Scruffy female Gouldian

15 Sep 2015, 12:56

My female Gouldian has four chicks at the moment which she is raising well. Last weekend she started getting a fluffed up and scraggly appearance and she is constantly picking at the feathers on her breast bone (not removing). She also seems uncomfortable and constantly flits all her feathers like she is shaking off water. I have sprayed her for lice to no avail. She is feeding herself and her young but looks pretty second hand, often sitting quietly in the sun in between feeding the young. The male and other older and younger chicks in the aviary are all fine. Any suggestions welcome.

15 Sep 2015, 13:53

Hi Matt ,it is the time of year for the molt to start,maybe she has started and is uncomfortable,during the molt my birds are constantly preening them selves,hope this helps,garyh

15 Sep 2015, 13:57

garyh wrote:Hi Matt ,it is the time of year for the molt to start,maybe she has started and is uncomfortable,during the molt my birds are constantly preening them selves,hope this helps,garyh

Thanks Gary, that maybe all it is hopefully. The other thing she appears to be doing is dipping her breast in the water container occasionally (haven't seen it), as her front breast feathers have been wet.

15 Sep 2015, 14:46

Mine are constantly bathing at this time as well,they do look scraggly at the moment,garyh

werty · 15 Sep 2015, 17:12

MattP wrote:My female Gouldian has four chicks at the moment which she is raising well. Last weekend she started getting a fluffed up and scraggly appearance and she is constantly picking at the feathers on her breast bone (not removing). She also seems uncomfortable and constantly flits all her feathers like she is shaking off water. I have sprayed her for lice to no avail. She is feeding herself and her young but looks pretty second hand, often sitting quietly in the sun in between feeding the young. The male and other older and younger chicks in the aviary are all fine. Any suggestions welcome.

how many Gouldian pairs do you have?

15 Sep 2015, 18:37

werty wrote:
MattP wrote:My female Gouldian has four chicks at the moment which she is raising well. Last weekend she started getting a fluffed up and scraggly appearance and she is constantly picking at the feathers on her breast bone (not removing). She also seems uncomfortable and constantly flits all her feathers like she is shaking off water. I have sprayed her for lice to no avail. She is feeding herself and her young but looks pretty second hand, often sitting quietly in the sun in between feeding the young. The male and other older and younger chicks in the aviary are all fine. Any suggestions welcome.
how many Gouldian pairs do you have?

Just the one pair and a couple of chicks from earlier in the year.

15 Sep 2015, 19:32

[*]dHi Matty p I don't know why they ask have many pair you have,it has nothing to do with that mate,I will give you some option what could have happen mate.
One has the bird being stress,by a butcher bird or something else,I would treat it with spark.
Has the soak seed or sprout seed going off,need to treat it with Baycox.
Has bird got Airsac mite need to treat with moxie.
I hope this will help you to get your Gouldian hen back to normal.
Do the Gouldian share with other type of aggressive bird.

Cheer from Mr Tino

15 Sep 2015, 19:52

Matt,
My take on this is this.......it is getting close to moulting for goulds and she may be an early starter. I have a few pairs of goulds and plenty of chicks who are now just starting to show colour/sing and dance. I also have parents (cocks and hens) who have lost a bit of feathers around the head because they have been feeding and raising but am starting to see pin feathers on bald heads.. Have had a hen for the past 3 years who goes totally bald ( looks like a vulture) when breeding but when moults is quite stunning.

Plenty of vitamins, greens will see you through the moult because this can also be the most stressful time for 1st year chicks.

Good luck with her

Ken.

15 Sep 2015, 20:43

Mr Tino wrote:[*]dHi Matty p I don't know why they ask have many pair you have,it has nothing to do with that mate,I will give you some option what could have happen mate.
One has the bird being stress,by a butcher bird or something else,I would treat it with spark.
Has the soak seed or sprout seed going off,need to treat it with Baycox.
Has bird got Airsac mite need to treat with moxie.
I hope this will help you to get your Gouldian hen back to normal.
Do the Gouldian share with other type of aggressive bird.

Cheer from Mr Tino

Thanks Mr Tino. The butcher birds are always around and have been for some time. Maybe with the chicks she is extra stressed. The soaked seed has been frozen and the rest of the birds are ok so I'm sure its good. I will treat with Moxie just in case its air sack, but she is pretty active most of the time, just looks terrible, scruffy wings slightly dropped. No other aggressive birds in aviary. Thanks so much for the advice.

15 Sep 2015, 20:45

matcho wrote:Matt,
My take on this is this.......it is getting close to moulting for goulds and she may be an early starter. I have a few pairs of goulds and plenty of chicks who are now just starting to show colour/sing and dance. I also have parents (cocks and hens) who have lost a bit of feathers around the head because they have been feeding and raising but am starting to see pin feathers on bald heads.. Have had a hen for the past 3 years who goes totally bald ( looks like a vulture) when breeding but when moults is quite stunning.

Plenty of vitamins, greens will see you through the moult because this can also be the most stressful time for 1st year chicks.

Good luck with her

Ken.

Thanks Ken, I tend to think you may be right and as others have suggested. The older chicks are starting to colour so the female may just be moulting, and being her first year for chicks, all a bit stressful. Thanks.