They all hatched at once...

[fid fanatic]

How adorable! That first picture is one of the cutest I've seen in a long time.

I LOVE BIRDS!!!

 

[Babybreau]

adorable!!!

 

[Kristy]

How is the HUGE family doing Susanne??

 

[newf]

They are gorgeous!!

 

[srtiels]

With a very heavy heart, I just lost #9. I lost the entire clutch. It was not lack of the parents feeding them. The same night, Feb 6th that the BN mousebirds got of their nest there was a raccoon out in the yard terrorizing the tiel flights. That morning I found a couple babies scattered in the nest and chilled. I could see teeth marks on the nestbox. and the plastic flap (protection for rain) ripped from above the box. The next day I put bungee cords around the box, and set up a large live trap with a thigh of chicken in it. This coon must've been a trap smart animal because it picked all the meat from the bone thru the wire and just left the bone in the trap which was not set off. So the next day we attached smaller wire to the trap, and that night trapped the coon. If there is one coon there are more. The following night we set the trap again. There was digging all around it, and coon prints, but what was in the trap was a huge grey cat that has been a real problem for the last couple of years, and the owner does not care that it prowls at night in my yard. I left it in the trap for a day and released it. We set the trap back up last night and trapped the cat again. it is going for a long 20-30 mile trip away from here, which for me is being kind.

But with all this activity at night the tiels have been spooked off the nests. From past experiences when tiel babies get chilled they are prone to secondary yeast and/or bacterial infections. So I pulled the babies. Their little crops looked yeasty and very reddened. One by one I lost them, and the last one just an hour ago.

They were doing so good, but when the yeast developed in the crops I just could not turn it around. I am just devastated Poor little ones, fly free...

 

[Kristy]

Oh no!!!!!

I am soooo sorry, this is a terrible year for you. My eyes are full of tears to be honest........I am soo sorry.

I wish the cat no ill will but I am glad it is going on that ride.

 

[Babybreau]

Oh no Susanne!!! I'm so sorry!!
Raccoons are SUCH a nuisance!! I'm glad the cat is going for a drive though.
That's all so sad!!

 

[birdlover82]

Oh no. I am so sorry to hear this. How upsetting and very sad.

 

[zoomama]

I'm behind the 8-ball and have just been reading this thread. I am sooooo sorry for your loss. They were so beautiful, and I was enjoying the pics and updates. Hugs and prayers to you.

 

[Heather]

I'm so sorry!

 

[Bokkapooh]

it is going for a long 20-30 mile trip away from here, which for me is being kind.

I hope your not going to dump that cat I know you lost your chicks, but please dont be cruel to that cat or the racoons. Im not saying you are that type of person, but many people do this to cats and raccoons. Its not the animals fault, and prevented measure typically can be done to prevent these things.


I'm sorry for your loss You need to talk to that neighbor of yours about the cat issue. Perhaps if you threatened them and said you'd trap the cat if it went near your birds again? Not letting your neighbor know what you did to their cat can cause some major issues in the future.

Are your aviaries roosted on the ground? Perhaps you need LIFTED aviaries so they are not touching the ground or at ground level to prevent cats and raccoons from bothering the fids?