Sick Canary

[lyzzyjayne]

This poor baby is in desperate need of rescue. I have what I think can treat it but I'm afraid to bring it into my home. Looks like it may have mites? What do you guys think?

[debbie276]

Mites or plucked if it is with other birds would be my guess.

[30 Seconds to Bob]

The picture's a bit too unclear to make an educated guess. Are all the feathers rough looking, or are they just missing around the face? What do the feet look like? A somewhat common problem with canaries is what the old timers call a "stuck moult", where feathers remain missing around the head and neck. Feather up supplements sometimes help, but sometimes they stay like this until the following year's moult. If you can keep it isolated (at least 20 feet away) from any other cage in your house, you may want to try rehabilitating it. I'd be more concerned if it were showing other signs of illness such as open mouth breathing, tail bobbing, or sitting still and puffed up. Bob

[Rox]

A somewhat common problem with canaries is what the old timers call a "stuck moult", where feathers remain missing around the head and neck. Feather up supplements sometimes help, but sometimes they stay like this until the following year's moult.

My yellow canary hen has this problem around her head and neck. She has been missing feathers for months now after she started moulting and then stopped half way but there are no other signs of illness. I'm hoping the feathers come back after the next moult. She even laid and raised 3 chicks until about 6/7 days old, which she then stopped feeding and the chicks died

I've seperated her from the others for now, as she is in complete 'crazy' breeding mode and lost a lot of weight while brooding, which is why I think she stopped feeding. While she is acting absolutely fine otherwise, I put her on a 6 day course of general antibiotic (Terramycin) to make sure and will be keeping her seperate for another 2 weeks on a seed and egg diet only, with probiotics in the water to help after the antibiotics. It's been a week and she has already picked up weight. She hates me for seperating her though and gives me a mouthfull everytime she sees me!

Good luck if you decide rescue this canary! As Bob mentioned, if you do take it, rather try keep it away from your other birds for now. At least until you know for sure what is going on with her (mites etc or just stuck on moult)

[lou]

can u post another pic, it may not be as bad as it looks
lou

[lyzzyjayne]

Hi Guys-Sorry the pic is so bad. I had the owner take it and send to me. Thanx so much for your input.
I have decided the threat to my own flock is too great. I have gathered an aresenal of medicine and have written out instructions on cleaning and disinfecting of cages and preventative maintenance and am meet the owner this afternoon to give him all the meds and a lecture. He needs to do a clean sweep anyways so he doesn't loose his other birds. Hope it's not too late.

[Mexicancanary]

I have 2 canary hens with the same missing feathers around the neck. It happened towards the end of their last clutch before being separated from the male. I just assumed that when they moulted the feathers would grow back. I treat them for mites as a precaution so I doubt that is the problem.

The canary in the photo may be going through the same thing, don't know the situation.

She is beautiful and I hope she finds a nice home.