My poor budgie can't fly :(

[bertieandkiwi]

Meet my adorable little friend Bertie.

I got Bertie 6 months ago and I believe he is about 3 years old, the whole time i've had him He has been unable to fly due to not having any flight feathers. Every time they grow they either fall out or get plucked out and they don't look healthy like my other budgie; Kiwi's feathers. He also has pin feathers above the cere that just haven't burst in the whole time i've had him. As well as this he grooms and picks at himself a lot more than kiwi and he vibrates his wings a lot.

I've tried changing his diet, using vitamin drops, feeding him egg food and using Johnsons plume spray but nothing seems to be working. It kills me when I see him try to fly but fall flat on his face, he freaks out whenever kiwi leaves the cage and flies round the room. 

Overall he seems like a very happy bird and is always chirping away and playing with his friend, although he wont sit on my finger he is happy to let me stroke him and actually looks like he enjoys it! I am planning on taking him to a vet but I would like some of your opinions on what his condition might be before I go, I've heard french moult can effect birds in this way but not this late in life?



Clearer image of deformed feathers.

Thanks in advance

[Marianne Marlow]

What a sweet pair of budgies.

Bertie does indeed look like he has french moult. I believe that skysmum had a budgie that developed this later in life, so it is possible.

I think that all you can really do is try and make his environment as safe for him as possible.

[Hezz]

Agree with what Marianne Marlow has written; it certainly looks and sounds like French Moult to me as well. Give him the best diet you can as he will be constantly trying to replace the dropped feathers - a calcium and protein-rich diet should help him there.

It is possible that he has PBFD rather than French moult but only a blood test would be able to differentiate between the two at this stage. Since the two have been living together, there is no point in separating them, that would only stress them both.

[clt80]

Your little budgie can still lead a full and active life. As long as they can get about with the help of ladders, perches etc they will still be a happy budgie.