FINCHforum

I just noticed this morning that my gouldian female who is raising three chicks (11 days old) looks like she is starting to lose some feathers.



It doesn't look like molting as there aren't any pin feathers behind them and its on the head and base of neck. She molted about 5 months ago. This is her second clutch (dad tossed all the chicks from first one) and she is one year old. She is doing fabulously with these chicks--filled to the gills with food. I once bought a gouldian that had balding and per the instructions of forum members with good food he regrew all his feathers. This looks like this but not so severe as him. I am not sure how to proceed as she is on a balaanced seed and has been on the Fidler diet for three to four months. That is supposed to be all they need. I have never given iodine to my gouldians but I do have some. I also have some feather fast. As I don't know whats causing it I am reluctant to supplement with these things. None of my other gouldian hens have done this so I cant attribute it to pregnancy (human women often lose their hair a couple of months after delivering). I haven't seen the dad pick at her but I suppose that is a possibility....intriguing because the development of her feather loss roughly coincides with her spending more time out of the nest?
What do you think? Advice?
Lori

I am curious about this too as my female zebra had a similar problem under her beak and on one cheek while raising her chick. 2 weeks later the feathers started to grow back but it is VERY slowly.

I had this happen with a Gouldian hen raising chicks; she looked terrible. Someone on the forum suggested Kelp. I found some at a natural food store & this seemed to help.

finchandlovebird wrote: I had this happen with a Gouldian hen raising chicks; she looked terrible. Someone on the forum suggested Kelp. I found some at a natural food store & this seemed to help.

What is Kelp and how do you use this?

Hi Lori,
To me it looks like peck marks and if she's only housed with the male and chicks, he's probably the culprit. Based on where the feathers are missing around her neck and head, it looks very similar to my hen and it was from her mate. He used to pick on her for reasons unknown.
She regrew them beautifully, but not before her next molt.
Continue to watch them to see if you can catch him in the act.
Good luck

Diana - It's a ocean plant; probably seaweed. Try a health food store; you only have to buy a tiny bit.

Hi

I am currently experiencing the same situation with my bh pb gb /blue. Although my hen was only feeding two chicks. I had post something like what you did minus pictures. The feed back I got was not to worry if its just feather lost here and there around the face. By the next molt it should grow back. I also emailed a gouldian breeder and she pretty much told me the same thing. So for now my female looks healthy and acts no differently. So I wont worry until something else changes. Hope this helps?