finch epidemic

[LittleBird]

thanks for your advice, wallyloopey. yeah, we now have 21 budgies, 6 Zebra finches and 1 grass finch together. we have two java sparrows and 5 other budgies in other separate cages

 

[WallyLoopey]

I wish you the best of luck with them

 

[LittleBird]

thanks!

 

[Bokkapooh]

How big is the enclosure? How much are you offering them for food? Have you noticed any fighting over space and nests?

 

[LittleBird]

we do see some fighting between nests and budgies fighting finches. We have removed all the closed nests (the finches share the open nests for some reason, sometimes i see 5 just chilling together in one! its precious) and all budgies caught harassing a finch is moved to the other cage (with the 5 budgies and Javas, also no nests). It is a generally big aviary and we fill their food up regularly (every 2 days as they have a food dispenser).

 

[finchly]

Just to help with the bickering - you can add more feeders in different areas.

Yes nares= nostrils. Sometimes with an infection you can see a problem right around there.

I'm re-reading and thinking hard. It still could be many things, including something like a virus brought in by a wild bird. Are there any 'bird flu' epidemics going on that you've heard of?

I am so sorry. Could you phone a vet and explain what is going on? Maybe they could offer some insight.

I'm sorry you are losing your babies left and right.

This happened to me last year. I lost 10 before we got it under control, mine was yeast infection. It was not obvious to the veterinarians, I ended up switching to a vet who comes to my home. He did necropsies on two or three, took samples, swabbed crops. Looked closely at everything. It still was not real obvious what we were dealing with. He said the only thing I see that is common between cages is a slightly elevated yeast count.... so I treated them and it went away.

One friend lost over 200 birds while working closely with a vet; they never knew what the problem was.

 

[LittleBird]

there was a big case of Avian flu in a bird garden near us, thanks, I'll look into that!

 

[LittleBird]

thanks Finchly, WallyLoopey, Bokkapooh, iamwhoiam, Atomiklan and Lady Jane for all your help! (I am sorry about your losses Finchly)
LittleBird

 

[Bokkapooh]

we do see some fighting between nests and budgies fighting finches. We have removed all the closed nests (the finches share the open nests for some reason, sometimes i see 5 just chilling together in one! its precious) and all budgies caught harassing a finch is moved to the other cage (with the 5 budgies and Javas, also no nests). It is a generally big aviary and we fill their food up regularly (every 2 days as they have a food dispenser).

Could it be that the food dispenser is clogging? When finches and budgies eat they leave seed shells behind. Those can clog up the food dispensers and even make it look like the food is full.

Food needs to be checked on daily.

Your birds could be starving themselves.