As fanciers familiar to this website understand, in Dr Rob Marshall, we have on board, arguably, one of the finest avian veterinary surgeons in the world.

His book The Budgerigar should be to hand for all serious fanciers for the answers to all the disease conditions that exit in parrot-like forms (but specifically on budgerigars), when it always seems as though it is the best ones that succumb to “going light” and we struggle to help them.

Below are two examples of sound procedural advice on what are mysterious problems for even the most experienced of us.

Neither fancier wishes to be named.

Problem #1 affecting cocks only

Question: I get occasional birds that do not exhibit any external fluffing up features or nasal discharge or vent problems. However they do not look 100 per cent and their crops are almost empty. They require a heat source to help as there is some loss of weight. No signs of wetness around the beak and no regurgitation is evident. It can occur in flights or breeding / stock cages but seems worse as the colder weather begins. Can you make a calculated guess as to what it could be and would it be helpful to crop feed them using one of the powders made for this purpose?

Dr Rob says:

These birds are birds that come into breeding condition, so sexually they are on the rise (see pages 270-273 in The Budgerigar). You may see a very blue cere(s) and as you say, involving a cold spell (see pages 322-323) – there may be pin feathers on the head as well?

What happens is that under the effect of testosterone, their immune system is affected which causes an acute Streptococcus infection (see pages 374-376).

Check also for quill mites around the tail region in particular (see pages 390-291).

Preventative treatment is by using “Quik Gel” to support the breeding condition while it is chilly and using a penicillin based product containing amoxicillin from your local veterinary surgeon. Administer via a crop needle. Both of these products are obtainable from my surgery or through Riversway Avicultural (see advert on this Website) in UK.

No action and the result is infertility in the next cycle in 7-8 weeks and of course possible death at any time.

Associated images from “The Budgerigar” – click on any image to enlarge it:

 

 

Problem #2 affecting hens only

Question: Many of my hens develop watery large droppings with a few having caked vents during the breeding season, in and out of the breeding cages. All the cocks are fine. There is a smell to the droppings. Can you advise please?

Dr Rob says:

The most likely cause is stress which all breeders seem to dismiss, probably because we as humans all suffer stress in the modern world.

Where birds are concerned, stress occurs during the breeding cycle of the hen(s) (see pages 285-287 especially figure 22b). Not all hens are affected because this problem affects only those breeding hens when the stressful factor arises at the critical stage of the breeding cycle (e.g. a cold spell, wet weather etc. See pages 380-384)

Look especially at fig. 30a and figs 30b and 30d and examine the stress factors outlined.

Treat the complete flock with “Quik Gel” for two days to counteract the stress across the complete stud.

Isolate and treat hens with dirty vents and treat them also with an appropriate antibiotic medicine. Such hens require additional nutritional support (e.g. a liquid calcium and “Quik Gel”) during their recovery and once recovery starts such patients must be rested and fed well for 2 months (a complete breeding cycle).

Associated image from “The Budgerigar” – click on the image to enlarge it:

 

Additional comment by Gerald Binks

A warning to the inexperienced!

Do be aware that many items sold as “Hospital Cages” can quickly cause death by dehydration as the patient is incapable of drinking itself because it is so ill.

Many fanciers today use a show cage placed on a heat source so this sustains the body during treatment plus frequent topping up with water direct to the beak or via a crop needle.

He had a “gut” feeling that the level of lighting some have randomly installed, could be more important than we think. However, being an amateur when it came to understanding the physics of the variable sources of such lighting, he was still in the process of researching the matter more fully.

On a personal basis, I also have no experience at all on this subject. I have read that all forms of ultraviolet (UV) light, whether from the sun or an artificial source, can trigger the formation of Vitamin D when it falls on our bare skin. But what about the effect on our birds? Perhaps some experienced fancier can advise me?

The matter was dropped until I was spoken to by a leading Red Eye breeder. He had built a new aviary and installed UV lighting – such as has been described in magazines around the world and is normally used by those who illuminate their aquariums containing reptiles or related species.

To his dismay, he found some red eyes going blind with these lights. Significantly, with three rows of breeding cages, there were more cases of blindness in those sited in the top row, than those in the bottom row. To date 13 high quality red eyes have gone blind and long term there could be more. Perhaps some still sighted birds have sustained some visual damage. Who knows?

