Hi from sunny Qld, I recently purchased 2 male budgies (they are about 8/9 weeks old) The normal blue one has lost all his flight feathers (see picture) I noticed they were sticking out at an odd angle after his first shower a few days back. He only had a few left this morning but they were dangling down and now he has pulled these out and has none. Will they grow back? Is it something I have done? He eats extremely well , chirps and whistles along with the other bird and seems very healthy. Any help would be great I read a bit about French molt and was wondering if this is the case. I am very concerned.

 

cheers Ray

 

 

Edited January 1, 201213 yr by step up

not sure why.. but this went straight to half way down the second page of health? cheers Ray

He has french moult, it is a virus, the flight may grow back, most times they do.

Edited January 2, 201213 yr by **KAZ**

Thanks, If they do grow back , are they likely to grow back even as I feel he had more feathers on one side. I'm disappionted the breeder didn't say something. cheers Ray

They may or may not grow back Ray and the breeder would most likely not have known. It is not something that can be detected easily. Most breeders who breed over a period of time will get it and there is no cure or vaccine.

French moult does sound right, but I think he is older than 8/9 weeks as he has iris rings and no barring like babies do.

I agree with Amy........he is older than 8-9 wks..........more like 5 months or so. Also he seems to have his tail still, so maybe just moulting his flights. OR you said he pulled out his flights

and now he has pulled these out and has none.

.......some birds will do this from stress too. Doesnt look like french moult to me and the age is wrong.

Edited January 2, 201213 yr by **KAZ**

I thought he looked older than 8/9/ weeks as well, but I'm no expert. You don't suppose he had his wing clipped on one side? Ray said he thought he had more feather one side." just a thought ' maybe he was going to be a pet.

Thanks everyone for your help. Being a novice I'm very confused and concerned. He seems okay as in he eats heaps, seed, greens, pretty much anything I offer him. He is a bit bigger than the other bird ((which I'm sure is younger). They are both moulting and have pin feathers on their heads etc. When I got him he had some flights but i'm not sure if all of them (I'm learning alot as I go) They both groom alot so I'm not sure if they fell out or he pulled them out. He seems to have tail feathers intact and I noticed today the feathers alongside the tail feathers are spreading out. I will try to get a picture tomorrow so I can explain better thanks again Ray

I think he's moulting Ray......I dont think he has french moult at all.

Hi, Here a few pics taken today. What do you think? cheers Ray

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure if I should ask this question here?

 

What type is my other budgie?

 

thanks Ray

Parrots never moult more than one flight at a time, if they did they would not be able to fly and would soon become extinct LOL. Looks like FM to me (from what reaserch and pics i've seen)

Parrots never moult more than one flight at a time, if they did they would not be able to fly and would soon become extinct LOL. Looks like FM to me (from what reaserch and pics i've seen)

 

its not french moult and budgies DO moult more than one flight feather at a time..................I have many budgies that can attest to that.

Edited March 4, 201213 yr by **KAZ**

Parrots never moult more than one flight at a time, if they did they would not be able to fly and would soon become extinct LOL. Looks like FM to me (from what reaserch and pics i've seen)

 

its not french moult and budgies DO moult more than one flight feather at a time..................I have many budgies that can attest to that.

I have never had a parrot of any kind moult more flights than it can handle not to fly properly, could be more than one, but certainly not enough to stop flight, if this happened they would die in the wild, I doubt that domestic budgies would have evolved to drop all the flights (or enough to stop flight) in the relative short time of domestication? Maybe i'm wrong? but maybe other underlying problems cause this to occur?

French moult effects budgies at fledging time or before. Your bird looks 5 or 6 months old so if it is french moult he has had it for a long time. It is possible that he was recovering from french moult and the stress of moving caused a relapse

 

Your other bird is a sky blue clearwing

Parrots never moult more than one flight at a time, if they did they would not be able to fly

 

 

they do............

 

 

I have never had a parrot of any kind moult more flights than it can handle not to fly properly,

This is not what you said before

 

Looks like FM to me (from what reaserch and pics i've seen)

research and photos ? some of the people who have answered including myself have first hand experience with french moult.

Edited March 5, 201213 yr by **KAZ**