Feathers!

[Miles]

A few months ago I expressed concern about my GCC's blackened feathers. I'm not sure if I have a photo from then.
But he's been on chop and pellets for quite awhile now, and he's in the middle of his second molt. Can you all let me know your thoughts on his current feather conditions? (His flight and tail feathers are still mostly old specimens...but his wing coverts are brand new)

 

[Owlet]

look normal to me. A lot of gccs have the black speckles and black tipped flight feathers. very normal for them. That's just how they are. He's looking good! Here's a picture of a bunch of different colorations with the black tipped wings and speckling.

Also i think you have a little insect friend in that last picture xD

 

[Miles]

look normal to me. A lot of gccs have the black speckles and black tipped flight feathers. very normal for them. That's just how they are. He's looking good! Here's a picture of a bunch of different colorations with the black tipped wings and speckling.

Also i think you have a little insect friend in that last picture xD

Thanks so much! I have seen photos of perfectly "blackless" wings on GCCs so was thinking those just had not been molted yet. Btw I have a ton of respect for whoever managed to get that photograph!! He does look gorgeous to me, but I just wanted to be sure. He's super soft and super shiny which I read is a sign of good health in chickens .
And yes there is a stinkbug in there...we have them really bad this time of year. Miles has learned the hard way that they aren't edible

 

[Zoruace]

He's super soft and super shiny which I read is a sign of good health in chickens .

Miles the chicken or miles the conure?

 

[Miles]

Miles the chicken or miles the conure?

Lol we have chickens too. Miles is a conure. Once when I was diagnosing a sick hen, I read that soft and shiny feathers are a sign of good health in chickens...so i assume that can carry over to parrots. Lol...Miles is my little chicken though!

 

[Zoruace]

Lol we have chickens too. Miles is a conure. Once when I was diagnosing a sick hen, I read that soft and shiny feathers are a sign of good health in chickens...so i assume that can carry over to parrots. Lol...Miles is my little chicken though!

Im sure it applies to all burds as well lol

 

[Miles]

Also i think you have a little insect friend in that last picture xD

There's what's left of a housefly in his beak too, in case you didn't notice... he loves to catch and eat them.

 

[HeatherG]

And you let him kiss you with that beak?!

 

[Rozalka]

From my and my online friend's observations there are moments when GCC's have better and worse looking feathers. At least we noticed that our conures have more black tips somewhere on spring and after another molting their feathers become normal again. I don't know if our observations are right (we don't change the diet during year)

 

[HeatherG]

I think the feathers wear throughout the year after molting. When the margins of the feathers are worn, they begin to appear blackish.

Re: color mutations, wild type birds have the strongest feathers because melanin is a structural pigment and makes a stronger feather.

 

[BirdyBee]

I agree with the others, a bit of black for his mutation is probably ok, it's only when there is a lot of black in that I'd be concerned.

Just for more info, what pellets do you feed him? Do you feed him only veggies and pellets?

 

[Rozalka]

btw - do you mean flight feathers? It is natural for GCC's to have black tips on them

 

[Miles]

I agree with the others, a bit of black for his mutation is probably ok, it's only when there is a lot of black in that I'd be concerned.

Just for more info, what pellets do you feed him? Do you feed him only veggies and pellets?

Roudybush Daily Maintenance. I feed him lots of veggies, a few fruits here and there, and an occasional nut or seed.

 

[Miles]

btw - do you mean flight feathers? It is natural for GCC's to have black tips on them

Yes, none of his other feathers have black edges. Just his primaries and secondaries.

 

[Miles]

And you let him kiss you with that beak?!

Weeeellll... only after he's wiped it really good and had a few drinks!! But yes!

 

[Rozalka]

Yes, none of his other feathers have black edges. Just his primaries and secondaries.

so, it's normal - each (yellow sided) GCC has black tips - mine too

 

[Miles]

so, it's normal - each (yellow sided) GCC have black tips - mine too

Thanks!! He's a pretty boy, for sure! I was playing with him this morning and couldn't stop just staring at his gorgeous feathers