This news of course relates to lutinos and the like and perhaps cinnamons. I stress I am no expert, but my feeling is that many fanciers in their rush to breed better birds with greater fertility, could run into serious problems in using this type of lighting. Here we have a fact of serious damage and loss of birds as a result of going blind. All I can add to the hobby worldwide is to be careful in the use of sources of UV lighting before such effects have been thoroughly researched by those who know far more about this subject. The normal black eyed varieties, so far, seem to be unaffected but one cannot be totally sure about such a statement.

As humans, we are continually warned today about long exposure to the sun – causing skin damage and cancerous melanomas arising at any age. This is because the UV strength has increased following the thinning of the atmosphere. We are also encouraged to use sunglasses to prevent eye strain and long term damage. So the dangers of UV are a fact we should all take on board – especially us as bird fanciers, who in some cases have rushed to install this type of lighting unaware of the dangers involved.

Robert’s query:

After visiting and discussing the birds diet, I was alarmed at the suggestion by my friend that chlorine in the water kills most, if not all, vitamin supplements that we administer in water. This to include Cytacon, Abidec and I imagine others.

This was passed on to him by a pharmacist.

Your views please.

For the correct answer, I wrote to Dr Gloria Havenhand of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, UK. Gloria is known throughout the hobby and is fully qualified to answer. She is married to top budgerigar breeder Don Havenhand.

Here is Gloria’s answer in full:

As we all know, most councils add chlorine to our drinking water – and if the council says it is okay – it is okay is it not?

Mainly, chlorine is added to stop harmful bacteria growing at a rate of knots in our water supply.

Remember, our drinking water is mostly recycled sewage water!

Chlorine is the “chariot of carnage” for bacteria like E.coli – but do remember that if chlorine can affect one organism, it is as likely to affect another, and another, in some way or other.

Remember all of you – chlorine gas was pumped into the faces and lungs of your great grandfathers in the First World War (1914–1918). It killed and maligned thousands on the battlefield by destroying lung and throat membranes within a few short breaths!

Chlorine is a halogen – in the same group as fluorine, bromine and iodine. These are never naturally found in nature! They can be killers above a dose of 1,000 parts in 1 million in humans and less than 100 parts per million in birds and small mammals.

They have highly unpleasant and suffocating fumes, can burn flesh and are certainly toxic. That is why they decimate bacteria!

DDT, the disaster chlorine-based pesticide of the 1960’s, was eventually banned in 1973 in the USA – it was cumulative in muscle and hence the meat and fish we all ate. DDT caused hormonal and central nervous disruption in humans and a multitude of animals sledging down the food chain. Guess what – DDT is back again today and used against the malarial parasite.

It is difficult to sit easy about any chemical – it has the habit of déjà vu!

So, where does this leave us with chlorine and the question of its effect on vitamins?

Take heed that chlorine slays most of the good bacteria in our intestines and probably that in birds too!

Bacteria spearhead the production of vitamins like vitamin B12 and vitamin K within the intestine. This is why we have so many ads on TV for Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli – good bacteria which elbow out the nasty pathogens our gut develops when slaked with chlorine, fluorine and antibiotics of any description!

You all apply and dose ill birds with antibiotics, slaying vitamins and good bacteria at a swipe!

So you choose.

Less is more – I would advise.

This is why so many bird fanciers use bee propolis essence – the natural antibacterial from the beehive – essential to apply to feather problems externally and immune boost internally and which has no detected effect on vitamin and nutritional absorption.

Vitamin absorption and use by date are singularly time based – so a daily supplement is okay – but is just waiting around the intestinal bend to be devastated in its form!

Use you head and your heart.

Further Reading:

• Halogens
• Bee Propolis Essence

Whether this is recently or some time ago is not known, but it is a fact that most of the water companies have been adding fluoride for many years into our water system.

The Purpose of Fluoride in Drinking Water

Since 1916 (that long ago!), it has been known that the lack of fluoride in our drinking water has allowed dental caries (decay) to occur in children. This is because the right amount of fluoride causes formation of tooth enamel that is much more resistant to decay

This caused the UK water companies (in fairly recent times) to add one part per million of fluoride to the water they supply to us.

This action caused great debate at the time and continues to this day whenever the subject arises.

There seems little doubt that this inclusion has been beneficial for children, but one area is worrying. That is if the amount of fluoride added to the water is inaccurate. Excessive fluoride is just as harmful to the teeth as insufficient amounts – but more of that later.

The data I have to hand suggests that it may be that only children are the ones who benefit!

Sources of Fluoride

Fluoride is a natural trace element for animals and humans which occurs in the earth’s crust, but by adding fluoride artificially, there is no barrier to the absorption of this substance.

