my beautiful lavender looks like an ugly duckling

[yvonnew]

One of my lavenders has had her neck plucked by her mate. He has not plucked her out of aggression, it seems more like affection.

Long story short, when I came home from work today I knew I had to do something her neck and head were plucked almost bare!!! I decided to move her to a 30x18x18 cage, since the move she has called for him almost continually. They are still in the same room so she can hear him and my other birds.

Have I done the right thing? Will the feathers grow back and if so how long will it take? and lastly, do I leave her in a cage by herself until all feathers grow back?

TIA for all the help

PS Will I always battle plucking with this pair?

[cindy]

They might have been trying to mate nest or no nest in the cage...do they have a nest in their cage? I noticed if some of my males run out of nesting material they turn on their mates and pluck them and then take the feathers in the nest box. as soon as I add a variety of nesting materials to the cage the plucking stops.

[yvonnew]

Thanks Cindy for the reply.
No, I did not have a nest in the cage. If that is the reason for the plucking should I wait for her feathers to grow back and then put her back in the cage with him?

[BigBear0007]

I always wanted to know, how do you sex lavender finches?
I saw three for sale, but the seller did not know what sexes they were.

Jerry

[JohnBoy]

Lavenders are notorious for feather plucking. I have one that looks like a vulture. It's been that way for 2 years.

[yvonnew]

oh! Johnboy that's not what I want to hear. I was hoping to hear "someday soon she will look as beautiful as she did 2 months ago"

I still have her in a cage by herself she seems lonely but, hopefully her feathers will grow back in, I still wonder once I put her back in the cage with the male do you think the plucking will start all over again?

Jerry, How to sex the lavenders I really don't know how people do it when there is number of birds in a cage. I know with my 3 prs the female is smaller and if you're lucky you'll see the male do his little dance.
I think the lavenders are probably my prettiest birds but, they are so nervous acting I just don't get that calm feeling the way I do when I watch my Goulds