Okie, I have adopted the bird. Breeders HELP!

[bird-brain]

First let me say NEGLECT. Enko Chan I am with you on the losing it side of things sometimes and out of respect for the good people here, I am not going to jump on a soap box. Pics are worth a thousand words. This bird is banded as an '07 hatch. I am told SHE (yes DNA confirmed FEMALE, pulling out my hair) was hand fed but has not been handled in years. The first order of business because she was so wild (in a parakeet cage with two perches, no toys and poopy food and water) was a wing clip. (yes I clip because the way my home is laid out it is safer for the fids until they learn, then I go full flighted) She was the easiest clip I have EVER done, so easy in fact that we ground her little over grown beak and her toe nails. I think she is one of those birds that when frightened she just sits still. To have not been handled in two years, she is the sweetest most cuddly little thing....Her color is ahhhh, a bit "different". No doubt she is a ficher's something or other. I am told one of her grand parents was a blue something or other. The pictures only do justice to the fact that this bird is depressed and has not cared to preen herself in ages and, because she had a water bottle, could not have bathed if she wanted to. She is molting and when extremely nervous plucks feathers from her chest. VET TRIP ON MONDAY....Quarantine, because even though she was alone and with no other birds....well I just don't know, at least until I have a good check up then we'll go at least 30 days.
Breeders and those of you who are good with genetics: the pics don't show it well but this bird is a normal Fischer's on one side, seems to have the remnants of a mask and pied blue on the other side. Literally has one green flank and one blue flank?????? I dunno, but she is sweet and cuddly and very frightened right now but she has eaten (needs some weight weighing 43 grams today empty) and fell asleep on my chest. This bird just want to be loved. Y'all know my birds. I think I have two examples of the most beautiful of each of my species. She is just a mess. I will fix this bird so she at least has some shine to these strange feathers of hers. Here are pics. Somebody tell me what this baby is. Calling her Kenya.

http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab342/JamieBaughman/IMAG0304.jpg

http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab342/JamieBaughman/IMAG0302.jpg

http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/ab342/JamieBaughman/IMAG0305.jpg

[NickyBeth]

I'm not a professional, but it appears to be a Fischer's Lovebird.

http://www.lovebirds.co.nz/images/species/big/fischersB.jpg

[bird-brain]

Yeah she is definitely a Fischer's, I have a normal Fischer's named Cabo. I just think it's really wierd that one side is blue pied and the other side is normal green.....she looks like she has been splashed with paint. The pics aren't showing it well.

[linda040899]

Kenya is very lucky to have been adopted by you! :)

You are right that the feathering is different and a bit on the rough side. I think you are seeing the results of a lot of stress and lack of bathing. Water should help the feathering to look better (if she knows how to take a bath!) but you may have to wait for the next molt to see what she really looks like. She looks like a Fischer's but she may be crossed with something else. There's also something out there called a halfsider, which is literally one half one color and the other half another color.

Have your vet check for liver problems. That suggestion is because of the previous poor diet. She's very young to be in such poor condition.

[bird-brain]

Thanks Linda. I have never heard of a halfsider before. The heck of it is, her previous owners say they had her on zupreem pellets and talked about how she loves apples and veggies. I would normally say that this bird was on a really crummy diet from the looks of her feathering but maybe it's just the stress of being alone so long and no bathing. She appears to be in a huge molt right now. She is covered with pins. We'll see what the vet can find Monday. i hope I can nuture her back into a healthy state. I doubt she will ever be a "pretty bird" in the traditional sense but she can be a healthy odd looking baby!

[linda040899]

If she's eating more than 40% pellets each day, that's the number 1 change you have to make!!! Pellets have too much nutrition and can ultimately contribute to her demise. Add back seed and it's not hard to find out if she knows what veggies are! Hopefully, you were told the truth. As for being a pretty bird, love can accomplish a lot of things. With proper care and love, I'm thinking you will see a BIG change in this little lady!

If you do a Google search for Halfsider, you should be able to find some pictures of what they look like.

[michael]

......the pics don't show it well but this bird is a normal Fischer's on one side, seems to have the remnants of a mask and pied blue on the other side....... .......Somebody tell me what this baby is. Calling her Kenya.......

Ahh. ..Not much for genetics here, but she does appear to have a little mask going on there. ....:blush:...... One things for certain, she's definitely a little angel!...... I think your account of the previous owners level of care was right on the mark. ...Fact of the matter is, while just about anyone can supply a bird with food and housing, that alone won't engage its most basic needs. .....Scritchies beak rubs and prayers for your new girl Kenya. ...Thank gosh you,ve rescued her!...............:)

[Gill]

How could anyone think of just letting her go into the wild, she wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes? :(

Poor thing, i'm so glad you took her in, even if it is to get her in tip top condition and looking pretty again to find her a good home if you cannot keep her :)

Thats how the Parrotlet my ex rescued from a customer he was decorating for, cage, 3 perches, small water tub attached to the outside of the cage so he couldnt have a bath and seeds, all he did was sit still, now he has at least 3 baths a day and moves! :D he is much better, and Kenya will be too, keep us updated!

[Enko_chan]

Thank goodness for you!

That little birdie's life is saved thanks to your generosity.

[diljaa]

She's very lucky you adopted her! Poor thing does look a bit ratty! Could you take pics in natural light? They should show her colors better.

[bird-brain]

If you do a Google search for Halfsider, you should be able to find some pictures of what they look like.

Interesting color mutation. I read some very in depth articles and was surprised how much info there was available, and a little distressed that this coloration happens because the embryo is some how damaged while in the egg. Just a sad thought given the way she looks right now. That would mean she's had it rough since BEFORE she was hatched.

Most of the pics I could find of pied halfsiders were budgies so I am uncertain as to how closely she matches those. I will get some pics in natural light when I can and post in the genetics forum.

[linda040899]

The upside to all this is that she's found her way to your capable care and her life will definitely improve from now forward!!!

[NickyBeth]

Here are some examples of Half-Sider lovebirds...http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&resnum=0&q=half%20sider%20lovebird&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi

[personatus]

Masked x Fischers hybrid. Black on the face indicates this. The colour is indeed strange and looks like a 'halfsider' or at least a partial 'halfsider'. Could also be what's known as a 'multicoloured'. Both of these are not mutations, but modifications. It won't ever pass onto further generations, but it sure does look wonderful. Pied is not involved there, the parent's were likely to be a green and a blue.

I've seen various modifications recently, like a blue bird with a red beak and a blue pied bird with the most strangest colouring and red eyes! Would love to see more photo's please!

There are possibilities it is health related, the colours of the feathers that is, but I doubt it.

[bird-brain]

Thanks personatus! I was thinking hybrid when I saw her. I was told (not reliable) that her grandmother was blue (i'm assuming blue mask) and that her parents both looked like normal fischer's. That the rest of the clutch looked like the parents and that she was the only baby in the bunch that had odd coloring but I will never know for sure how much of this is true. On the hybrid question...she is 3 and I am told has never nested nor laid an egg. She has a tattoo and I am told is a surgically sexed female. ( Not that I plan to breed) but this makes me wonder if she is a mule? Would kind of be nice not to have to deal with nesty hen syndrome anyway. :) Of course she was never provided with nesting materials or anything that would entice her to nest so that may have something to do with it? We'll see what the vet thinks and rule out health issues and I will get you some more pics soon.