FINCHforum

one of my red cheek cordon bleu males is having a strange feather thing happening. some of the feathers on his back, chest, and right side are like this. it looks like he is caught in a wind storm or like he has combed his feathers the wrong way it looks like a really bad hair day. he is 3 years old.

does this look like a funny molt? i don't really know what's going on. i have only noticed this happening over the past week or so. hopefully it can be seen in the photos. maybe its nothing and i'm just paranoid!

My rccb male does the same thing with his feathers. He seems to do that before preening or while preening. It's as if he messes up the feathers and then slowly...places them in their correct positions later. He takes his time and I thought several times he had been injured, but later on, he'll look normal again.

finchmix22 wrote: My rccb male does the same thing with his feathers. He seems to do that before preening or while preening. It's as if he messes up the feathers and then slowly...places them in their correct positions later. He takes his time and I thought several times he had been injured, but later on, he'll look normal again.

ok thanks for the reassurance deborah! i was worried about the little guy i appreciate the help!

I had a blue Gouldian with wind swept feathers. Hers stayed that way until her next moult.

L in Ontario wrote: I had a blue Gouldian with wind swept feathers. Hers stayed that way until her next moult.

what do you think caused this liz?

Never could figure it out - she was like that when I got her. She seemed healthy enough.

I currently have a Cuban hen with 'ruffled' feathers on her breast/belly - Cubans should have all feathers laying flat, like most finches. This one looks almost like a frilled canary.

My male stays like that until his molt. I forgot that aspect. However, he has the ruffled feathers often , to me, but he is otherwise healthy. I wouldn't worry unless the finch seems sick or fluffed up and irregular droppings etc.

Never could figure it out - she was like that when I got her. She seemed healthy enough.

yes liz, its strange to see it looks like a bad case of bed head!

I wouldn't worry unless the finch seems sick or fluffed up and irregular droppings etc.

thanks deborah, i will keep an eye on him for sure!

i dont want to alarm you, but my Lady Gouldian finch Bonnie had the same feather pattern before she died. her death was very sudden, she was fine and a half an hour later she died. However, she had the feathers growing that way for a long time before she died. i dont want to scare you, your bird looks very healthy , i just thought it was worth mentioning.