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so as I mentioned before I occasionally take in birds that haven't had a great time of it. This is another of my ones that I've never managed to sort out, as I simply don't know what this is. She cannot fly very well or high, recently shes on the floor now and not on the perches.  her feathers are always like this and its as if some of her flight feathers never grew. I have had fecal tests done and shes negative for all the usual things like psittacosis etc. I was hoping she may have molted out but I've had her a couple of years now and nothings changed. her feathers are always like this. 

My other birds are all fine feather-wise and their plumage/molts have always gone well so I know its not nutritional. but I would like to see if theres anything I am missing or my vet is missing. 

pics of above and below of her wing, her whole body is just tatty looking and tail is pretty much the same as the wings. broken and stressed/scruffy looking feathers. 

my birds get treated for mites with excolt/AIL/clean and clear checkmite and am trying the aviform avi-mite one which should be arriving today (I like to cycle my mite control so they don't build up resistence)

photos to follow as they are the wrong size. 

Well, there are definitely feather mites there, I can see them. This is typical feather damage also there is a nutritional deficiency. Birds need more than calcium where minerals are concerned. Birds that are kept on drugs for too long or has been given too many different types of drugs can also cause this. Lastly, there could be a bit of beak and feather disease (PBFD). https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/invasive-species/diseases-fungi-and-parasites/beak-and-feather-disease

they are a bit past when I normally do my mite treatment as was waiting for the aviform one. So thats not too unexpected. I do mite treatment regularly as there are pigeons that nest in the eaves of the buildings behind my shed. And spray down with AIL. 

the minerals I give are mineralised grit, aviform minerals in their drinking water, fresh veg/fruit. Iodine in granulated seaweed form (only during molt for the iodine). pearl morbide, feather up and if being treated with anything a probiotic. 

I would be so sad if she had PBFD :(  but if she has that, then my other birds would have it too as they are all in the same place?

I knew an avian Vet (Dr Ross Perry) from Australia, Queensland, he found a cure for PBFD. Sadly he passed away a couple of years ago, was a really nice guy. Best thing to use against feather mites is Avian Liquidator which comes in a spray bottle, made by Vetafarm.

thats sad :( sorry to hear that. AIL is Avian Liquidator. so thats what I am using as well. 

so I am going to order a PBFD and APV test and check, If it turns out she has that then I will cease breeding immediately and get no more new birds - I believe thats how its done, close the flock and let them live out their natural lives with no breeding and no additions to the flock?

Dr Ross Perry found a cure for PBFD, he was going to make a video on it but passed away before he had the chance. I spoke to him often on a personal level in private, he had many videos he never had time to upload, sadly. He was known worldwide as one of the leading top Avian Vets. Hr does have a YouTube channel 😄

https://www.youtube.com/@DoctorRossPerry

waiting to hear back from the lab re testing finches as they ask for 4 plucked feathers, doesn't seem much from a finch for them to test. this will literally be the end of me if she has it although I have already tested the flock for this when she came in with 3 other birds, I did a fecal test on all of them and then a more indepth one 3 months later to rule out psittacosis and APV, Chlamidia and everything else including more rare kinds of problems while they were in quarantine. so if she has it, then my flock has it and I wonder how the test failed. 

either way I will get it done and go from there. these are my pets first and foremost, and I couldn't just euthanise my whole flock :( 

I will put a stop on the new pair of parakeets I have coming until I figure this out. 

just keep the ones in anoter room if they have it. it is not as bad as it used to be where flocks needed to be put to sleep. Isolation works well or keep them in your living room where they get to see people everyday. They might not have it anyway, it was just a possibility.

I hope thats the case but if I do have it, I can't ethically breed or bring in more birds. I have sent a sample off for testing so we will see what that comes back with. Its possible with the tests I had done it wasn't active at the times I took them. Praying that they were correct and shes just inbred and genetically unfit. I have also sent in a test for APV as well as although it was done before I am now concerned my vets and I have missed something.