What kind of bath is best for feather problems (Forbes Hen)?

[annague]

FinchMasters, ( I decided to coin this term to describe all the great people with vast experience with finches on this Forum )

I have a Forbes hen who looks not to have molted properly the last round -- her feathers are bare along the shaft in some spots and appear normal in others ... bottom line, she's a raggedly little hen but appears fine except for her feathers.

Is there something I can bathe her in or put in her bath water that will help her molt properly and/or get her feathers in better condition?? She is currently isolated to better deal with her situation.

Would a photo help?

[G8love4finches]

My little Forbes hen is having the same issue.....I'm looking for a solution as well.....My hen doesn't fly much and spends most of her time stuck to the side of the cage.....needless to say, what little tail she has, is shredded.....Finchmasters.....Love it!

[Sally]

This is a food supplement, not for the bath, but since protein builds feathers, how about something like this added to eggfood?

http://www.justbirdstuff.com/AviGlo-Red ... 16449.html

Mr. Abbate of Abba Seed used to write that he used Listerine in the bath water every so often (I think it was 1 Tbs. per gallon of water) but darned if I can remember why? Might have been mites?

Here is a link to the article by Mr. Abbate, he used the listerine for avian parasites, 1 Tbs. per gallon. He also used Epsom Salts sometimes, but doesn't say why or what they do.

http://www.abbaseed.com/ARTICLES/mortal ... hints.html

[ac12]

For molting, I feed LOTs of egg food 2x a day and add a sprinkle of Morning Bird Feather Fast once a day. But that only works during the molt.

Candace told me about the Listerine in the bath to prevent foot problems for canaries, and I had been doing that for my finches. Some of my zebras were getting bumble foot from scrapes when walking on dry poop. But dang now that I stopped, I forgot the mixing ratio. And I think I should be adding Listerine into the bath again.
....Candace...help.

[monotwine]

Good old Apple Cider Vinegar at 3ml per litre of water will do no harm. Its filled with lots of goodies too.
Feather production/growth though should surely be a nutritional issue though, unless they are being damaged by mechanical means (bars of the cage or another bird).
Are you sure your bird is taking in a varied diet and not being too picky eating only what she wants?

[annague]

I do use Listerine regularly in the bath water but I agree that it is probably most useful for discouraging mites and helping with bumblefoot issues.

Debbie, my hen is the same -- she scrambles up the bars of the cage like a monkey and flies only very short distances because of her feathers.

Monique, I think what happened is that I had my Forbes hen in with some of my other hens during their resting period and the other hens (particularly my Stars which are uncharacteristically quite big and tall) prevented my timid little Forbes from eating much of the time -- I noticed that my Stars like to tower over the smaller birds and peck them and pull at their feathers. Naughty birds. Does the ACV go in her drinking water or her bath only?

Anyway, they all molted properly except my Forbes so I have since corrected this issue -- the Forbes and the Stars will not be together again but I am trying to get my little hen back into condition so she can molt and breed.

Sally and Gary, Thank you -- I will add additional feather supplements as well -- she is getting fortified eggfood every day but maybe it is not enough.

I was wondering if a bit of Epsom salts or Boric acid might help in the bath water, too?

[annague]

I thought I would post photos of my raggedy little Forbes hen.

I include a photo of her right breast area where there is a lighter streak on her belly that appears to be mostly bare -- not sure why?

Hopefully this may strike a chord in someone who's seen it and can speak to it. The molting male Forbes also is showing some abnormalities with his wing feathers but more recently -- after he had been with other birds.

Because of this I am now keeping my Forbes separate from all my other birds. Even though every bird I have is considered a "community" finch.

[annague]

For comparison, I am attaching photos of my male Forbes -- who are on the same diet. The molting male was temporarily housed (along with the hen) in my largest aviary and I believe that may have lead to his current feather problems...

Rich/Albert, if you happen to look at this post--have you ever seen this with your PF's?

[debbie276]

Could someone be plucking and picking at her? Possibly feather mites? It doesn't look like a molt to me.

[annague]

Hi Debbie, I'm still on here... I agree it doesn't look like a molt to me either -- not sure what is going on.

Actually no one has been plucking her for quite some time (not sure they ever did) -- however-- she does worry at her own feathers, wings and breast.

Do you think it could be mites? I have a regular miticide program and none of my other finches is having problems with mites currently... I did Scatt her about 4 months back and used S76 1 month ago with all my birds (I alternate mite treatments between the Scatt and S76.)

[debbie276]

It looks like something has chewed the feather off in spots that's why I thought maybe mites. I use scatt and as far as I know it's only for air sac mites and scaley face and leg mites, not sure about S76 because I've never used it. Because the scatt and S76 is in the bloodstream I'm not sure it would kill feather mites. Maybe someone else will jump in here that knows for sure.
If someone was plucking and chewing on her feathers you would have to wait till she molted again to see any improvement, there is nothing you can do for the existing feather condition.
good of luck

[nixity]

What kind of cage (material) is she being housed in?
Un-coated galvanized wire can wreak havoc on birds feathers especially if they're landing on the wire a lot.

This is what happened to one of my male Gouldians who was a bit over zealous/nervous in the galvanized breeding cage I had him in. After I moved him from the breeding cage to rest, his feathers came back in normal. I avoided breeding him in that cage from then on and would only put birds in there that weren't a nervous wreck all the time landing and colliding into the cage when I'd service it like he would.

[Dayna]

Here's an article on feather mites and lice http://ladygouldianfinch.com/features_mites-lice.php

Symptoms of mites and lice:
Restlessness
Excessive preening
Ruffling of feathers
Irritation

If it is mites or lice the cure is pestex.

[nixity]

Doesn't look like a mite problem to me - and many external mites are visible to the naked eye. You can see little dark or white specks moving across the bird (red if they are blood mites).
The breast area is interesting, that looks like plucking or potentially a compressed molt.
I suppose it could be a combination of environmental feather damage along with a molt.. but to me (and this is just my opinion) it doesn't look parasitic in nature.

[annague]

Tiffany,

Thanks for your input! The Forbes are always very flighty -- I have no uncoated wire cages at present -- But, comparing the photos between my Forbes and your Gouldian, I am starting to think it had to have been caused by external factors due to the similarities. The Stars must have plucked her and chewed her feathers worse than I thought when she was housed with them and she just hasn't grown any new feathers yet...

(BTW: A fan note here -- your article on discerning the colors of young gouldians in the NFSS Journal was very enlightening and informative. I'm a prodigious reader and I was also impressed with the superlative organization and articulation in the piece. Thank you for writing it.)

Dayna, I do see her trying to preen and smooth her feathers but I think it may be because her feathers are in such rough shape. She does not preen excessively. That, combined with the fact that I have seen no signs of problems with mites on my other finches has me leaning toward thinking the damage was environmentally caused.