It occurs in the bones, teeth, the thyroid gland (the Adam’s Apple) and skin.

That said, a great deal of fluoride is excreted via the urine.

The richest source of fluoride is via tea, particularly Chinese tea apparently. Indian tea is less rich.

Toothpastes also contain fluoride traces apparently.

Levels of Fluoride

Problems in humans and animals can occur whether fluoride levels are too low or too high!

Insufficient levels can cause dental decay in children. In animals (and that includes birds), insufficient fluoride levels causes anaemia and infertility in mice. It also causes stunted growth in rats and chicks as well as reduced skeletal development.

Excessive amounts of fluoride in humans can cause mottled brown patches on teeth. In severe cases, it can cause tooth enamel to become soft, crumbly, and darkly stained.

Excessive fluoride in dairy animals can cause weakened bones that are more prone to fracture. Reduced milk yield is also another possible outcome.

In Conclusion: Fluoride

As readers will realise there is no solid conclusion that we as bird fanciers can come to with the above information – hence the controversy continues to be debated at length.

One can speculate, for example, that small birds with small frames could be attributed to fluoride or that poor fertility is induced by the same chemical.

Then we have the matter (again speculation) of feather dusters appearing, but that can be an entirely genetic mutation and nothing to do at all with fluoride.

What is interesting, is that when a feather duster arrives (and as we know, they are obliged to be put down eventually), the neck bones are terribly strong compared to normal budgerigars. Why is a question I cannot answer. All I know, is that it is a sickening process which is best avoided by not breeding with lines in which these “monsters” appear.

Finally, I do worry, that within the water companies, the addition of fluoride to our water in careless or inexperienced hands could be a hazard.

Knowing fanciers frequently think that “twice as much is twice as good” (for example with vitamin solutions), when it is certainly not, one wonders therefore how strict the controls are when fluoride is added by water company staff?

The problem can be caused by 15 or more different diseases, all resulting in massive weight loss which is rapidly depleted when a budgerigar is under stress and / or associated illness.

Regular readers are fully aware that we have, arguably, one the world’s finest avian veterinarians at our disposal. I refer, of course, to Dr Rob Marshall. So rather than take non-qualified comments from the editorial desk, please access his full expertise in the following way.

• On all pages on this site, in the righthand column, you will see (under the first advertisement section) a small navigation bar entitled “Translate Search Archives Tags X”.
• Click on “Tags” and this section will expand to show a dropdown box entitled “Select a Tag”.
• Click on the down arrow to the right of “Select a Tag” to expand the list of tags.
• Scroll down until you reach the tag entitled “Dr Rob Marshall”. Click on it to select it.
• All articles that have been “tagged” with Dr Rob Marshall will now be listed.

In the above list are articles entitled “Budgerigar Health – Parts 1-5″. These are superb for us amateurs to diagnose problems and narrow down the field of diseases which may be the route you can follow in conjunction with you local veterinarian.

We recommend that you print these articles and put them “on file” so that you can then submit them to your non-avian veterinarian, who can hopefully then supply you with the relevant drug(s). Make sure you take a sick patient with you after reading Dr Marshall’s excellent work.

Please do make use of the “Tags” system to quickly find items of personal interest. It is a very useful addition to this site.

Q. If you were shipping a group of birds abroad, across the USA, or via road, involving a long number of hours in excess of a day, is there any merit in putting them on amoxycillin trihydrate before they leave an aviary to assist with stress?

Similarly, if a breeder was buying a bird in Australia from a top champion in, say, Queensland and driving back to South Australia, would he/she be advised to crop “feed” amoxycillin before departure?

The stresses of such journeys are obvious involving crating, unfamilar noises en route, changes of seed and water on arrival in new premises and the rise in streptococcal infection as a result.

Jim Carter
Texas, USA

Our resident veterinarian, Dr Rob Marshall, answers as follows:

A. This is a very insightful question.

My approach to this situation is to give “Quik Gel” in drinking water a day before transfer and again via crop needle three hours before departure.

On arrival at the destination, place the birds in a holding cage, separated according to sex.

Monitor each bird closely for signs of acute stress as they enter the cage – i.e. look for pectoral muscle weight loss (see pages 226-7 “The Budgerigar” book) and wet vent (see pages 227-8 “The Budgerigar” book).

If these signs of acute stress are present, then crop feed with food and “Quik Gel” and a penicillin antibiotic (e.g. amoxycillin) and repeat this process for two days.

