Yellow Painted Loses Flight Feathers

[geasterbrook]

I have a nest of 5 painteds that fledged on 8th January.

The group are well and truly independent and ready to be moved to a holding aviary now.

I have a problem with one where it seems to have lost its flight feathers, such that it cant fly any longer.

It could fly originally when it fledged with feathers intact but they continue to fall out so that it now looks like its wings have been clipped.

I have left it in the aviary until today with its mates as they spend a lot of time floor feeding. I put in some low brush so that it has something to perch on.

I have removed it from the aviary today to a cage as I am about to move the balance of the nest to another aviary.

Besides the loss of flight feathers everything else seems ok, in perfect health. Also all other members of nest are fine.

The aviary has one breeding pair of painteds and a colony of 6 chestnuts.

Feed supplied in aviary is seed, grit and cuttlefish, daily sprouted seed with vitamin supplement, green seed heads, maggots and meal worms. The young painteds I see mainly eating the sprouted seed and hard seed.

I havent seen any instances of it being attacked by others birds although obviously at work most of the day.

My hope was that on a cage on its own they will grow back.

Has anyone ever seen this or have any ideas ?

thanks

Geoff