fledglings showing color early

[gouldianpaul]

Hi All,

I have a YB fledgling that will obviously be red head as it has already started to show specks of red in the head....the bird only fledged 2 weeks ago. I find this unusual. I had a similar scenario last year with a BH normal hen....she was fully colored up at 4 months of age...but did not seem to go through any type of molt. Unfortunatly the BH normal hen has not come into breeding condition so far....and doesn't look like doing so any time soon. So when this hen was fully colored up at 4 months of age I was rapped...thinking she will be one of the first to breed....but now I am thinking that when fledglings that color up early their first full molt may be affected, subsequently having a negitive impact on their first breeding season.

Has anyone else made these observations or is it just a coincidence that this particular hen has not come into breeding condition yet.

Cheers,
Paul

[djb78]

Hi Paul, I have 1 baby only 2months old which has coloured up very early never have I had this happen before as all mine usually colour from 6 months on. She isn't fully coloured as of yet but is showing signs of purple coming through chest as well as having a black ring and red on her head. If my eyes don't deceive me then there may also be a blue ring starting to emerge which should indicate that she might be a he which might also mean that if its a he i might have a lilac.

[garyh]

Hi Paul,i have had birds partially color at only a month or so of age,none fully colored,usually breast color and they do seem to color more quickly when the moult starts,hope your birds are doing well see you garyh.

[spanna]

I've had young gouldians get small patches of colour where juvenile feathers have been plucked and are simply replaced with adult feathers. But never personally had a gouldian go through a full moult outside the normal time to do so.

[gouldianpaul]

Hi Gary/Spanna,

I've also had fledglings show some color like you have described....it seems the BH normal hen that fully colored up within 4 months is unusual...not sure if that is connected to the fact she didn't have a proper molt and subsequently hasn't come into breeding condition.

Her parents have paired up again this season, if I get the same problem with their young I will ensure they don't pair up again next season.

Cheers
Paul

[ColouredFeathers]

Paul To me it souds like in same of the hot days that we get for a few weeks
and these are the first chicks that fledglings first and its early say december or jan
then the hot weather trigers same to moult not all but same but they are still young
birds, i think if they do not breed this year they will be good next year.
cheers flavio

[gouldianpaul]

good point Flavio....yes we have had a hotter start to the breeding season than normal....I will keep the 2011 BH normal hen hoping she will be a good first time breeder in her second year...cheers, Paul

[Harvey11]

I had a baby Gould fledge in Feb and is showing signs of colour already....


Harv

[gouldianpaul]

Harvey,

Spots like those are expected when we have a warmer start to the breeding season....as Flavio mention.

What I was posting was my 201 BH normal hen that was fully colored after 4 months....I thought this was odd and wanted to know if anyone else had experienced the same.

Cheers
Paul