White Streaks in Feathers

[Icearstorm]

Tacocat has always had a white streak down his central tail feather, but it seems like he might be developing more in his flight feathers. I read that this could could be related to nutrient deficiency, but which one? Macbeth has been eating more feathers recently, as well.

There's a possibility that this is just a trick of the light and everything is fine.

[lovezebs]

Icearstorm

That's odd, and strange that you mentioned it today...

I was just looking at my Red Throated Parrot Finch today, and he has grown some pure white feathers into his wings. The only thing I was able to come up with, was that he is older and some older birds seem to grow some white feathers.

I hope someone will pipe up with some wisdom.

[Icearstorm]

lovezebs

I saw a thread on this a few months ago, but couldn't find it today. I think it was saying something about a protein starting with the letter "L," but I can't remember.

[Fraza]

Icearstorm my newest chick has this aswell I noticed it today when he flew onto the bars

[Stuart whiting]

Icearstorm

Mmm.....if I didn't know better I'd of perhaps said that the birds somewhere along the line may have leausistic inheritance,

However you also mention about a nutritional deficiency, if this is the case it could really be a number of reasons,

If the bird is lacking certain vitamins it could possibly be lacking in vitamin D3 , vitamin D3 is the only D vitamin that birds can receive,

Vitamin D3 is received to a bird by the Sun's rays, if a bird perhaps doesn't receive enough natural sunlight it will start to lack the D3,

Birds that are eaither indoors or in a birdroom behind glass windows will not receive vitamin D3 buy the Sun's rays as the rays will not penetrate through the glass to give any effect.

This is where a liquid calcium supplement comes into play and is what I actually use meself,
I feed liquid calcium with added vitamin D3 to all of me birds once a week into the birds drinking water and admister the liquid 3 times a week when breeding

Vitamin D3 helps the intestines of a bird to operate properly, because of this the vitamin D3 will now allow the absorption of calcium to be administered into the birds body aswell, without D3 the bird will have extreme difficulty in trying to absorb calcium into the body.

Calcium is the number 1 factor for all bone structure which in tern plays a big part to the quality of feather within a bird, for the quils and sheaths of a birds feather to be in full perfect condition it needs to have the correct vitamins, minerals and calcium intake,

As mentioned light feathering can be a number of reason from hereditary, old age but from experience more commonly from nutritional and vitamin deficiency

[Icearstorm]

Stuart whiting

Thank you. They are indoors under a 5000K Philip's fluorescent light, but I suppose it isn't full spectrum. Now that you mention calcium, I remember that Tacocat started eating the cuttlebone a few days ago, despite ignoring it previously.

Water supplementation makes me nervous, but I've got some calcium powder with added vitamin D3 that I could dust on their soft food. I'll be bringing the vegetables back once the nestlings fledge in a few days, so broccoli would probably be the best thing to put it on.

[Fraza]

Icearstorm

Mmm.....if I didn't know better I'd of perhaps said that the birds somewhere along the line may have leausistic inheritance,

However you also mention about a nutritional deficiency, if this is the case it could really be a number of reasons,

If the bird is lacking certain vitamins it could possibly be lacking in vitamin D3 , vitamin D3 is the only D vitamin that birds can receive,

Vitamin D3 is received to a bird by the Sun's rays, if a bird perhaps doesn't receive enough natural sunlight it will start to lack the D3,

Birds that are eaither indoors or in a birdroom behind glass windows will not receive vitamin D3 buy the Sun's rays as the rays will not penetrate through the glass to give any effect.

This is where a liquid calcium supplement comes into play and is what I actually use meself,
I feed liquid calcium with added vitamin D3 to all of me birds once a week into the birds drinking water and admister the liquid 3 times a week when breeding

Vitamin D3 helps the intestines of a bird to operate properly, because of this the vitamin D3 will now allow the absorption of calcium to be administered into the birds body aswell, without D3 the bird will have extreme difficulty in trying to absorb calcium into the body.

Calcium is the number 1 factor for all bone structure which in tern plays a big part to the quality of feather within a bird, for the quils and sheaths of a birds feather to be in full perfect condition it needs to have the correct vitamins, minerals and calcium intake,

As mentioned light feathering can be a number of reason from hereditary, old age but from experience more commonly from nutritional and vitamin deficiency

I think you’re right as my chick has been locked inside all week whilst I was on holiday getting no sun ligght causing this

[Babs _Owner]

Icearstorm

The meat of boiled egg is loaded with vitamin D, and we all know the shells are loaded with calcium.

I throw entire eggs into a mini food processor and pulse it a few times (shells and everything) until its nice and fluffy.

Then I scrape some cuttle bone shavings on top.

Vitamin D needs to be ingested with the calcium at the same time to be effective.

The method I use ensure this happens.

(Even aging humans are given calcium pills and Vit D pills that have to be taken TOGETHER in the same dose to prevent bone osteoporosis) ;)

[Stuart whiting]

Icearstorm

Hi mate,

There's honestly nothing to worry about using the liquid supplement, it's far more superior than any powder form, I basically administer 10 ml of liquid per 1/2 litre of water, it's as simple as that and there definitely guaranteed at receiving it as all birds need to drink

To be perfectly honest I used to feed cuttlefish to me birds but have now completely stopped it because me waxbills and finches would never touch it and also I found out that the calcium content in all cuttlefish is actually surprisingly very low

If you prefer to use a powdered calcium supplement this is ok and definitely has to be better than oyster shell and cuttlefish

[debbie276]

Could it be possibly "stress bars"?

[Stuart whiting]

debbie276

Very highly likely Debbie, very much agree, which also probably coincides with nutrition, diet and lightning etc

[Dave]

Stuart whiting, you're right. I only add that liquid calcium shouldn't be given every day. According to the label, once or twice a week to non-breeding birds.

I read that if given every day, the bird will lose the ability to absorb calcium from food sources.

[Icearstorm]

Babs

I currently have some scrambled egg with the shell and added multivitamin supplement in the freezer. Mine aren't particularly picky about egg; they'll eat it scrambled, boiled, or dried and powdered. I might want to mix in some of the calcium powder into the dry eggfood next time.

Now you're making me wonder if the calcium carbonate anti-acids are doing anything for me. I take 500mg a day as a calcium supplement, though it sounds like they might not be beneficial...

[Icearstorm]

Stuart whiting

I think I'll stick to the powdered supplement for now; I've safely used it before, and they don't mind eating it with the rest of their food. I stopped using it in favor of the ground oyster shell, though they don't seem to like it any more (and if it isn't a great source of calcium to begin with, then I might as well use something better).

For the most part, my male Java finch is the only one that likes the cuttlebone, though he might prefer chewing on it over actually eating it. The female Java finch also used it once, but I haven't ever seen the gouldians or the chocolate female societies eat it.

[Icearstorm]

debbie276

I'm not seeing anything irregular with the feathers aside from color; Tacocat messed up his feathers trying to get away from me, but they should be fine with a bit of preening. I checked the chicks as well, and their feathers seem to be in good shape.

If I remember correctly, the only birds I've had with stress bars were a few fledgeling societies from an earlier clutch of nine, and one or two newly purchased ones. All of these stress bars were minor, and didn't cause feather breakage.