If no signs of acute stress are found, then give normal food and “Quik Gel” in drinking water for one day, then monitor the birds for five days whilst they acclimatise to their new home.

Note from Gerald Binks:

I cannot speak too highly of Dr Marshall’s book and, in particular, his product “Quik Gel”.

The latter is superb for administering immediately to a sick bird under stress.

My personal use of “Quik Gel” has been outstanding in the aviary, when needed, associated with a heat source.

Full details on “Quik Gel” can be found in this article.

Full details on “The Budgerigar” book can be found in this article.

Both of the above can be obtained online as detailed in this article.

As readers may already be aware, I am trying to establish if the loss of tail feathers can be attributed to nutrition, feather mite infestation, lice or another unknown cause.

For additional background information on tail feather loss, please read the following articles previously published on this website:

• Tails You Lose – Part 1
• Tails You Lose – Part 2

Naturally, I am on record that the problem is closely related to the longest feathers in the body (being connected to all the feathers involved) not receiving the FULLEST nutrition at the vital moment. It can, of course, also be regarded as a borderline French Moult syndrome as well.

Mites in Young Birds

Upon examination of one of my young budgerigars (5-6 weeks old), I noticed dense numbers of feather mites. Could this mean that young chicks were being infected by the mites from the parents?

I did now start to wonder if these feather mites, which accumulate in all our budgerigars, could be a contributory factor.

The mites could be coming at the “wrong time” – i.e. just as young birds were trying to grow tails feathers to their fullest extent.

All guesswork really, but to me, it was thought provoking.

Feather Mites

These were the steps I took to examine the feather mites:

• Use an optician’s eye glass (I found that x8 magnification was ideal)
• Remove some tail feathers from adults and the 6 week old chicks
• Hold each feather up to a strong light source
• Look at the main vein of the centre shaft
• Your should see groups of feather mites accumulated between each sub feather

So what exactly are feather mites?

They are but one group of “bugs” called arachnids. They feed on feathers themselves.

Have you noticed transverse damage across tail feathers? This is caused by the feather mites.

Do we want them there? The answer is no!

So, the big question is: how to get rid of them – or at least to reduce them radically so that they are a minor problem?

Seeking Expert Advice

First of all I contacted Dr Rob Marshall.

Here is his opinion on tail losses (which basically goes back to my earlier thoughts on nutrition as the cause):

There are nutritional, genetic and disease factors in the symptoms you describe.

Nutritionally, the paired central tail feathers are the largest feathers in the body. Together with the end flights they take the longest time to grow and the protein required and the energy requirements to regrow these feathers is substantial (if the tail and flights have dropped).

There is a greater likelihood for this condition to occur in susceptible birds when the energy, protein and mineral content of the diet is lacking, or out of balance.

Energy is the most common deficiency in these bigger buff-feathered birds as they are less able to maintain their body temperature – because their buff feathers are less efficient at insulating them from changing temperatures.

The vitality of such birds is often compromised so that they require more food to remain healthy.

Healthy birds eat less.

So my thoughts now were twofold.

1. Ask Dr Rob Marshall as to what actions he would advise given what he has said
2. In the meantime, attack the mite factor

Further Questions to Dr Rob Marshall

Here are the additional questions I addressed to Dr Marshall (replies later):

1. What should a breeder do to ensure a high energy output and protein input to avoid the problem in the first place?
2. What action can be taken to clean / disinfect the follicles after the damage appears?
3. What will stimulate re-growth in tail losses?

Attacking The Mite Factor

I decided to attack the feather mite factor (as well as any other forms of arachnids that could be around e.g. red mites, fodder mites, air sac mites and burrowing mites that cause scaly face).

I wondered whether there was a cure that could kill off at least 90% of them – on some form of a course at certain times in the season?

If so, how to achieve this with a big stud of 200 plus birds or even five times that number?

The only available product (that I am aware of) is of course Ivermectin Solution.

This is fine for gently rubbing into the neck area of a bird (with surgical gloves on please or it goes into your skin as well) but dealing with bird numbers is a problem.

Help was therefore needed so I started making enquiries.

The Abbate Technique

I received an illuminating letter from Reji Luke – a passionate breeder in India. Mr Luke believes that low nutrition is the basis for tail-less problems. He stated that, in his opinion, amino acids required for growth are used for body mass build-up during the initial stages of the chick’s growth.

Mr Luke’s letter proved most illuminating – especially on the matter of ridding feather mites on birds in big numbers.

Mr Luke credits much of his studies to G.A. Abbate (Snr), a cage bird breeder based in North America.

