Gouldian Juveniles First Molt

[finchmix22]

Well, I had to post this, since my other finches go through their molts without any problems. However, I recall gouldian breeders mentioning that the first molt into adult feathers can be very stressful for juveniles. So, all you gouldian breeders here, please add your comments. I am giving the juvies Feather Fast over their eggfood, to help them not get stuck in their molt and give them the nutrients needed during the molt. I noticed the hen, their mom, is having a rough molt. She is less active and her head is grey,from all the pin feathers, instead of black. She looks so pitiful right now.
Again, I'm just asking for any tips on making sure all six of the gouldians, two are the parents of the juvies, get through this molt healthy and beautiful.

[Colt]

You know Deborah I haven't had a single juvenile have any issues at all going into their adult plumage. But here lately all my adults just look terrible. They are so ratty looking and the pin feathers are just dreadful.

I simply provide good lighting as well as protein rich eggfood and that seems to do the trick.

[Rox]

Hi Deborah, I have never had any issues with my gouldian youngsters coloring up. Some of them do look a bit 'rough' at some stage, all pin-feathers and looking a bit fluffed up, but I have never lost a bird going through their first molt. The birds just quietly push through their molt and before you know it, they are fully colored up.

My only advise would be to leave things as they are and relax

[debbie276]

I also don't noticed any issues with the first molt. The problems arise when you move the chicks especially shipping them and/or over stress them with a big change. That's the reason it is always said not to sell/buy uncolored young, they may get stuck in molt and/or die from the combination of stress and molt. As long as they are staying right where they are they do very well.

Gouldians have the ability to speed up their molt, a compressed molt. During the normal molt the feathers are replaced in an orderly fashion and head and body feathers are replaced simultaneously. The head feathers should be replaced gradually throughout the second half of the molt. During a compressed molt, besides the appearance of multiple non-adjacent new flight feathers there will be a sudden burst of pin feathers on it's head. This is a sign that your birds are going through a compressed molt.

I've never used a molting supplement like feather fast so can't comment on what that does exactly that a well balanced diet wouldn't also do.

I would leave them do their thing without any moves, temperature change and/or nutritional changes and they will be fine.

good luck
let us know how they do

[Smurf]

As has been mentioned it sounds like the hen is going through a compressed moult which is no harm, she'll be first to finish moult. So long as they don't start showing any sick bird symptoms such as fluffed up, lethargic, watery / abnormal droppings, going light etc during next few weeks/months just leave them to it, what you describe seems like a 'very good' moult so far.

It's also common for adults to have have a iight 1st/3rd adult moult followed by a heavy even numbered moult in following year. which could be the case if hen is about 2 or 4 years old.

[lovezebs]

finchmix22

Hi.
Good diet, light and warmth.
I find very few issues with molting, although they do tend to look as if a cat dragged them through a hedge backwards for a while.

That said, I did have one little girl (that I bought from an owner who didn't want her) who had problems. She was a juvie when I got her, and went into her first molt after I brought her home. The poor thing had a terrible time, and for a while I thought that I was going to lose her. It took her forever to grow her adult feathers, but she did pull through and is doing very well.

Good luck.

Elana

[Gráinne Barrett]

Hi Deborah,
As mentioned above, generally young birds look rough during their molt but as long as you provide them with plenty of the nutrients they need and maintain a warm temperature in your aviary, there should be no problems. They need plenty of energy to complete the molt as it requires 2 and a half times the energy needed for egg production! I've been also told that a bath is essential during this time.