Over a month old and largely featherless?

[pidgepudge]

So I had a clutch of 6 zebra finches all successfully hatch and thrive, but when the babies were about 20 days old, after fully fledging, I noticed something weird. Three of the six babies were still largely featherless! Their heads and wings were fully feathered, but for the most part their bodies were still pretty bare. Now they're over a month old, and one of the three finally got its feathers, but the other two, who are the youngest and were the last to hatch, still have mostly naked bodies.

They otherwise are super healthy looking, they're mostly weaned and the parents aren't picking on them so it's not feather loss exactly, it's like they just didn't come in. I'm assuming they'll likely just come in with the adult molt because I've seen a similar thing in pigeons before, but I was wondering if anyone had any insight as to why this may happen?

[lovezebs]

pidgepudge

Someone is plucking him.
Maybe they don't do it when your're watching, but someone is doing it.

[Sheather]

That's definitely plucking, but it will grow back once they're away from their parents.

[cindy]

adult molt does not happen in the nest....when molting they do not loose all the feathers... plucking. If the feathers do not grow back at all after being away from the parents you need to look for other reasons this is happening.

[pidgepudge]

lovezebs sheather cindy I guess I might not have been as clear as I thought I was being, I should have elaborated more I think, but I'm really pretty certain that these babies quite literally never got the feathers in on their bodies. Even while still in the nest in the prickly feather stage, these ones had pins on their heads and wings by not bodies. When I inspect them, they show none of the other signs that would suggest plucking like irritated skin or broken/damaged feathers still attached- and I've dealt with plucking across several bird species under the guidance of a vet so I like to think I know what to look for. I can also see the feather tracts along their bodies and there's a hint of pin feathers, but just barely.

I've seen a similar thing in pigeons before where the babies for whatever reason don't get their juvenile feathers, but after fully growing and undergoing their adult molt they grow feathers just fine. I've only seen it happen very rarely, but the similarity is there. There's just stunted growth on the initial feathers they get while in the nest, which is what I suspect for these babies.

[lovezebs]

pidgepudge

Sorry, but I have never come across nestlings/ fledglings who do not grow feathers.

Is there enough protein in their diet, such as eggs, eggfood, etc?

[pidgepudge]

lovezebs yeah they get hard boiled egg daily along with fresh veggies, and I put the morning bird breeders blend over the top as well every other day or so.

[lovezebs]

pidgepudge

Then I'm stumped

Hhopefully your kids will grow some feathers soon.