Apparently, Mr Abbate was reading about the use of Ivermectin on cows.

It struck him that could it be used for our birds – but in what quantity and medium and what dosage and for how long?

After many experiments and a lot of time, he managed to establish a safe and highly effective process for use on a large stud twice per year.

His technique is now used all over North America and in many other countries.

Here it is:

IMPORTANT Preliminary Notes

• Use “Ivermectin 1% Injectable Solution” – this is widely available, but we suggest you obtain it via your veterinary surgeon. (Note: Don’t worry about the word “injectable” as we will be giving it orally !)
• Never exceed the dosage (see below) – An overdose can kill your birds so accuracy is vital. All external parasites and many types of intestinal worms can be removed in this way.
• Perform this technique every 6 months when the stud is NOT breeding.

Stage 1

• In the evening, just before the birds roost, remove all the sources of water available to the stud. The next morning the birds are thirsty.
• Vigorously shake the Ivermectin bottle.
• Using a syringe, add the Ivermectin to a standard plastic / glass jug of drinking water using the most appropriate dosage below:
  Metric Dosage
  • 1 cc / 1 ml of Ivermectin to 0.95 litre of water
  British Imperial Liquid Dosage
  • 1 cc / 1 ml of Ivermectin to 1.7 pints of water
  U.S. Liquid Dosage
  • 1 cc / 1 ml of Ivermectin to 32 fl oz / 1 quart of water

Stage 2

• Vigorously mix the water treated with the Ivermectin before placing it before the birds in a clean pre-sterilised container.
• Leave the mixture before the birds EITHER until they drink all of it OR until the next day.

Stage 3

• Exactly 2 weeks later, repeat stages 1 & 2
• That’s it – job finished !

Binks Follow-Up

As the feather mite feeds on dead feather, how are they killed off?

The only way I can suggest is to use a bath of the aforementioned mixture as well as the drinking water so that many birds will splash around in it at a depth of about an inch and wet their feathers.

Also, when timing it for the first session, choose a period when there is a big moult approaching – with both both your young birds and adults shedding feathers in great quantities.

Once treated, clean out all cages and flights of all the rubbish seed and droppings and the feathers in particular, so that cross infection does not repeat itself.

Your mature breeding stock can then be bred in the knowledge that the chances of mite-infested adults contaminating their chicks is now unlikely.

I have treated my stud using the aforementioned techniques – and the stud looks great!

Since the treatment, close examination of the feathers has seen a dramatic reduction in damage and the new feather growth seems very free of feather mites (and presumably any other mites or even lice that can be on birds).

With a small stud, spraying around the vent feathers can be done of course, but most fanciers have bigger numbers and this is a sure way to deal with matters provided you are systematic with the timing.

I am indebted to Reji Luke for steering me in this direction.

Further Binks Question

Now, think about this! In a non-treated aviary (knowing that the parents can infect their young with mites in the nest), does their presence cause the chicks to be “pulled back” nutritionally, resulting in one possible cause of French moult and / or the loss of the tails?

I do not yet know the answer, but I will be investigating further and the information will be published on this website.

I am interested to know more about feather cysts in budgerigars as I have a bird with a cyst on one wing butt. It is a 2008 bird.

This arose after a moult and I now see some of his tail feather follicles look rather swollen and resemble what can be described as an “ingrowing look”.

There are also a few “stumpy” feather tips protruding from these tail follicles. Should these be pulled out?

This problem has only started after full maturity – so my concern is, should I discard this bird from future breeding now, or persist with it as it is certainly fertile?

I am trying the Binks “Attack, Attack, Attack” principle, but I am frustrated by this recent setback.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Here are responses from Gerald Binks & Dr Rob Marshall:

GSB Replies

Let me give my opinion first of all, as the enthusiastic amateur on matters medical. I e-mailed Rob Marshall for his expertise and this can be seen below.

I think this is an excellent question which bothers a great number of fanciers, myself included.

While common with aged pet birds, such cysts do appear in the areas described by Jon on a fairly frequent basis in the exhibition world.

It is sometimes associated with build up from a blocked feather follicle – which, if lanced with a sterilised scalpel, releases a cheesy-like mass that has accumulated around the follicle and the protruding stump of the feather, or feathers.

There may be a group of feathers or stumps involved, not just one.

This applies to both areas – namely where the primaries are seated and the tail follicles sited as well.

My problem personally with this type of cheesy cyst, is that, after clearing the mass, it returns.

