine in flights now as i said its been 3 months and its just a tad dumb now with lots feather

I have bred two feather dusters from the same nest a couple of years ago. I hate it, it makes me sad. Knowing that they will die regardless. Im sorry bout your duster

Four tail feathers is not indicative of a Feather Duster. That is another issues again. Multiple tails can be found on normal budgies. Other species of birds have multiple tails such as American and Indian Fantail pigeons.

Four tail feathers is not indicative of a Feather Duster. That is another issues again. Multiple tails can be found on normal budgies. Other species of birds have multiple tails such as American and Indian Fantail pigeons.

 

 

Right ........I was told to look for the extra tailfeathers

Hi All,

 

One pair this year - 6 chicks 4 of which were feather dusters. They do not live long here.

 

You can often pick potential dusters by the short primary tail feathers at 2 weeks old (shorter than the coverts). Other tell tail signs are squarking rather than chirping, larger size and spastic tendencies (especialy legs).

 

Ken Yorke believes it is a single recessive gene and I tend to agree with him. The problem is that the carriers tend to be bigger and therefore more likely to be kept and bred from.

 

Cheers

 

PT

Hi All,

 

One pair this year - 6 chicks 4 of which were feather dusters. They do not live long here.

 

You can often pick potential dusters by the short primary tail feathers at 2 weeks old (shorter than the coverts). Other tell tail signs are squarking rather than chirping, larger size and spastic tendencies (especialy legs).

 

Ken Yorke believes it is a single recessive gene and I tend to agree with him. The problem is that the carriers tend to be bigger and therefore more likely to be kept and bred from.

 

Cheers

 

PT

 

Ken Yorke and I have had a few discussion on these guys. I too agree with the mode of inheritence. I kept a track of the ones I bred when last in the hobby. I had a family of Clearwings with a high percentage of FD genes in them and kept track of it over the years. I could put a couple of CW's together and pretty much predict and outcome of 1 in 4 chicks being a FD.

 

Having bred quite a few I found lifespan to be quite variable (a few months to well past the year). Food is a big requirement and feeding themselves without parental input is the main issue why so many die young.

Baby FD today

 

 

 

Having bred quite a few I found lifespan to be quite variable (a few months to well past the year). Food is a big requirement and feeding themselves without parental input is the main issue why so many die young.

 

 

They don't live long at my place due to human intervention. I take note of where they come from and try to avoid inbreeding those families too heavily.

 

Cheers

 

PT

Edited October 24, 201014 yr by KAZ

Having bred quite a few I found lifespan to be quite variable (a few months to well past the year). Food is a big requirement and feeding themselves without parental input is the main issue why so many die young.

 

 

They don't live long at my place due to human intervention. I take note of where they come from and try to avoid inbreeding those families too heavily.

 

Cheers

 

PT

i tend to think their a strain on mum n dad and as are going to slowly suffer

im with pt

but i havent had one yet just halfy but not sure im going to breed her

There's something very BEAUTIFUL about a feather duster. Its a pity they dont live long

There's something very BEAUTIFUL about a feather duster. Its a pity they dont live long

they are beautiful in an ugly cute way but they suffer a slow death and i dont like to see thinks suffer but thats me i use to think people were crul who put them down but not since i seen a few around and how they deteriorate so quickly and the strain on mum n dad

its not nice

unless like live you take on as a whole full time job

or as you kaz im sure you feed extra to him

i feel its cruel

I expect once I have experienced several of these poor unfortunate budgies I will see things differently and euthenase earlier BUT as this little fella is my first I will do all I can to keep him going. Be very aware that if he begins to suffer I will euthenase to save him further torment.

SPANG off our forum had one that lasted a very long time as I recall.

Here it is

 

 

Edited October 25, 201014 yr by KAZ

Good for you Kaz, give him your best shot, then if it doesn't work out you will know you did all you could to allow him to have the best life possible for the time he was with you.