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FairySnuff
Flutterer
Joined: 21 May 2005
Posts: 105
Location: USA |
| French molt...:( |
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One of my baby budgies (who's still in the nest box) has french molt...all of her flights and tail feathers are scattered around in the box  What am I going to do? I can't keep her here if she risks infecting my other birds, especially not if I'm going to become a breeder... |
Tuesday October 11, 2005 10:07 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
| PBFD in Budgies is also known as the French Molt |
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I'm so sorry Fairysnuff to hear this! But how odd is it to hear that the baby still in the nest getting the disease. French molt is PBFD in budgies and lovies and some other smaller parakeets. So yes there is a huge risk of it infecting other birds are it is highly contagious, especially to other younguns. Generally, budgies breeders kill off any birds that has french molt and incinerate the body. that is one way to make sure it doesn't get passed on. I would probably encourage you to get the parents tested as one of them might be a carrrier as I see no otherway which a little baby like that still in nest would have picked it up, unless of course it's mixed in with other birds and so all your birds need to be tested for the disease!!
I don't know what you should do with the baby. I hate to do it, but if it was me, I would probably get the baby put down as the chances of it surviving at this stage is pretty much nothing.
I'm so sorry to hear that you have to go through the french molt.. But please please please be careful with your other birds. |
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Thursday October 13, 2005 2:49 pm |
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shells picasso
Flier
Joined: 29 May 2005
Posts: 900
Location: Sydney |
Are you sure she has PBFD? Could you seperate and hand rear her until you found out? you will need to be extra careful with hygiene and that the other birds don't get infected from your clothing or other objects the bird has been exposed to. If she is infected and showing symptoms at such a young age she will not last long, she will either stop eating or fall victim to infections, worse she most probably would have infected the rest of the nest, if you intend to breed, PBFD in your flock is a disaster, I'd have the birds screened and take drastic measures to contain the infection. |
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Friday October 14, 2005 6:36 am |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6672
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
How would she have gotten that??!! Before she came to you??!! |
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Friday October 14, 2005 11:41 am |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
I was just thinking.. are you sure that its the french molt that your baby's got? Sometimes the parents, more often it's the mum, plucks their youngsters feathers! Not sure why they do that, but four of my budgies came from a mum that just love to pluck all their feathers out! My 'war babies' were pretty bald when I got them!!
I would take Shells advice and get your birds screened. I wouldn't want to see Kiwi picking up the disease from the budgies if it is French molt!! |
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Friday October 14, 2005 3:30 pm |
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FairySnuff
Flutterer
Joined: 21 May 2005
Posts: 105
Location: USA |
She is fully feathered now, except for the fact that she's missing all her primary and secondary flights as well as her tail feathers. She was in the nest for quite a long time, much longer than she was suppost to, and she could have been picked. I've just been trying to play it safe and I seperated her once I knew she was eating and she's isolated in the garage right now. She is eating fine and she seems healthy, all except for her missing feathers. I sure hope it isn't what I think it is... |
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Friday October 14, 2005 10:36 pm |
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Cathy
Kamikaze pilot
Joined: 02 Apr 2005
Posts: 6672
Location: Omaha, NE USA |
Oh, I hope not too fairySnuff. I really don't know anything about it, but that it's not good. So I'll definitely keep my fingers crossed for you & her. |
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Friday October 14, 2005 10:41 pm |
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FairySnuff
Flutterer
Joined: 21 May 2005
Posts: 105
Location: USA |
I think she got it because her mom had too many clutches too close together this year every time I tried to take the nest box out there was more eggs in there or babies! *sniffles* I feel so bad you guys have no idea I feel like this is my fault !!! Here's a picture of my brave little pickle:
Pickle
She looks just like her older sister Hooby!! *wipes tear* God this is horrible if she really does have it I might have to just put her down....how do you guys think she looks? She's got hardly any tail and no flight feathers. She looks like a duck |
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Saturday October 15, 2005 10:17 pm |
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Demeter
Flutterer
Joined: 13 Aug 2005
Posts: 152
Location: Southern New Jersey/Near Philly |
I am no expert, but I have read up on french molt a little and it seems like there are alot of different opinions. Firstly, I did read that a parent was more then likely a carrier of some sorts, not actually showing the signs, but able to pass it along. In one article I read it says that the only way to pass it is gentically. I also read that it can vary from mild to extreme forms.
Not that what I typed really helped you, but I would definately seek a vet's advise, it may not even be french molt like someone already said.....other then the missing longer feathers she looks beautiful. |
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Sunday October 16, 2005 12:06 am |
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shells picasso
Flier
Joined: 29 May 2005
Posts: 900
Location: Sydney |
She does not look like a PBFD bird to me, the carriers are the ones who appear completely healthy. It is only her flight feathers missing, PBFD birds have abnormal shaped feathers, loose them all over and without special care can look quite sickly. I think like Cheeta said she has been plucked, I've seen birds in pet shops that come from the nest looking in worse shape, looks to me like you've done a pretty good job considering the parents had a lot of clutches this season. She is beautiful  |
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Sunday October 16, 2005 8:53 am |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
Hi there Fairysnuff...
After looking at the pic of Pickles, I really have to agree with Shells, she doesn't look like a budgie with French molt. My mother in law has a little baby the same without the tail or any of the flight feathers. It isn't because she has french molt. They call this little one Quadgie... 
Little pickles looks quite healthy. If you're not sure, you can isolate her until her first molt and see how she goes... She could just as well be 'deformed' (so to speak). It could just well be that her feathers will never grow out like a normal bird. but she's still healthy.
Oh just to add something, a baby bird can't develop french molt because the parents had too many clutch. In fact it's the parents that will be affected by the non stop breeding... not that that will give the parents the french molt either. |
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Sunday October 16, 2005 10:35 am |
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Greg Sujecki
Experienced flier
Joined: 21 Mar 2005
Posts: 1650
Location: Australia,Melbourne |
Just wondering if you know the parents of your breeding Budgies,for l have many years ago  had a pair that without realizing breed from different clutches which is a no no..meaning different birds of different clutch but same parents which can cause weak gene's,just a thought  |
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Sunday October 16, 2005 11:23 am |
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shells picasso
Flier
Joined: 29 May 2005
Posts: 900
Location: Sydney |
Yeah, it's always good to bring in some new blood, I have bought a few budgies for my mum getting totally different types so they don't inbreed, odd though the smaller birds didn't seem to like the bigger show budgies even though they are supposed to be better looking, guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder |
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Sunday October 16, 2005 2:57 pm |
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Cheeta
Moderator
Joined: 06 Apr 2005
Posts: 7956
Location: Australia |
I don't like those bigger show budgies either!! or at least I prefer the smaller pet ones anyway, to me, they have a certain gentleness in their looks, where as those big show budgies tend to look a bit ummmm 'evil' if you know what I mean!! LOL... |
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Sunday October 16, 2005 4:15 pm |
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shells picasso
Flier
Joined: 29 May 2005
Posts: 900
Location: Sydney |
 He he, they usually don't have big dow eyes like the little ones either but I found a couple of cute ones, I figured since mums had such tiny heads and chests the show budgies would build their offspring up a bit (over the years her birds keep getting smaller and smaller) but I think the males are scared of them, little birdy amazons! I got her a pure yellow one with white cheek spots called "Jeff" (my youngest sons) and a totally white one that is not albino (she has black eyes) my eldest called her "ice" I'll have to get some pics. |
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Sunday October 16, 2005 7:39 pm |
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