There is some blood loss while clearing the mass, but not a great amount – but here comes the next problem!

It returns after the scalpel wound has recovered. (I should perhaps mention here, that I was trained in zoology at school and also learned a great deal while in the Royal Army Medical Corps medical centre under various doctors. So despite being an amateur, I do have some anatomical experience behind me.)

At this point, I’ll hand over to Dr Rob Marshall (…whose great book, The Budgerigar, should be on everyone’s bookshelf. I refer to it very frequently even after 65 years at this hobby!).

Dr Rob Marshall Replies

I often see a caseous (a sheath-like cyst) infection at the base of the tail that involves the follicles of the long feathers, specifically both areas where such long feathers grow. So that includes the zone from where the long primaries grow!

This type of infection is nearly always associated with the preen gland in the case of the tail area.

In my mind it reflects an inherently (note that word) weak bird that is not preening itself adequately due to a lack of vitality – hence not all birds in a stud are affected, as in other variable diseases.

Lack of nutritional balance and other conditions that suppress immunity to this problem are often a cause.

That is an environmental change that is too moist, dusty or where there are fluctuating temperatures and humidity.

The use of Ivermectin, which many fanciers use for the clearance of mites, is a solution and has a propylene glycol base which is great for clearing up cheesy-type infections as described earlier.

Conclusion from GSB

This last observation from Rob Marshall caught my eye!

I knew that Reinhard Molkentin, one of the great thinking fanciers in the hobby, places a small drop of Ivermectin on the dorsal (top) side of the tiny area where the tail grows with a “00 brush” – when he rings each bird.

I called him and he states that they have a trolley which has all the food, rings and tools on it, but also a bottle of Ivermectin! As he and his son Holger go round on their daily routine, they put a drop of Ivermectin on the tail area of birds being ringed that day. That routine never changes.

Reinhard also added that this idea came from what happens with cattle – such as the small Dexter cattle that get ticks and worms, as well as other variant bugs. It is general practice with all the farmers to do this, obviously using larger doses.

So, as Dr Rob Marshall observes, Ivermectin can be very useful to have on hand.

Reinhard is adamant that for the past few years they have not had one case of cysts and they are breeding with 200 pairs per annum now.

This article should stimulate not only Jon Ashby, but us all in general.

Jon Ashby should therefore breed with a bird with cysts and seriously consider taking the combined advice of Dr Rob Marshall and Reinhard Molkentin.

Please be aware, that some of these may be unique to Australia or available in other parts of the world under a different name.

Pro-biotic

Plain yoghurt (warm) is a good source of introducing gut flora (good bacteria or intestinal microbial balance) for newly hatched birds, birds that may be ill and/or not eating well.

The yogurt will “reboot” or “balance” their “good” stomach flora.

You can buy pro-biotic in powder form that is water soluble, one being “Probac Soluble” from The Australian Pigeon Company, and it is recommended that it should be given to the bird for 2 days after any antibiotic treatment.A pro-biotic can be used during periods of stress or generally as a ‘pick me up’.

DO NOT over use anti-biotics as they can (in some cases) do more harm than good.

I treated a number of budgerigars over a long period of time with anti-biotics plus “sterilised” the aviary to the point that the birds became “ill” and lost condition. A sample of faeces was kept prior to this process taking place. These faeces were crop fed as a “slurry” to one of the birds and within days it was bordering on full health – it basically helped to get the gut flora back to normal.

Some people like to have spotless aviaries / breeding cages. It is better to leave the birds faeces in the aviary / breeding cage (within reason and as long as not in the weather enabling it to get wet) as the faeces is a source of Vitamin B12 after a period of time.

Iodine

Iodine in the water creates a number of positives:

• it kills any bad bugs (organisms) that may be in the water
• helps warm the blood – great for winter
• (potentially) a more prolific breeding season as it helps the thyroid gland to remain ‘healthy’. The thyroid gland regulates many metabolic processes, including growth and energy use.

Treatment is 8 drops (1 drop = 0.05 ml.) of Iodine Tincture per litre of water 3-4 times a week (continual days). Disinfecting or purification time is around 15 to 30 minutes depending on water temperature.

Vitamins, Calcium & Grits

Natural sunlight produces Vitamin D and is required to assist the absorption of calcium along with other benefits.

A Vetafarm product “Soluvite D Breeder” is a water soluble formula with a variable of vitamins that are suitable for all species of birds. Liquid calcium can be added to this mix in the form of “CalcivitePlus” or “Calcivet” or similar products. This “blend” can be used to help prevent splayed legs, soft shelled eggs.

