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New Mom - Is this what a 6.5 week old lovebird looks like?

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SandraK

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I don't have very much experience with lovies, let alone babies, but your little one looks like he's been plucked or is self-plucking. BUMP!
 

Mrs Featherton

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I wouldn’t think so, as he’s such a young baby.... but I have nothing to compare him to! This was a pic from a week ago.... to me, it looks as though the feathers were just coming in, but I want an expert opinion. Could he be younger than the breeder claims? 7004E3AD-36D0-4302-A41E-09C1E77F450D.jpeg
 

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6.5 weeks is so young! Lovebirds usually don't fully wean until 8 to 12 weeks.

Here's an album showing some chicks as they grow. Growth Progression of my Baby Lovebirds | Flickr

By 6 weeks, your lovebird should have a full set of feathers. Either this baby is younger, or it's being plucked by itself or another bird, or has a disease.
 

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I wouldn’t think so, as he’s such a young baby.... but I have nothing to compare him to! This was a pic from a week ago.... to me, it looks as though the feathers were just coming in, but I want an expert opinion. Could he be younger than the breeder claims? View attachment 274037
The one next to your bird looks like a sibling; should have the same amount of feathers, no?
 

Mrs Featherton

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Not a sibling, as all 3 in his clutch are blue.

Now I’m worried....:crycry:
 

Mrs Featherton

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The breeder says that her blues seem to take longer to fully feather. She doesn’t know why. She says no plucking, no mites. We go to the vet Monday anyway.
 

SandraK

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Is your baby supposed to be completely weaned or has the breeder told you that you will have to hand feed him? Based on cockatiels & gccs (green cheeked conures) 8 weeks would be the minimum age I let a baby go to a new home and then only to someone I know does really know how to hand feed. And at this point in time, that is exactly one young lady only.

My few babies are parent raised and completely weaned, fledged & usually flying before they go to a new home. Emily (young lady above) is the only one I trust unweaned babies to. Sometimes babies regress from eating on their own to needing hand feeding (because of the new home, etc.).
 

iamwhoiam

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Are you getting a health guarantee? That's always a good thing to get.
Great that you are taking baby to vet Monday. I know nothing about when lovebirds wean but do make sure the little one is fully weaned.
 

Mrs Featherton

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Definitely plucking. Looks self-inflicted, based on where the feather destruction is located.
I don’t think all 3 babies would be plucking, especially in exactly the same manner. To me it just looks like immature feathering.... will know better when I lay eyes on him tomorrow and after vet visit Mon. Will keep you posted!
 

SandraK

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Sometimes the parents will pluck the babies - I've run into that with one pair of tiels in my flock. So all three could look the same even though they were not the ones plucking. The bird world is as strange as ours is sometimes.
 

Milestone

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Sometimes the parents will pluck the babies - I've run into that with one pair of tiels in my flock. So all three could look the same even though they were not the ones plucking. The bird world is as strange as ours is sometimes.
I agree.

It does seem strange that at that age their feathers would be like that, to me it shows that something isn't right. Something relating to bad health.

The breeder says that her blues seem to take longer to fully feather. She doesn’t know why.


Or as said, it is plucking because it sure looks that way, especially in the first picture.
 

Mrs Featherton

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Is your baby supposed to be completely weaned or has the breeder told you that you will have to hand feed him? Based on cockatiels & gccs (green cheeked conures) 8 weeks would be the minimum age I let a baby go to a new home and then only to someone I know does really know how to hand feed. And at this point in time, that is exactly one young lady only.

My few babies are parent raised and completely weaned, fledged & usually flying before they go to a new home. Emily (young lady above) is the only one I trust unweaned babies to. Sometimes babies regress from eating on their own to needing hand feeding (because of the new home, etc.).

They have supposedly been eating on their own for a week.
 

Milestone

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I just found this, its called stunting. It can cause unusual feather growth.

There may be many causes for stunting, including chronic infection, malnutrition, being maintained at too cool of a temperature, incorrect incubation parameters, hen being depleted of nutrients when producing eggs or being fed an incorrect diet.

PBFD can also cause weird feathers. But I don't think it's that.

It is possible that lovebirds can be weaned at 7 weeks old but it normally happens at 9-12 I think. If they are eating by themselves its probably because they were forced to wean. How trust worthy is this breeder, if you don't mind me asking? Is it possible she isn't telling the truth on them plucking themselves? To avoid you not buying? Not meaning to be insulting.
 
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SandraK

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Not insulting at all. If you are buying this baby you have the right to ask all the questions you want AND to expect decent answers. If you decide to buy this baby, make sure you do the vet visit asap and ask questions galore. I'd also recommend asking for a copy of your baby's paperwork - parents, vet, hatch date, etc.

Can you give us an idea of where you are in this world of ours? Not an address but a state/country/city?
 
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