French Moult ?

[naldy]

Can a budgie catch french moult from another or is it a virus theyre born with ?

[barrieshutt]

It is a virus and is not to my knowledge contagious but is often confused with a stressed baby budgie loosing its primary flight and tail feathers.

[nat]

I've had a bird with FM in my aviary for over 4 years and nobody has caught it from him. Even chicks that I've put in the aviary as young as 8-12 weeks old have not been affected. I wouldn't breed from my French Moulter as I don't know enough about how they can pass it on through their very young chicks in the nestboox. I have read that very young chicks will catch it from a parent, but do not know if this is correct as I have never practiced it by breeding a F moulter myself.
But I can assure you that a FM bird will not pass the virus on to adult birds over 8 weeks old. My guy must have had 60 odd 8 week old + chicks living with him plus numerous adult birds at some point and not one has ended up with FM

[naldy]

Thanx guys,the reason i asked was i had 2 out of 5 chicks drop all their flight and tail feathers from a apparently unaffected pair !
Then i noticed an adult,3 yr old bird in my flight which had dropped his flight feathers on one wing,so i was obviously a little concerned !
Im aware opinion is divided,as to whether or not french moult can be transfered from one bird to another,i actually rather foolishly bought a cock bird in and i missed the fact it had no flight feathers,i guess i was mesmerised by the size of the birds head and shoulders,still,we learn by our mistakes !
This is what has prompted me to ask this question,i suppose time will tell,i'll have to keep an eye on it,thanx again guys