Mount Gambier water is full of lime and should be a suitable source of calcium to the birds. Some time ago, during the breeding season, I decided to change my water source from Mount Gambier water to rain water.

Within a week numbers of eggs were being produced with soft shells! What had I done?

A complete removal of the very thing they needed for egg production had been removed. A quick reversion to Mount Gambier water had things back on track in a short period of time.

If you are feeding more than 20% oil seed, then “CalcivitePlus” or similar might be needed, as this high intake of oil seed may interfere with the calcium intake of the bird.

Calcium Gluconate made up to 1.375 mg per ml of ‘water for injection’ is a good source of calcium. Inject around ½ ml to the chest muscle (budgerigar size).

Grit is great to give to the birds it helps them to grind up their seed, like teeth, the grit stays in the gizzard until it breaks down. Beach sand and shell grit are often used but they ‘dissolve’ a lot quicker due to the acids within the crop. Beach sand is of benefit as it contains salts and a variable of minerals.

Soft dolomite and/or limestone are also good for the birds as a source of calcium and will assist in beak ‘maintenance’.

Cuttlefish is high in calcium but it is more of a toy, the birds just break it up and leave it on the floor – they may get a small amount of calcium from it.

Be very careful where you get your Cuttlefish from as it is a great sponge and can absorb toxins that may harm or potentially kill your birds. I also suggest that if the Cuttlefish is powdery to touch, it should be thrown out. There is no substance in the Cuttlefish for one, and I fear some bacterial or other action has caused this breakdown and if the bird does have some intake I would not be certain of the end result for the bird.

Charcoal is a good toxin absorber and I feed this to the birds readily.

Silverbeet is a source of iron and Vitamin A and will help with cell production, the growth and repair of tissues and excellent for skin, bone, egg and feather health. Not enough Vitamin A can result in poor feather production.

Sprouted Seeds

Sprouted seeds are more valuable for the birds. They are rich in digestible energy, bio-available vitamins, minerals, amino acids and proteins noting that these are necessary for a germinating plant to grow.

Chavan and Kadam (1989) concluded that –

“The desirable nutritional changes that occur during sprouting are mainly due to the breakdown of complex compounds into a more simple form, transformation into essential constituents and breakdown of nutritionally undesirable constituents.”

Gum Branches

Fresh gum branches, including leaves are a good source of ‘sugar’ – and I should mention in particular for psittacines. I prefer to use sugar gum, but now find it hard to access.

The cambium (a layer of cells) produces sap conducting tissues:

• Xylem – carries water and dissolves minerals from the roots through the stem and leaves
• Phloem – carries the nutrients to all parts of the plant

This is a ‘natural’ for the birds but is best presented freshly cut to enable the birds to access the positives from within.

Medications I Keep on Hand

Doxyvet

“Doxyvet” or any Doxycycline water soluble product that is manufactured for birds is the first treatment that I give any new birds once they arrive at my establishment, for 7 days in the warmer climate and 10 days in the moist climate noting that some birds will take the ‘moisture from the air’ in lieu of drinking. Some birds can go for many days without a drink.

This product is also used for the treatment of Chlamydia or Psittacosis, a vet will diagnose this and then a 45 day treatment is required. Humans can get quite ill from Psittacosis and if you are having continual flu-like
symptoms, it is wise to inform your doctor that you keep birds so a simple blood test can be taken to assess if it is present within your system.

Ronivet-S

“Ronivet-S” to treat Canker (Trichomoniasis). I thought this issue was more of a Queensland problem because of the humidity.

Wrong! I had an outbreak last year that impacted my aviary, the birds were from Queensland, had been quarantined and were paired up and had chicks. The issue was with the chicks.

Luckily a local vet was vigilant and identified the problem and the loss was one bird. One bird too many. Now I treat every 3 months as recommended by the vet and on the label.

Emtryl

“Emtryl” is another product that treats Trichomoniasis but I would suggest use with caution.

It has been suggested that this product renders the cocks infertile for a number of weeks as well as being dangerous to use in hot weather as too large a consumption may kill the birds.

Use in winter or if it must be used during summer make sure it is a very weak dose – noting again that 4 treatments a year would be recommended.

I am talking budgerigars here and am not sure about other species.

Baycox

“Baycox” is used to treat Coccidiosis. Treat for 2 days and every 4 weeks if an ongoing issue. Aviaries that have dirt floors are more at risk of picking up this infection as it has the perfect environment to live in. The Oocysts can lay ‘dormant’ for years and with the right conditions, another outbreak.

