Deformed Birds are occasionally born but most are sadly strangled before they leave the nest box because nobody will buy them. I hate to think of all of the special extremely happy souls who could never reach their full potential. We have Birds here born with deformities or who have become deformed by injury, all are super little guys. My nan's friend wanted to get rid of his Budgies due to the work they required & as we had just built an extremely large flight we said we would take some. When we got there he told us how he started with a few pairs & ended up with 50, I looked closely & could see most had severe deformities due to breeding with their own parents, siblings, cousins & grandparents. He was going to sell the rest for breeding, knowing most would die we took all 50.

 

Only about 20 remain & they have club feet, strange pupil shape & some have several nostrills. Whilst they should never be bred from they are very happy as part of a mixed flock. We have taken in Birds from our local breeder with clubbed feet, twisted legs, deformed beaks & one wing becase the other didn't develop, not due to bad breeding but because sometimes it just happens.

 

Physio can really help those with leg deformities gain more mobility. Gentle moving of the legs each day followed by having Organic raw coconut oil rubbed into the legs can really help. Those with leg deformities that result in an inability to perch can have platforms in the flight or cage. Birds with constant pressure on the legs need to have a cage lined with vet bed or blankets that won't catch the claws, this along with a large cage to encorage regular position change takes the pressure off their legs reducing pressure sore formation or eliminating it completely.

 

If they have beak deformities check that they are able to effectively consume decent ammounts of food & water in each sitting otherwise dehydration & starvation can occur. Also check that if they eat the food doesn't get stuck in the mouth, this can happen if the beak isn't normal in shape. Beak malformations may result in overgrowth of the upper or lower mandible, regular beak trims from an avian specialist vet will be required if overgrowth occurs. Foot or leg deformities may result in overgrowth of claws too, get the avian vet to check claws.

 

We have a beautiful Budgie called Storm who came from a local breeder as a baby after her mother pulled off her entire lower mandible. She was in no pain & could surprisingly eat using her tongue as a substitute for a bottom beak. 2 years later & Storm is thriving, living full time in one of our outdoor flights, her upper mandible is kept trim by the way she feeds & how she chews wood, yes she can chew! It is so easy to see these Birds & panic but keep calm because their injuries or deformities really don't bother them much at all. Don't write them off because they look or behave in a slightly different way, unique does not mean suffering.