FINCHforum

This gouldians hen has been sitting on five eggs. This is her second clutch this year.

I was noticing her face today and it looks terrible. I don't think it is molting because she is nesting and still in breeding condition.

I don't think it is mites because I give them s76 once a month and let them bathe in it also to kill any mites. I haven't noticed any of the other birds with this problem. Any ideas?

I can't tell from those pics Donna. I hope it's a simple case of moulting thought I wouldn't think she'd be breeding if she's moulting. Any chance of getting a closer pic?

L in Ontario wrote:I can't tell from those pics Donna. I hope it's a simple case of moulting thought I wouldn't think she'd be breeding if she's moulting. Any chance of getting a closer pic?

I will try but she is in a big aviary and keeps moving away from me.
If you click on the picture it will make it larger and perhaps you can tell from that.

One part that a bird can reach with it's claws is it's face and neck...I have gouldians with feather loss around the face....and my problem is red mite.In the UK this has been a big problem this year and I've had a hell of a job getting rid of them.
S76 or not...I would have a careful check around the nest sites. A bird afflicted with mite will scratch away it's own feathers.

Can you tell me what to look for? And how to treat it.

Is it the face only?If so it could be as poohbear said "scaly face"mites.or a fungal infection.For mites check under wings with torch,and magnifying glass if necessary.If found try a different medication,such as ivermectin or moxidectin.Fugal check for undigested seed in droppings and going light.treatment anti fungal wash or severe cases oral treatment.If none of these symptoms and only on face.It could be as simple as nutritional stress brought on by breeding.genetic factors.or as simple as damage from feeding her chicks.With info supplied these would be the most likely causes.

Thanks gomer! I am going to check her this afternoon if I can catch her. I just hate to stress her right now while she is sitting on eggs. They are due to hatch most any day now.

dfcauley wrote:Thanks gomer! I am going to check her this afternoon if I can catch her. I just hate to stress her right now while she is sitting on eggs. They are due to hatch most any day now.

Shame to risk losing a clutch...maybe a fresh dose of S76 and a conditioning tonic for now and see how she gets on.If she gets worse you will have to catch her up for closer examination.A precautionary mite spray of the nest might help (mind the eggs)

Donna....I had a similar problem with my female Gouldian a couple months ago. Her face started looking like yours and then one side of her head went completely bald!

I am not sure if it was due to molting as she was not getting in any pinfeathers on her head or it if was mite related. I realized I was 3 months overdue for a Scatt treatment so I administered that. After that her feathers did grow back but just as she was halfway feathered in she started molting too.

So I don't really know if it was mites or moulting...so I guess I wasn't much help here was I.

Thanks to all. I think for now I will not try to catch her up just yet. She doesn't seem any worse. I am sure I could catch her since she spends most of the time in the nest, but I don't want to stress her if I can help it.

I am going to treat al lthe birds with the s76 in their water. Althought I don't think that she will go and bathe it in right now. She loves to bathe, but doesn't seem to much when she is sitting on eggs. IF it was mites I couldn't spray the nest anyway could I? I have some mite spray, but I didn't know if I could spray the nest with the eggs in there.

I also have some feather fast and I am going to sprinkle it on soaked wheat bread. The gouldians love that. Hopefully that will take care of the problem We will see...... thanks again.

Donna, I have a female LG which looks exactly like yours--I just assumed she had been picked on by one or more of the males, so she is now in one of the female-only cages. In fact, I had planned to take her to the bird mart in September, and she didn't look good, so I left her home. I will have to check closer and see if it could be mites. I agree with poohbear, it would be a shame to lose a clutch right now.

That's why I said earlier ...mind the eggs....move them,spray under and around the nest material...then replace.

poohbear wrote:That's why I said earlier ...mind the eggs....move them,spray under and around the nest material...then replace.

Got i t!! I am a little slow sometimes. It is the age.

Would a light dusting of a poultry dust also work in the nest? Then you might not have to move the eggs???? I use a small paint brush to dust cracks and stuff on my cages.

poohbear wrote:That's why I said earlier ...mind the eggs....move them,spray under and around the nest material...then replace.

That is exactually what I did this afternoon. But I really don't think it is mites because the cock has no problem and none of them are scratching alot.