One thing to remember with all of medicinal treatments is to NOT feed soft or green foods. The treatment should be the only source of ‘liquid’ available.

F10sc

“F10sc” is a veterinary disinfectant that kills off certain Gram+ and Gram- bacteria, yeast, fungi, mould, viruses including Newcastle Disease and avian influenza I have read. A very important addition to any establishment.

Moxidectin

“Moxidectin” wormer is a product manufactured for birds as is Combantrin for humans.

Fanciers use sheep and cattle products with great risk. Get the dose wrong and the end result can be disastrous.

Would you take a sheep or cattle product yourself in lieu of for example Combantrin? I suggest not.

Linco-Spectin

“Linco-Spectin” Anti-biotic Injectable Solution has probably saved more birds for me than any other product.

The correct dose injected into the keel muscle is the best way to administer.

Tricin – eye ointment

“Tricin – eye ointment” also used for ear problems in animals.

Tricin – Triple Anti-biotic Powder

“Tricin – Triple Antibiotic Powder” treats wounds that have infection from Gram+ or Gram- bacteria.

Avian Insect Liquidator

“Avian Insect Liquidator” or “AIL” a residual insecticide that is able to be sprayed onto the birds and lasts around 6 weeks.

I use in the nest boxes, on the perches and have great success with this product.

Before Treatment

Before treating any of my birds with a water soluble medication, be it preventative or a treatment, I remove the water container the afternoon prior to the treatment and give the ‘water’ as late as possible in the morning (late morning to early afternoon) so they ‘hit’ the container readily.

I DO NOT USE bottles to drip feed water. This is in my opinion a disaster waiting to happen. Open bowls only gives access to the birds to share the drinker plus minimises the risk of transfer of disease from one bird to another.

Caution

These are products that I use on my birds as required and take no responsibility for any other person using these products for whatever reason.

I was in touch with Peter van Amelsvoort recently and we discussed the matter of feather problems that occur in budgerigars.

If they are pets or show birds, the problems are the same, but best avoided. Today, we have big birds, but with, in some cases, narrow primary flights which have not broadened sufficiently during their early growth in the nest.

The result could be seeing a lot of birds on the flight floors, but that is too big an assumption in most cases as so many birds these days actually like to spend time on the floor hunting around for scraps and bathing where possible, but they are all on the perches at night.

If you are to avoid narrow flighted birds, you have to have first class nutrition in the first place and quality feeding from the parents.

That does not always happen.

The alternative is to have such birds in stock cages all the time, but that is defeating matters.

What is needed is a selective approach to using only birds that can fly perfectly and gradually get the primaries wider vis-à-vis their overall size.

A suggestion is that we select wide and long feathers on the head region, but shorter feathers below the spot line on the wings and tails. Difficult, but not impossible.

This was the background to me approaching Daniel Lütolf in Switzerland for his thoughts.

My question to him was simply could these different feather structures be achieved in the one bird?

Daniel Lütolf

I agree that feather problems may be come a bigger problem than it already is.

I do not think that the canary or pigeon fanciers suffer very much with this area, but all the parents, grand-parents and so on of a bird about to be purchased have to be checked first before using them.

Attention must be paid to looking at all the primary, secondary and tail feathers when you are buying a bird and of course looking for developing cysts at the same time.

Strict rules and attention to see if a bird has any of these problems, has to take precedence over any other qualities a bird possesses. It’s the only way to rid a stud of such problems.

A breeder has to check all his birds individually for such features before he goes out buying new outcrosses and act accordingly. Commonsense tells you this.

It is not a secret that I buy in about 10 birds each year. The problem I have is where to buy the right birds in a quality sense, that also have no feather problems at all and are good flyers, however big they are.

Birds that are not fully complete can be used successfully provided there are no cysts at all including on the wing butts and up in the tail region.

When I get, say, 12 chicks from a pair and two top ones have a mild feather problem, I will note it but breed successfully with them. Normally the resulting chicks are fully feathered because they have received a better quality nutritional input from the parents, in particular from the hen. A borderline french moulter, for instance, will not necessarily breed the same problems. Nor will the next generation.

I do not like studs with small flights where the birds tend to just sit there and not fly frequently. Your question Jos, is a difficult one that we all face.

Somehow we have, as breeders, to find a balance between long feathers in the head region and much stronger feathers on the wings and body.

This is the big challenge, but few people really examine their birds carefully for these features before they go out to buy new stock with the same problems.