Isnt this early for a moult?

[seagoatdeb]

Okay, today I noticed Sunny, my Meyers has been growing all the wings back the breeder clipped. I did not notice him loosing any feathers, and the feathers would have been the same color as Gaugans, and did not expect it to happen when he is just shy of 7 months old. His hatch date is May 10. What I thought was Sunny just getting some head pin feathers, may be an early moult, the new feathers growing in his head have a lot of yellow feathers comming in.

[JessiMuse]

Lucy's molting right now as well, though this is her juvenile molt. She hatched on April 30th, so she's not too far off from your Sunny. If I'm not mistaken, I think most parrots start their juvenile molt at approximately 6 months.

[seagoatdeb]

Maybe I just didnt remember that they got all their wing flight feathers with a juvenile molt, I havent had a baby bird for 17 years.

[Pajarita]

Yes, Jessi is correct, the juvenile molt happens or starts at 6 months of age but, in most species, is only the contour feathers that are molted. As an added note (and not because I think it's what is happening to your bird, Seagoatdeb), I have noticed that when parrots have not been kept at a solar schedule and/or fed right, they, sometimes, would go into molt or breeding condition off season when under better care. I always say that it's as if the body was trying to catch up so as to start with a clean slate...

[seagoatdeb]

Yeah thats what I thought. He did have two moves, all across the country, and then from humid sea level to dry, high desert, so it woud definately be hard on his body. His feathers have become nice and shiny here, and he has so much energy, I tell him he is not Speedy Gonzales..lol. He is such an acrobatic bird and always on the go except for when he want to be mushy. The feathers are coming in all at once, very quickly, and they are all the same length, so it keeps him very balanced. I took both Gaugan and Sunny next door to my daughters yesterday for a visit and they both had such a great time. Sunny flocked with her parrots while Gaugan went exploring.

[seagoatdeb]

Sunny feathers have grown in and he is flying all over now. He sure was in a good mood for a moulting bird. He is doing vey well and is not crashing into anything.

[Pajarita]

I know a lot of people say their parrots are grumpy during molt but I've never noticed anything with mine - but then, they always have easy molts and only once a year so maybe that's what makes the difference.

[seagoatdeb]

I have always noticed mine being a little testy on the itchiest days. But, I give them lots of preening during those days if they dont have a bird that wants to do it for them.

[seagoatdeb]

Wow Sunny has changed since I posted this picture, he has all his flight feathers now. He has yellow socks, his yellow wing patch is much larger and he is getting yellow feathers coming in on his head. Lots of new yellow feathers on his front too.

[Pajarita]

Ah, yes, there are often drastic differences in plumage after the juvenile molt.