Sex? And Possible Age?

[jwancia 0]

What do you think is the sex of this bird. I say hen but would love a second opinon. Pet store said cock and 9 weeks old? I was thinking a bit older? Also whats the go with no tail feathers?

 

 

[BUDGIE L0V3R 0]

It has the pinkish cere with blue coming through which is male but also a large amount of white which would indicate female. May need some better photos. Looks fairly young, bird has clipped wings, but unsure of what's wrong with the tale, could this be French moult? I haven't seen this before but also I don't know much about French moult so it may have nothing to do with it.

 

Wait for some more replys.

 

Thanks

[robyn 0]

Could be male mauve, opaline, cinnamon ? Tail feathers if pulled out when a chick sometimes don't re-grow. I had one but he had little short tail feathers and bred some nice chicks. Can you add a picture of your bird on a perch, to show what his tail or lack thereof looks like? Could be he's dropped his tail feathers in his first moult if he is around 9 weeks. First picture still shows faint bars so not that old. He's very pretty but doesn't really look like a french moult bird. See what others think.

[jwancia 0]

Thanks for the reply so far guys! Its a friends bird so I will get her to try some better pics!

[JimmyBanks 0]

I'd say it's french moult...

 

On a side note, did you attempt to breed some bush budgies back in the day? How did it turn out for ya?

[Flip 0]

The colour is mauve opaline, and I think cinnamon. Very pretty colouring. From the photos I think that this chick is a female, and under 3 months. The lack of tail and flight feathers is certainly odd. The chick has either received a very severe wing clipping - though that doesn't explain the loss of tail feathers or possibly has French moult. More photos would be good.

[trefto 0]

The chick appears cinnamon mauve opaline, I'd back him in to be a boy.

Judging from his wing profile that shows no sign of clipping, but a distinct lack of growth of any primary and secondary flight feathers, along with no growth of tail feathers, I'd say he has french moult, also known as PBFD, (Psitticine Beack and Feather Disease) http://www.avianbiot...seases/pbfd.htm

and http://www.awrc.org....ichael_pyne.pdf

I had a couple of Lorikeet chicks hatched and developed well all their body feathers, except their flight and tail feathers which just all fell out, just like this bird appears, they were diagnosed with PBFD, thankfully with lorikeets the parent birds that pass it on to their chicks can eventually throw off the disease and breed healthy chicks therafter, which is what my lorikeets have since done with many healthy clutches since that time. but lorikeets seem the exception to the rule.

Hope for the birds sake he doesn't have PBFD, but however it is, aside from lack of feathers he looks reasonably healthy. Pet birds with the chronic form of the disease can sometimes live a reasonable life,keeping these birds on a excellent diet and maintaining good husbandry are the basis for helping these patients.

 

"Budgies – PBFD is often called ‘French Moult’ in budgerigars. Budgies will present

in a very similar presentation to Lorikeets – these birds will loose their primary tail

feathers and outside wing flight feathers. When these feathers regrow they will

often be twisted and disfigured. The feathering will often improve after the

subsequent 2-3 moults. "

Edited February 13, 2014 by trefto