My Ugly gouldian

[framed]

I bought this hen as an uncoloured fledgeling.
This is her colour after her first moult and I'm not quite sure why she looks the way she does.
I thought at first it may have been melanistic,but all the pictures Ive seen of melanistic are quite attractive where my bird looks ugly and dirty.Or maybe she's sick.
Does anyone have any suggestions.

ugly102.jpg

Framed.

[Mickp]

is there anyway that you could find out the colouring of the parents & others in her immediate family group

[framed]

Probably not, I have no way to contact the person I bought her from.

Framed

[Page0044]

She looks bright, might be different after the second moult

[gomer]

You may be right with your first diagnoses.i have seen a couple of melinistic ones,they were alot blacker though.I have read they can loose the melanistic look after their moult.

[Pete Sara]

i agree with gomer its definatly melanistic or at least carrying the gene , as in split for one. be interesting to see what the offspring will look like....pete

[Mickp]

how does this bird look now after a moult?

[arthur]

also can you post a pic of her back please

My guess is that she is Melanistic . . If so all of her offspring (C's & H's) will be split to Melanistic but will not show it visually . . Hang on to them until you prove the bird one way or the other

[finchbreeder]

She's more interesting than ugly.
Look forward to further pics and info on her offspring.
LML