Double D
197 posts
Apr 22, 2006
6:25 PM
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Could I have 9 week old birds moulting at this time of year? I thought the moult was around August/September. The reason that I ask is there are a bunch of feathers in the kit box and I have two birds for sure that look a little rough, especially in the chest area between the front of the wings. I looked at them yesterday and they have chest feathers underneath normal feathers that are still inside the quill like at the end of a shoe lace but open on the ends as the feathers begin opening up. It looks like new feather growth but the birds look like crap, especially around the head and neck area. They almost look thinner as if they were losing weight. They've been getting all they can eat once a day and have been flown once a day. The rest of my birds look normal. Consequently, the two birds that look like crap are nestmates from the same parents from their first clutch if that helps any. Does this sound like moulting or do I have something else going on? Thanks in advance for the input.
Darin
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Tony Chavarria
Site Publisher
592 posts
Apr 22, 2006
6:42 PM
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Hey Darin, I have a lavendar cock that just started moulting. Could have something to do with longer days??(supposed to moult when days get shorter)
Since it is out of the same pair, perhaps it is a trait from the gene pool? Have you had youngsters from this pair before at this time of year go into the moult?
Perhaps a change in weather or some type of stress may have triggered it. Never had a bird die of the moult, so not to worry...
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FLY ON! Tony Chavarria
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Fr.mike
150 posts
Apr 22, 2006
7:29 PM
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Double D--the birds I have flying are all moulting(two seperate families)They hatched in Feb.I dont know if this Is normal but they seem fine.The Rubys I got from Tony moulted inearly march--right now they are looking great!Hope this helps ease your fears.Lol.
Fr.mike
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Swamp Fox
62 posts
Apr 22, 2006
8:48 PM
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Double D, I have been raising rollers all my life and, starting about 3 to 5 months of age, most of the time the birds will moult their "baby" feathers. This is definitely a normal moulting process and nothing at all to be concerned about. When they finish they will have their adult finish, and sometimes look like a totally different bird. If you raise the bird early enough in the year, sometimes they will moult again in late summer or early fall. Again, this is normal.
Marion
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Double D
198 posts
Apr 22, 2006
9:14 PM
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Thanks guys, I greatly appreciate the input. I think I'm a little paranoid with some of the issues I've had in breeding and keeping rollers in this, my first breeding season. Tony, these are the first round from this pair. Neither the Hen or the Cock had mated with any other birds prior as they were late 05 hatches and put together at about 7 months of age. I got to looking closer at the rest of my young birds tonight and there are others starting to do the same thing. It may be a trait of this particular family. What concerned me the most was the two that I referred to earlier, didn't want to fly with the rest of the group yesterday and when I noticed how run-down they looked, I was afraid something else was going on. Hopefully no worries. Thanks again!
Darin
Last Edited by Double D on Apr 22, 2006 9:19 PM
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