Dropped wing tips - definite meaning or generic symptom?

[Finchy]

When a finch carries its wings consistently below the line of its body, does this mean anything definitive? e.g. 'It nearly always means "Ow, my X/Y/Z hurts" or "A/B/C condition".'

Or is it generic, like fluffing?

I find that fluffing is the most common, whereas dropped wing tips is a rarer symptom, but of what typically?

Ta

[SamDavis]

Sick bird on a hot day?

[Finchy]

Any day, including cool ones.

I'm thinking of this recent batch of Gould babies, who more or less came out of the nest showing this behaviour. The blue is dead, the pastel blue is on life support, and the two olive-backs are just showing a slight tendency to hold their wings low but are OK. The adults are not doing this currently, though I have seen the same thing in adult blues in the past.

[SamDavis]

Ah ha, blue gene babies - in that case they're just tiny dancers waving goodbye.

[Finchy]

I know

[TomDeGraaff]

Ah ha, blue gene babies - in that case they're just tiny dancers waving goodbye.

Yes, Well done, Finchy. I think "Blue Gene Baby" was the name of a song.......

[SamDavis]

Ah ha, blue gene babies - in that case they're just tiny dancers waving goodbye.

Yes, Well done, Finchy. I think "Blue Gene Baby" was the name of a song.......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoskDZRLOCs

[Myzomela]

Hi Finchy,

It's just a non-specific sign of an ill bird.

Sorry I can't help you more.

[gouldianpaul]

Any day, including cool ones.

I'm thinking of this recent batch of Gould babies, who more or less came out of the nest showing this behaviour. The blue is dead, the pastel blue is on life support, and the two olive-backs are just showing a slight tendency to hold their wings low but are OK. The adults are not doing this currently, though I have seen the same thing in adult blues in the past.

Finchy,

(This is not meant to be personal, but some honest feedback that will hopefully help you improve).

Continually blaming symptoms of sick birds based on the Blue gene seems to be an easy excuse. Maybe it's time to question some of your practices. Question the strength of your existing stock and the bloodlines you have introduced into your flock. I have found my blues to be equally as hardy or conversely as frustrating as my other Gouldians....the fact that they are blue doesn't seem to determine their inherent weakness. Whilst I dont' claim to know everything about Goulds (and blues) here is just some of my examples:
- I currently have 2 Blue cocks (both less than 6 months old). They are fully colored up and are the strongest, healthiest and best looking birds in my flock.
- I purchased the original blood lines of these birds from a well established blue breeder (on this forum)
- I only purchased blue cocks and put them to my best normal hens to produce my own splits.....this takes an extra year of work but the quality of the birds I have produced this year has made this worth while
- I put the best splits from this combination back to the original blues, trying to cross bloodlines were possible.
- I follow a regular worming treatment throughout the year
- I provide my birds with a vast variety of nutrition
- My avairy set up is designed solely for Gouldians. I have insulated walls and roof.
- During breeding season I extend the daylight hours for my birds with lighting
-I am prepared to wake up at 5AM to provide my birds with 2 feeds per day during the breedign season
- On the weekend I collected as much wild grass seed for my birds that I could physically collect. I will freeze this and provide it to my birds during the moult and the 2014 breeding season.

Again I don't profess to be an expert on Gouldians, but I keep trying different things and stick to it if I'm convinced it works for me. Don't just rely on what works for others, because we all need to work out our own formula for breeding these birds.

So from the original 2 blue cock birds I purchased 2 years ago, I now have sufficient stock so that I will be pairing up 12-14 pairs of blues in 2014. (Plus I have culled many of these blues and/or splits over the past 2 years). Some of these have been purchased from well established breeders (all from this forum), but the majority of my 2014 flock will come from birds I produced in my own avairies.

I am happy to recommend the other breeders who I purhcased my stock from (PM me for details)....but getting quality stock is only the start. You must learn more about their needs first.

Regards,
Paul

[Craig52]

Very well said Paul,i still believe if you want to get ahead with blues and just gouldians in general,is to specialise or have them in their own aviaries on their own and not mixed with other species,others may disagree and get away with it. Craig