• Welcome to Avian Avenue! To view our forum with less advertisments please register with us.
    Memberships are free and it will just take a moment. Click here

Pictures Possible Genetic Mutation?

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
Hi all, I have a mates pair of budgies who have hatched and raised two clutches of chicks. The oldest clutch are 1 year old, and the youngest are 6 months old. Recently I have noticed a trend of sorts in the plumage of a couple of the babies. There are a total of 5 birds from the same parents, and two of them, each from separate clutches of eggs, have short tail and wing feathers. They have never been clipped, and they were not pulled out or mounted recently. These birds’ wings and tails have grown this way since hatching. The primary/flight wing feathers are simply shorter than they should be, and they lack long tail feathers, and thus neither bird can fly. I don’t think it is an environmental problem, as my birds are fed a variety of vegetables and live in a large flight cage with plenty of sunlight. I’ve searched online for a while and cannot find any information on this. Has anyone else experienced anything like this?
 

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
I will attach photos of both of the birds in a bit
 

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
Last edited:

JoJo&Loki

Rollerblading along the road
Joined
6/3/19
Messages
2,627
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Real Name
Kelly
French moult is the only thing I’ve ever heard of like this. Do they look like the feathers in this google image? If so, you should take them to a vet for a proper diagnosis and to be advised on anything you can do to help.
The only other thought I have is maybe are being plucked by other cage mates ...but that’s doubtful since you stated they’ve been this way since hatching.
If you have pics you can post that would be helpful, there are many knowledgeable folks on here that may be able to advise you based on a photo.

I’m no expert but I’d say your best next course of action would be a vet checkup.
 

Attachments

Last edited:

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
198B4B12-0651-417C-828B-698EDDA119B1.jpeg 49335764-4F11-45C4-89A9-76F85640F97D.jpeg 1F39161C-E078-44F4-A1E1-923DE93426B7.jpeg
Here are some photos of the older of the two birds in question. As you can see, all the feathers are present, just seemingly shorter.
 

Lady Jane

Ripping up the road
Avenue Veteran
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
8/25/12
Messages
26,570
Location
Maryland
Real Name
Dianne
Perhaps a genetic flaw?
 

expressmailtome

Ripping up the road
Administrator
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
4/15/10
Messages
49,992
Real Name
Matthew
In addition to the members already tagged, @Monica is extremely knowledgeable about hybrids and mutations. She may have an idea.
 

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
Perhaps a genetic flaw?
That is what I am inclined to believe. Regarding the theory that they could be affected by French molt, it doesn’t make sense, because French molt is highly contagious, and would’ve affected the siblings. Neither of the birds with the strange feathers have ever met, or even lived in the same room. The older one was adopted by my sister with its clutch mate, who is unaffected by the disorder. The younger one also lives with its siblings, who remain unaffected as well. All of the birds are adults as well.
 

Monica

Cruising the avenue
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
5/18/10
Messages
11,253
Location
Hell, NV
Real Name
Monica
Do you know how many molts they've gone through?

Can't say I've seen something like this, but it wouldn't hurt to get them tested for PBFD. Not all birds will get it, even when they live with birds who are infected by the disease.

Would also contact avian vets to see if they've seen anything like that.
 

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
Do you know how many molts they've gone through?

Can't say I've seen something like this, but it wouldn't hurt to get them tested for PBFD. Not all birds will get it, even when they live with birds who are infected by the disease.

Would also contact avian vets to see if they've seen anything like that.
The younger one has not yet molted and the older one has molted twice. I will contact my vet and ask if she’s seen anything like it. Other than the feathers, both birds are fine. Attentive, active, a healthy appetite and good droppings.
 

Begone

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
11/29/12
Messages
15,651
For me it looks like it's genetic and if so you should stop breeding them.
Often this kind of genetic issues happen after inbreeding.
 

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
For me it looks like it's genetic and if so you should stop breeding them.
Often this kind of genetic issues happen after inbreeding.
Both parents are from different breeders so I don’t believe there is any inbreeding involved, but I have already decided to stop breeding them when I noticed the problem. Thanks :)
 

Begone

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
11/29/12
Messages
15,651
Inbreeding can show up later too. So one of the parents can be inbred.

And it's not sure that they will have any issues from this, but better safe than sorry.
In the wild they probably have been dead because they can not fly so fast with those short flight feathers.
 

haze

Sprinting down the street
Avenue Veteran
Joined
11/2/15
Messages
401
Location
Houston
Real Name
Sam
Inbreeding can show up later too. So one of the parents can be inbred.

And it's not sure that they will have any issues from this, but better safe than sorry.
In the wild they probably have been dead because they can not fly so fast with those short flight feathers.
I understand. I won’t allow them to raise any more chicks, I don’t wish to have any more birds unable to live fully and fly. The baby I’ve kept is able to get around fine because I’ve modified the cage to be welcoming to a disabled bird, but I agree that in the wild he would’ve died. I’m hopeful that it’s not anything to be seriously worried about, but I will have them both looked at by my avian vet just to be sure.
 

Begone

Joyriding the Neighborhood
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Avenue Spotlight Award
Shutterbugs' Best
Joined
11/29/12
Messages
15,651
The one in the pic (very cute btw) seems healthy so I don't think you should worry. :)
 

PoukieBear

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Joined
9/23/13
Messages
1,104
Location
Ottawa, Ontario
Real Name
Michelle
First, have them tested for French Moult. Once that is (hopefully) ruled out, then we can explore other options like the ones mentioned above.
 

melissasparrots

Rollerblading along the road
Avenue Veteran
Celebirdy of the Month
Mayor of the Avenue
Avenue Spotlight Award
Joined
1/9/11
Messages
4,081
Location
Iowa
I would echo going through the vet for a diagnosis. You might not have to have all the birds tested. Maybe just one or two of them to take samples from. Sometimes you can also take environmental swabs to see if a bird is shedding virus into the environment. It is important to know so that you can take precautions in order to prevent transfer at pet stores or friend's birds. If it were me, I'd not let this pair breed again. This may be something that you can only figure out by first ruling out that which can be tested for.

That first picture with the wing partially spread, it looks to me like maybe the bird is missing feathers. Any chance those feathers which appear to be short flight feathers are actually just the primary coverts? I have no budgies around to compare to.
 
Top