Well as my title says i am wondering what are the early stages of a feather duster? i have a 5 week old chick that is just a pig at 55g (Hen is 33g Cock is 35g) and her feathers are not what i have ever seen, but she's not deaf or blind, and doesn't seem to show any of the signs i've been told about or read, just from other breeders what are some of the early signs of this mutation

There isn't anything really different to them from other chick until they start to feather out and then the feather don't stop growning and become curly. They have trouble standing or fly and also have trouble with talking.

 

Is their any way we can see a picture of this bird?

It is the budgie form of Down's syndrome and unfortunately their rate of survival is a lot lower than that of normal birds.

there size in the nest is the first sighn they are huge its when their feathers continue to grow thats when your sure and most dont live past 6 months

pictures I know would really help out

that condition is SO rare, isnt it? or so I've heard..

I would love to see a picture, as I don't think I've come accross a bird that has the illness/disease.

I've read that the early signs are that the birds grow faster and feather earlier than their siblings, and it certainly sounds like you have one big baby there! If the feathers are abnormal and the bird is that big, it sounds like a feather duster is a definate possibility

Well with the new news of a large baby being a sign I would keep a close eye on this one and if it does turn out to be a duster, make a note about the parents giving this sort of offspring.

feather earlier than their siblings

they dont feather any earlier the feathers just dont stop growing

 

make a note about the parents giving this sort of offspring

 

this is a very good point they should also be retired from breeding and their offspring should not be allowed to breed

that condition is SO rare, isnt it? or so I've heard..

 

Yes it is rare and only show budgie have produce this sort of chick.

 

this is a very good point they should also be retired from breeding and their offspring should not be allowed to breed

Ahh I wasn't sure about the offsprings. But it makes sence they can carry the propblem just like the parents did.

Edited December 26, 200519 yr by Nerwen

only show budgie have produce this sort of chick

 

not so the only feather duster i have bred was from a pair of pet birds many years ago

wow, well where I read that from was wrong then. Now I wonder where that was from?

Thank you so much! so i took the little guy to the vet the today( i was really starting to get worried just over 60g before feeding) and she poked and prodded, took some blood, and decided that if dear Bailey was a Feather duster he would have been the healthiest one she's ever seen, So she's pretty sure he's not, just a giant baby, i was however advised not to sell bailey just because his little body may give out before his second or third year. So he's okay and will be just fine for as long as i can keep him that way. and i'll have pictures up just as soon as i can find someone with a digital(mine went down the toilet along with the keys and a shoe)

 

Thank you Jennifer

Oh what great news. That is a huge baby though. My approximately 5 week old weighs 32 grams, so that is massice

 

(mine went down the toilet along with the keys and a shoe)

:hap:

wow, well where I read that from was wrong then. Now I wonder where that was from?

 

When I read about the featherdusters after this post came out, I did research and found the same thing said. So maybe at 1 time it was true and then now it is not .

 

Jennifer, glad he is okay, I do look forward to seeing this little guy.

this is a feather duster budgie.

wow, well where I read that from was wrong then. Now I wonder where that was from?

 

When I read about the featherdusters after this post came out, I did research and found the same thing said. So maybe at 1 time it was true and then now it is not .

 

Jennifer, glad he is okay, I do look forward to seeing this little guy.

 

I think the problem is only found in the larger "English" budgies, whether pet quality or show quality. I've never heard of it in the smaller "American" (pet) budgies. Yes, I know they are all just budgies, but that is the best way to explain it I know of.

this is a feather duster budgie.

Wow, that's really amazing...I have never seen a budgie like this in real life......thankfully :mellow:

I think the problem is only found in the larger "English" budgies, whether pet quality or show quality. I've never heard of it in the smaller "American" (pet) budgies. Yes, I know they are all just budgies, but that is the best way to explain it I know of.

our pet budgies are exactly the same as american ones

I think the problem is only found in the larger "English" budgies, whether pet quality or show quality. I've never heard of it in the smaller "American" (pet) budgies. Yes, I know they are all just budgies, but that is the best way to explain it I know of.

our pet budgies are exactly the same as american ones

 

They are the small ones? I meant the small ones. I was trying to distinguish size since even in exhibition sized budgies there are "pet quality" and "show quality". Sometimes I may not express myself exactly how it is in my head... :hap: :hap:

ah sorry rainbow i get you now but these birds i was talking about were pet pet size birds from a breeder who didnt have any show birds