10 year old with balding chest and thighs

[baherit]

Baubles (female) started showing abnormal feather loss last week. Upon further inspection I saw balding patches on her thighs as well. 3 weeks ago I adopted two new young budgies and added them to the flock without quarantining them first (they are still healthy looking).

I have PTSD and live with flashbacks and from an observers perspective I look aggressive and move my arms around a in defensive movements(was assaulted numerous times by toxic ex “friends). My Baubles as a result became scared of me to the point that when I am calm and approach the cage to say hello to my flock, she trembles like a leaf (the others do not). I can’t tell if she may have PBFD or has picked up feather plucking to alleviate her stress.

[Marianne Marlow]

If she's plucking then you'd have probably seen her do so. Does she have plenty of things to chew and keep her occupied?

Does she get regular flight time and have a full compliment of flight feathers?

What's her diet like?

[Hezz]

I doubt that PBFD would show up so quickly and in such a way, if the new birds had brought the disease into your house. It is very possible that the new birds are causing her stress, as you say you brought them into the flock without any quarantine. Have you added these birds to her cage?

There are a lot of questions to ask, but here is what should have happened: Quarantine for minimum for four weeks, and only then do the new birds get to share a room with the resident bird (that is house room, not cage). Most often the birds will be excited to meet and after a day or two of having their cages side by side you can let them out together to have free time, under supervision, while they get to know each other. At this point they still have their separate cages. You should never add new birds directly into a resident hen's cage. Her cage is her house and most woman are rather house-proud and want to know who they are sharing with! Hens can also be territorial with their cage, so adding birds directly into her cage can cause untold amounts of stress and aggression.

With a resident hen and before getting hew birds, if looking to house them all together, and if her cage is the biggest cage, capable of accommodating all together, then another cage is still going to be needed for quarantine, anyway. You would swap her over into the other cage before the new birds arrive and let her get settled, then quarantine new birds in the larger cage, bringing them into the room in the larger cage once quarantine is finished, and allowing time together etc as described above, then invite her into "their" cage, not them into her cage. I hope that makes sense. That is assuming also that the new birds have been the cause of her becoming stressed and possibly plucking. As she is 10, I'm assuming you have had her for quite some time?? Therefore I doubt that is your behaviour that is suddenly causing her to pluck, even if she isn't comfortable with you approaching her cage.

[baherit]

I admit have not been observing enough for watch for plucking. Baubles lives with 7 other budgies in a *huge* cage (seriously you could fit a human being inside that sucker!) She has lots of things to chew on and shred, the cage is filled with lots of engaging toys. I even recently bought the flock their own Tablet to watch hours long Youtube videos of other budgies chirping away. Every day I am home and every evening after work my flock gets several hours worth of flight time, so frequently that there are days I open the cage door and the flock chooses to stay inside. "Nah, we're good today, thanks though. We'll chill in here today."

She still has all her flight feathers and also her tail feathers are fine.

Her diet is spinach, kale, corn, broccoli, boiled egg once a week, bird seed and sometimes gourmet cooked bird food, plus filtered water that's changed regularly.

I have owned Baubles her whole life.

The two new birds were added to the flock's cage. Baubles is the eldest of the flock.

[Hezz]

Okay, it sounds like she and her flock are living a lovely life. At 10 years of age, she is in her twilight years. do you think it could be simply old age?? Maybe she would appreciate a space of her own?? Some of our elderly buds do find the younger ones a bit too boisterous and need their own place for a little peace and quiet. Otherwise, I'm out of suggestions, I'm afraid.

[clt80]

Agree with what Hezz has said, I think she wants time out from the younger ones in her own cage.

[baherit]

UPDATE: Since separating Baubles from the flock a few days ago and keeping her in my room, with continued access to outside-cage time (she perches on my laundry drying rack that stands next to my window), her feather loss has not worsened and her bald spots have become less visible (perhaps due to feather preening equivalent of a comb-over ). I have observed her preening herself and have not seen feathers fall from her body as a result and I do see pin feathers sticking out of her body in the regions where feather loss has occurred. No additional signs of sickness such as fatigue, or loss of appetite, etc. have developed.

[Hezz]

That is really good news, even if early days. Lets hope that the pin feathers get the chance to fill in the comb-over If she wants time with the rest of the flock, you will hear about it, I'm sure. Let her have it, but leave her with the option of having her own little spinster pad. Any elderly parent will tell you that it is nice to have the grandkids visit, but gee, it is so nice and peaceful once they have gone home!