This budgie came out of the nest box Sept.1st with flight feathers and tail otherwise naked, real ugly duckling. Two immediate concerns are sunburn and night time cold.

He is in an inside / outside cage, likes to sit in the afternoon (hottest ) sun and stays outside at night when all other 8 budgies are in. I am in B.C. Canada and nights are getting windy and chilly; I leave in 2 weeks for a month in Melb. and must finalize care.

Same mum released 2 perfect young in early july different males. The hatchling can fly a bit is frisky and active; I have brought it in twice but dad chats up a storm and takes it outside; he is feeding.

I have had another female missing all anterior body feathers for years ?? is otherwise very healthy; is this a virus? Pam

This budgie came out of the nest box Sept.1st with flight feathers and tail otherwise naked, real ugly duckling. Two immediate concerns are sunburn and night time cold.

He is in an inside / outside cage, likes to sit in the afternoon (hottest ) sun and stays outside at night when all other 8 budgies are in. I am in B.C. Canada and nights are getting windy and chilly; I leave in 2 weeks for a month in Melb. and must finalize care.

Same mum released 2 perfect young in early july different males. The hatchling can fly a bit is frisky and active; I have brought it in twice but dad chats up a storm and takes it outside; he is feeding.

I have had another female missing all anterior body feathers for years ?? is otherwise very healthy; is this a virus? Pam

Are you sure the parents haven't feather plucked the chick?,but you say the same mum released two perfect young in early july so probably not the case.It could be a case of french moult & if it is, and the chick is losing body feathers due to french moult, it is french moult at it's worst & if it happened in my aviary i would cull it .If you had a mild case of french moult from one particular pair i would always attend that pair last ,and spray the nest box now and again with "glen 20" or a similar product.I have no advise as to how you would look after a chick without body feathers sorry.

Edited September 3, 201113 yr by Finnie

It sounds like a case of feather plucking. This could be done by either the cock or the hen. Even though the hen produced fully feathered chick in the past she could still be the culprit

 

As the chick still has flight and tail feathers it is very unlikely to be french moult

 

 

This is one of the many reasons why nests should be checked regularly. If this problem had been discovered earlier the effect would not be nearly as severe.

I agree with Neville...........seems a case of feather plucking. I have had nests where one chick was plucked and the others not too so one out of three or so doesnt automatically make it french moult. French moult would mean no flights or tail so I think its a feather plucked chick.

Maybe this chick should be in an inside cage till it regrows its feathers.

It sounds like a case of feather plucking. This could be done by either the cock or the hen. Even though the hen produced fully feathered chick in the past she could still be the culprit

 

As the chick still has flight and tail feathers it is very unlikely to be french moult

 

 

This is one of the many reasons why nests should be checked regularly. If this problem had been discovered earlier the effect would not be nearly as severe.

 

Neville; I am very thankful for your reply; I have 2 or 3 photos of inside the nest box up to 2 days before he came out, will include them when I figure out how. thanks again for your help.