12 Phoenix hatching eggs *****ALL COLORS****RARE

[Okla-doodle-doo]

=onagadori]
Quote:
I caught what you said about "non-moulting" traits. Is that why the saddle feathers grow so long(and tails) because they don't moult them out? I have never heard this before! Makes since. Can you tell us about that? Thanks. By the way your birsd are beautiful! I have a poor quality pair and really enjoy them but see now that I may have to get some nicer pure stock!lol

 

[onagadori]

These birds actually have separate genes that control saddles, growth on the tail, and nonmolting. A bird can have good saddles independent of the other two genes. So also, it could have good growth and no saddles. Nonmolters have a higher percentage of onagadori blood in them. Onagadori is the Japanese breed that was used to develope phoenix. Nonmolting means that they don't molt every year like other birds. They stay in blood feather. Blood feather is when the feathers are fleshy on the ends being feed by the blood of the bird and not dry and stiff. If they dry out and stiffen up, they will molt them. In answer to your question, yes, they do not molt and that is why they are able to achieve such lengths. It is however not unsual for some of my birds to get a 6+ ft tail in one year. These birds also have mutated oil ducts to accomidate the extra mutant sickle feathers that they often also have which promotes a full look to the tail. I hope some of this helps.