Father Picking Babies Feathers

saragoescrazy · Post by **saragoescrazy** » Sat Apr 19, 2008 8:01 am

First off I've posted here a lot - all four eggs have hatched, and as of yet, all of them are growing quite well and squeaking to get fed and everything... but I have a big question that's starting to concern me a little bit...

The father is my one zebra that's a huge feather plucker, no matter what I do (put bedding in like feathers, twigs, whatever for nesting he's just a compulsive feather picker. This wasn't so much of an issue until he started now picking on one of the babies, he'll pick out her feathers and, eat them... or something... it's really strange...

We've contimplated moving him out of the cage, but would this be a good idea since the youngest chick would be around 10 days old? What's weird too - is it normal for two dark colored zebras... like... one grey (the female) and the male is the normal grey male... to have a white baby? The other three look like mom and dad, but there's one white one... and that one has been plucked... and I don't want the baby to be hurting or anything...

/

He won't be easy to get out of the cage as it's a large cage (not a walk in though)... so I don't know what to do but I want the baby to have a chance to grow in all his or her feathers...

Any advice?

mickp · Post by **mickp** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:16 am

I would remove him for a few days sara, make sure he is far enough away so that the hen cannot hear him when he tries to call her. or you could try fostering the babies out

saragoescrazy · Post by **saragoescrazy** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:29 am

mickp wrote:I would remove him for a few days sara, make sure he is far enough away so that the hen cannot hear him when he tries to call her. or you could try fostering the babies out

Do you think it would be a problem if I removed the babies and the mom and put them in another cage? I think simply that might be easier to have happen... do you see that as able to cause problems at all?

Post by **Sally** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 12:58 am

The only problem with moving the nest, babies, and Mom is there is always the possibility of her abandoning them. Not too likely at this stage, but you would have to watch them carefully. Zebra fathers will often featherpluck their babies.

I'm not good with genetics, but if they had one white baby, there is a split in either Mom or Dad's background.

saragoescrazy · Post by **saragoescrazy** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 1:57 am

Sally wrote:The only problem with moving the nest, babies, and Mom is there is always the possibility of her abandoning them. Not too likely at this stage, but you would have to watch them carefully. Zebra fathers will often featherpluck their babies.

I'm not good with genetics, but if they had one white baby, there is a split in either Mom or Dad's background.

So it's a common thing for the male to be plucking then? Since they're like 11 days old (the youngest) should I just watch closely and everything? I mean I figure that the male will stop plucking once they're out of the nest... hopefully

Post by **Sally** » Sun Apr 20, 2008 2:03 am

Once Zebras start featherplucking, they will always have to be watched. The last Zebras I had, the father was plucking the fledglings till they had bare tummies. There is an article at the FIC on featherplucking, with some suggestions to try.

jamezyboo21 · Post by **jamezyboo21** » Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:24 am

How has eveything been with your zebra family has he still been plucking anyone? The babies on there own yet?