Plucked chick?
- Raleighwheels
- 1 Egg Laid
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 2:59 pm
- Location: West Milton, PA
- Contact:
Plucked chick?
I have two first time breeders that are raising a single chick. It is almost two weeks old, but doesn't have feathers on it's back or part of the head. I'm thinking it's being plucked, but I'm not sure who is doing it. The male spends all of the time in the nest tending to the chick, and the female will pop in for a moment. The female only spends a large amount of time in the nest to sleep, otherwise she's usually hanging out by the food. Normally, I'd say it was the male doing the plucking and remove him, but I'm hesitant since he's the only one I see feeding the chick.
I removed the chick once to switch out the nesting material and check the chick over. On some of the bare spots I can see pin feathers starting to form. It is also very active when removed from the nest.
I removed the chick once to switch out the nesting material and check the chick over. On some of the bare spots I can see pin feathers starting to form. It is also very active when removed from the nest.
- Fraza
- Molting
- Posts: 3700
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:16 pm
- Location: UK
Re: Plucked chick?
Try giving more nesting material and tying but of it to the cage bars so that he can’t get it off this way whoever is pluckin might prefer to tug at some string etc rather than the chick
FINCHES I HAVE
Bengalese
zebras
Java sparrows
Silver bills
java x beng hybrid
PETS IVE HAD
dogs
Fish
Cocktiel
Doves
Hybrid cherry x Bengalese
Stars
Heck’s
Canary’s
My favourite is COCO my grey pearl society cock been here since the start my flock leader
YOUTUBE CHANNEL
https://m.youtube.com/results?q=fraser% ... de101&sm=3
Bengalese
zebras
Java sparrows
Silver bills
java x beng hybrid
PETS IVE HAD
dogs
Fish
Cocktiel
Doves
Hybrid cherry x Bengalese
Stars
Heck’s
Canary’s
My favourite is COCO my grey pearl society cock been here since the start my flock leader
YOUTUBE CHANNEL
https://m.youtube.com/results?q=fraser% ... de101&sm=3
- wilkifam
- Weaning
- Posts: 1771
- Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2012 2:01 pm
- Location: South Central Montana
Re: Plucked chick?
I've had chicks like this before, they are most likely not plucking it. It will catch up and feather out just fine.
Lori
Gouldians
Societies
Java FInches
Bourkes
Scarlets
Myers Parrot - Murphy
African Gray - Nzinga
2 GSD's - Heidi and Chiko
1 Minpin - Ted
1 Heinz 57 - Buster Brown
Chickens
Gouldians
Societies
Java FInches
Bourkes
Scarlets
Myers Parrot - Murphy
African Gray - Nzinga
2 GSD's - Heidi and Chiko
1 Minpin - Ted
1 Heinz 57 - Buster Brown
Chickens
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- Sisal Slave
- Posts: 564
- Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:24 am
- Location: Campbellsville, KY
Re: Plucked chick?
I've seen this in chicks, too, mostly from a particular pair. I don't have a clue what it is. It can be one chick out of a nest of three or four. The chick develops and feathers the bare areas, but those bare areas take a few extra weeks to fill in.
I wonder if it is genetic? I can't find evidence of plucking by the parents, or evidence of insects. The chick doesn't seem to be stressed.
I wonder if it is genetic? I can't find evidence of plucking by the parents, or evidence of insects. The chick doesn't seem to be stressed.
Dave
Campbellsville, Kentucky, USA
Canaries
Campbellsville, Kentucky, USA
Canaries
- Raleighwheels
- 1 Egg Laid
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 2:59 pm
- Location: West Milton, PA
- Contact:
Re: Plucked chick?
I removed the male, because I noticed that the female had a bare spot on her back end, which I always found means that she's getting plucked. The little one fledged earlier this week.
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- Proven
- Posts: 2299
- Joined: Thu Dec 12, 2013 7:49 pm
- Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: Plucked chick?
It is plucking. A genetic cause would likely result in baldness all over the body, not jut the upper side where the baby was exposed to the parents.
It will refeather and probably look normal within 3 weeks.
It will refeather and probably look normal within 3 weeks.
~Dylan
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- Fraza
- Molting
- Posts: 3700
- Joined: Wed Jul 05, 2017 12:16 pm
- Location: UK
Re: Plucked chick?
Poor birdie I hope it’s okay some parents are stupid
FINCHES I HAVE
Bengalese
zebras
Java sparrows
Silver bills
java x beng hybrid
PETS IVE HAD
dogs
Fish
Cocktiel
Doves
Hybrid cherry x Bengalese
Stars
Heck’s
Canary’s
My favourite is COCO my grey pearl society cock been here since the start my flock leader
YOUTUBE CHANNEL
https://m.youtube.com/results?q=fraser% ... de101&sm=3
Bengalese
zebras
Java sparrows
Silver bills
java x beng hybrid
PETS IVE HAD
dogs
Fish
Cocktiel
Doves
Hybrid cherry x Bengalese
Stars
Heck’s
Canary’s
My favourite is COCO my grey pearl society cock been here since the start my flock leader
YOUTUBE CHANNEL
https://m.youtube.com/results?q=fraser% ... de101&sm=3
- Raleighwheels
- 1 Egg Laid
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Tue Feb 02, 2010 2:59 pm
- Location: West Milton, PA
- Contact:
Re: Plucked chick?
I removed the male a little over a week ago. The chick seems to be doing better. It's starting to nibble on food, so probably another week or so until I remove it and bring back the male bird.
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- Callow Courter
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Thu May 31, 2018 11:39 pm
- Location: Sydney, Australia
Re: Plucked chick?
Hopefully the male is not bullying just getting some feathers for nesting material.
Have a nice day!
Sincerely, Cathy
~obsessed with zebra finches~
Sincerely, Cathy
~obsessed with zebra finches~