Dead Birds!

[laurab]

I have come home tonight and discovered 2 dead baby Hecks on the aviary floor. Both appeared well fed and were a good size (approx. 1week old).

Do you think they are victims of the heat? :confused:

[Strawblady2000]

Oh No!!!

I'm SO sorry!!!!!

If they appeared healthy, heat makes the only reasonable thing I can think of. Has it been very hot there? I know outdoor aviaries here are being tested, as the heat index (actual temp plus humidity factored in) has been in excess of 108 degrees.

Aww, I'm really sorry!

How do you all manage to keep your aviaries cooled? I know some people here use misters and fans. But the problem comes when the nests are at the top of the roof...the heat rises and everyone has the rooves covered to hide the birds from buzzards and hawks.

[Waxbillman]

what a shame Laura

it could well be the heat, if they were well fed and not damaged anywhere.

Matthew

[kenny]

hi laura
it cant be anything else if they are well fed,as nikki says the heat that builds up in aviarys is terrible at the moment i am keeping an eye on my zebs as their nest is right near the top and you can feel the heat there is nothing you can do though apart from supplying baths hoping the parents will use them and take the wetness back to the nest to maybe cool them a bit i cnnot imagine the heat that would build up in a nest box

ken:sad:

[laurab]

Hi Nikki,

today was the hotest day this year and matched a similar record back in 1910!

Nest was near the top of the aviary and my aviaries are covered. :-(

[Rogerb]

I feel terrible about this iv been home most of the day even speaking to Paul on the phone I was saying how hot it was and that I had to put a fan going guess I missed out the baby's in the nests . I can tell you all IM not a happy bunny tonight just wish I had been more vigilant I wont make this mistake againe, a verry psssd of MR B:-(

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Laura,

I'm really sorry to hear you have lost two Hecks chicks mate,:sad: I too believe it is heat related, thankfully my own birds have coped through the ridiculously high temperatures we are experiencing at the moment.

During the current heatwaves I myself have felt physically sick with midday headaches and weak to the point that I have come very close to collapse on three occasions because of having to work in tempetratures exceding the legal temperatures in the UK.
But my birds have amazed me by coping with the heat despite the fact they have to put up with the aviary roof being completely covered with clear perspex.

I hope your losses end here mate!

Paul.

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Roger,

The temperatures we are suffering right now are far higher than anyone in the UK could ever expect mate, the loss of the Hecks chicks isn't anyones fault please don't blame yourself.:-(
You have taken precautions way above those of others, you have made fans available where some of us haven't bothered.
The loss of Hecks chicks is very bad news, but it isn't your fault mate, in the wilds of Australia Hecks and other Finches have to cope with temperatures far higher than we have right now.

At the end of the day despite your efforts what has gone wrong is purely bad luck and the blame ends with no one.

Paul.

[kenny]

hi roger
its not right to blame yourself mate as paul says these are extreme temperatures,far more than we are used to coping with let alone birds and you have done a lot more than most to make sure your birds are cared for in the right way as well as you could just put it down to experience as there will be other days most people across the country will have had their birds suffering in the past week or so with this heat no ones to blame mate least of all you


ken

[Rogerb]

thank you all for your replies I think its cos Laura's at work all day and I'm at home and did not do more or just didn't see what was going on this is not a mistake i will make in the future :oops:

[kenny]

hi roger
well you are not alone in this now. i went in to my aviary today and all my zebra chicks where dead just left in the nest .i have no idea why except for the hot weather yesterday and as soon as i had taken them away it started raining and the whole place coled down to a reasonable temperature i know they are only zebs but this kind of thing really racks me off !makes you want to spit!


ken:twisted:

[Waxbillman]

dam thats a shame Ken, terrible.

Matthew

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Ken,

I'm sorry to hear that you have suffered a similar loss to Laura's mate,:-( I hope this will be the last case we hear of this year but somehow I doubt it.

Paul.

[kenny]

hi paul/matt
well i have calmed down now but i was not best pleased!they were doing so well and i only checked them on tuesday and they seemed fine i must admit i thought they were a bit on the warm side but what can you do!nothing and thats the worst bit about it i still have my canary in the birdroom with a nest of bengies also .....but i wanted to christen my aviary so to speak but i will have to wait a bit now..................................cobblers!


ken

[kenny]

hi matt/paul
cant beleive this,but i was stood looking in the aviary about 10 am and a canary swooped down near the seed tray .its left leg stiffened it opened its beak rolled over and fell of the stone were the seed tray was and by the time i got in there it was dead....what a way to go!:shock:


ken

[Waxbillman]

:sad: thats bad, a heart attack maybe?

Matthew

[laurab]

Thats awful :-(

[kenny]

hi laura/matt
its my fault i started a new breeding book when i put my new shed up and ever since i have birds die left right and centre...........but i have been talking to jimmy and we think by a process of deduction that it may have been going light the only problem is i didnt twig until i put 2 and 2 together last night it was nearly dark and she was still shoving food down her throat and i thought she may be just stocking up as an hour before i had put some fresh seed out and when i felt its breast bone it was terribly thin and i could not put my finger on it until jimmy mentioned it aswell the only thing is how it got passed me without me seeing it sooner i have been busy in the house aswell and doing other jobs so i havent had enough time to sit and study them all properly unless as you say matt it was a heart attack or i thought at first it was a stroke but it will not bring it back...will it! but i will have to keep an eye on the others now if it was going light...........i am fed up of this now!


ken

[ANNIE]

Hi Laurab,
I'm Really Sorry About The Loss Of Your Heck Chicks, I Know It Can Make You Feel Physically Sick Can't It, It Seems A Long Wait When Your Waiting For The Eggs To Hatch And When They Finally Do You Feel You Are Over The Worst- But It's Just The Beginning.. I Know It Doesn't Help But We Learn So Much By These Horrible Disasters And At Some Point It Will Help To Save Other Babes.
Chin Up................
Annie