Hen Strawberry Finch

[laurab]

Hi all

I went out to feed my birds after getting in from work today, and discovered my hen Strawberry finch fluffed up on the floor wings slightly drooping.

I picked her up straight away (this was a worry in itself) and have brought her indoors. I placed a heat lamp in front of the cage and within half an hour she had perked up, she is even giving a little cheep every now and again.

The aviary is dry and has been covered for the past couple of weeks........any idea what might be wrong? :-?

[jimmy]

I had two canaries the same a while ago Laura, done the same as you and they perked up quite quickly.

I wondered if something had spooked them.

[Waxbillman]

i'm glad to hear she's perked up,

i'm not certain what could cause it.

matthew

[laurab]

Thanks for the comments ;-) She won't be going back outside now, she will be the 1st in the cage that Roger has built....when she is stronger of course :)

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Laura,

I know this sounds like a long shot, but your hen Strawberry Finch may be eggbound?:neutral:

As you know I have various Birds still breeding now despite the cold weather and reduction of daylight, luckily none of my hens have suffered eggbinding (yet:roll: ), I hope with extra heat your hen Strawberry will recover.

Paul.:wink:

[laurab]

Hi guys

she is really perky this morning :razz: Egg binding did cross my mind as I had this problem with her twice last year!!

[Waxbillman]

hello Laura

thats great news.

perhaps it was that then, as you will know straw hens are prone to it.

matthew

[chris]

Hi Laura,

Nice to hear that your strawberry finch is doing well:-)

unfortunately i've found my masked weaver on the bottom of the cage this morning in a bad way fluffed up etc. i now have a light on him to warm him up a bit and have provided honey water for an energy boost. i'll be going back home at around 10.30 after my lesson to check up on him

Chris

[Waxbillman]

hello Chris

i hope he pulls through, you can't afford to loose a single weaver.

matthew

[laurab]

I hope all is well when you go home.

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Chris and Laura,

Laura, I'm pleased your Strawberry Finch is O.K. now.:grin:

Chris, I hope the Weaver makes a recovery mate.:wink:

Paul.

[chris]

Hi All,

well i came back to find him infront of the lamp that i've put on the cage to provide warmth:neutral: but as i approached he sprung to life and started chattering and jumping from perch to perch:grin:

i've given a few mealworms dipped in honey water to give an energy bost as he didn't get much of the water this morning and he ate the lot. waxworms would have been better but i don't have any cultures going at the moment.

he's definately getting better, but seems to need more warmth so my guess is the cause of the problem is our dodgy weather!

looks like i caught him just in time this morning, i don't know what i'd do if i lost this one as he is my top weaver out of the 3 species

Chris:wink:

[laurab]

That is great news Chris.

Maybe it was the weather that upset my Strawberry:-? Anyway, she is much better now and she is testing out the new cage Roger built :razz:

[Waxbillman]

great news all around then Chris and Laura.

matthew

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Chris,

Thats great news on the Weaver mate!:grin:

Which Species is it by the way?

How about trying him on some Madeira Cake to give him a sugar kick, and/or some sugar/honey water for an extra energy boost?

Paul.:wink:

[chris]

Hi Paul,

it is the Masked Weaver, i've tried him on the honey water and he didn't seem interested, however when he was in a bad way this morning i placed his beak in a solution of honey water and noticed he did drink some. since then he's had a few mealworms that got dipped in honey water. i'll wait and see what he's like tommorrow, i can't bear the thought of losing this one as he's suck a character and my first weaver (well one of the 2)

Chris:wink:

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Chris,

Good luck mate on bringing this Bird through the worst.

Paul.:wink:

[laurab]

My hen Strawberry has fully recovered and has been calling constantly for her mate, so today I moved him into the indoor flight to be with her.

Well, the poor girl didn't know what hit her! :oops: He had obviously missed her a great deal :) ;-)

I thought he was going to be distressed with the move, but he doesn't seem bothered by it at all.

Today was the first time that I have witnessed the cock do his mating display, it was fantastic! :razz:

[PAUL HEARN]

Hi Laura,

That's great news mate, I think?:roll: Well at least she has company now, even if he has been eating a few Oysters.:lol:

Paul.:wink:

[Waxbillman]

:) brilliant Laura.

get em breeding in there, get Roger to build another cage for the others:)

then we can swop birds :wink:

speaking of Strawberry finches, i've had one fledge today:grin:

matthew

[PAUL HEARN]

Good one Matthew,

Well done mate!:grin:

Paul.:grin:

[Waxbillman]

cheers Paul

every chicks counts, plus if i'm noi careful this year i will have bred more budgies than waxbills:neutral:

there more chicks to come, so i have already bred more than the 4 i bred last year

Matthew:grin:

[PAUL HEARN]

Nice one mate,

Keep em coming!

Paul.:grin:

[Waxbillman]

a 2nd Strawberry finch has fledged today

matthew:grin:

[chris]

Hi Matthew,

great to hear your doing so well with the strawberry finches, keep em coming mate:wink:

Chris

[Waxbillman]

thanks Chris,

theres another nest to come yet!!

matthew

[laurab]

OK, OK, now I am jealous! ;-) :razz:

[Waxbillman]

:grin: well Laura, no need to be jealous, you've dove very well on everything else.


matthew

[laurab]

All I did was feed them!

Thank you Matthew ;-)

[laurab]

I treat them like my children, feed them and look after them well, and hope for the best. :)

[Waxbillman]

well, it sure works well!!

though at the end of the day it down to the birds really.

matthew

[Ladywolf]

Matthew, I remember you, it's been an incredibally long time. I now have Societies in Chocolate, Chestnut and Fawn. I also have Bronze Wings that I'm going to get males for in May. I have one pair of Strawberries that look like they may lay eggs...don't know. They've done everything but lay the eggs but its only been 5 days? I have one pair normal gray Zebras that have white babies LOL. And a pair of Chestnut Flanked Whites, Zebra finches. I think they are all wonderful I especially love my Societies. But the song of the Strawberry is by far the best. All they do is so fantastic.

[laurab]

Good to hear from you again Ladywolf :) I agree, the Strawberrys' sing lovely. You will notice a few of us now have Pekin Robins since you were last here; now they really can sing ;)

[Waxbillman]

welcome back Roxie nice to hear from you, feel free to visit more often.

bengalese are certainly very friendly birds. As far as finches go you can't beat them for their songs, each different birds has a slightly different song, some, not exactly brilliant, others stunning.

Matthew