White feathers on the head

franceska · Post by **franceska** » Sat May 16, 2009 2:07 pm

Is it common for gouldians to have some white spots (feathers) on the head as adults?
I had one baby last year and one this year which has this. At first sight it looks like molting feather pens, but it's actually real feathers. The birds seem very healthy.

The "baby" from last year have molted once more since it gained adult colours, but the white feathers remain.

Both birds are from the same parents.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Sat May 16, 2009 2:40 pm

Can you provide pictures? That would help for sure, but in the meantime I would have to say they are probably 'stuck in moult' for those few "white" feathers. They are probably still the baby feathers that did not moult out yet. Not a problem at all - they will change with the next moult.

franceska · Post by **franceska** » Thu May 21, 2009 11:53 am

Here is a picture of it:

Bird with grey/white feathers

This is actually a 1,5 year old bird, which looks like this even after its second molt. What is starting to worry me is that I now see this on several of this years babies - from both my breeding pairs

.
Could this be a about some nutrient deficiency of some kind??

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu May 21, 2009 11:57 am

That bird is 100% defnite 'stuck in moult'. Nothing to sorry about even at 1-1/2 years of age. Next moult - they will be beautiful! I had the same thing with a couple of birds I acquired looking like that or even more so. Don't worry.

Nice birds by the way.

franceska · Post by **franceska** » Thu May 21, 2009 12:23 pm

Thanks for your replies, now I feel better!

I am always so amazed when I put a question on this forum - it rarely takes more than half an hour before I get a good answer! It is a huge well of knowledge - sometimes I think I should round up all the good advice here and make the worlds best finch hobby book!

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu May 21, 2009 12:45 pm

It's a pleasure to help out when and where I can. Here's a pic of two of my Gouldians "stuck in moult". They were purchased at different times and from different breeders. One is a green backed Gouldian and the other is a blue back Gouldian. Both are very healthy and are proven excellent hens for me now.

nixity · Post by **nixity** » Thu May 21, 2009 4:26 pm

Maybe someone else can identify otherwise, but so far I have seen this happen almost exclusively with BH?

I also have one like this that I got early this year from a friend:
http://www.gouldiansgalore.net/my_birds ... on?i=5&s=1

A different friend of mine has a BH male from this same breeder that is 2 years old and up until recently never fully molted out his head, either, and she named him Stuck as a result.

Has anyone else found this to be a pattern/problem more prevalent in BHs?

dfcauley · Post by **dfcauley** » Thu May 21, 2009 6:03 pm

I have two black head hens that haven't looked quite that bad, but have had spots which I thought were caused from not enough iodine.

And it was only my black heads that have looked like that.

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Thu May 21, 2009 8:24 pm

Yes Tiffany - I've only ever seen it in black headed Gouldians as well.

Anyone else seen it in other head colours fpr Gouldians?

atarasi · Post by **atarasi** » Fri May 22, 2009 1:37 am

I've only seen it in BHs too and maybe it also seems more common in hens than cocks?

Post by **Sally** » Fri May 22, 2009 8:48 am

I haven't had a lot of Gouldians, but now that you mention it, the only one that ever seemed 'stuck in molt' (she actually had bald patches) was a BH/PB/GB hen. She finally molted completely and looked wonderful.

chrischris · Post by **chrischris** » Fri May 22, 2009 7:12 pm

I believe it also occures on other head colours but because grey shows up very well on a black background it is more noticable. You'll never see that on a black headed yellow back gouldian

nixity · Post by **nixity** » Fri May 22, 2009 8:44 pm

But it would still be BH even if it wasn't noticeable ;)

I had one RH male that had similar splotching but in his defense he was shuffled around a lot which I think contributing to his molting poorly. He hatched 8/2/08, same as this BH male of mine I linked to, and he completely started a re-molt and is pinned out in his entire head now, whereas this BH male still looks splotchy with no signs of pins or improvement.

GOULDYGIRL · Post by **GOULDYGIRL** » Sat May 23, 2009 6:30 am

My RH hen looks exactly like the pics Liz posted of her girls. She started molting right after my RH male but he finished completely and she has patches all around her face. I thought something was wrong or some sought of deficency as well. She had a bout with what I beleive were airsac mites and was treated for that and recovered. I also have her on Iodine and Kelp and also use feather fast sometimes. So far, she's the same.
Renee