Female finch flightless

[novastorm]

Hey guys, I have a pair of white zebra finches in an average sized cage. I've noticed the female bird only moving around on the bottom half of the cage. she tries to fly up to the higher perches, but cannot make it, and falls down to the bottom of the cage. It's not a very high cage, probably about 35-40cm high, but the highest she "flies" up to is about 15cm or so.

She's active and not cold/shivering, because I know how she reacts when she is cold and motionless. She's so eager to get up there, but just can't. The male on the other hand is happy perching up on the high perches.

Her wings have never been clipped. She'd be less than a year old. Not fat, but maybe leaning towards the skinny side, but still not anorexic.

What could be happening to her? Is there something wrong?

Thanks in advance.

[finchbreeder]

I currently have a fawn zeb hen in the same position. And have had the odd Zeb suffer from this in the past. No idea what the cause is and they seem healthy in every other respect. So if they are something I would otherwise breed from just put a wooden nest box at ground leval. Does not seem to be hereditory.
LML

[simmot]

I have a Zebra hen, about 4 y.o. I think ( one of my first birds). She has not flown now for over 12 months. She just hops around the bottem of my main aviary with the king quails. I just put a food and water dish on the ground that she can reach and some bush in a corner of the covered part of the aviary ( warmth when its cool and shade in the heat). She looks really scruffy, but just seems to keep going.

[novastorm]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like by the sounds of it, it could be a common thing to have happen. I hope it doesn't become permanent, as it saddens me to see a flightless bird.

She has actually become more scruffier since this happened. Not sure if this is related to the flightless-ness, as Simmot also pointed out. Seems to maybe also affect female birds more so than males?

So there's really nothing I can do?

[finchbreeder]

Have had it happen to both females and males over the years, but seems a bit more common with the girls.
I also just make sure there is food and water and perch (about 10cm) off the ground for them.
But as I have king quail down there too I find they cuddle up together.
Have a very gentle bloodline of quail.
LML

[novastorm]

Sadly, she didn't make it the night. I felt so bad cos there was nothing I could do.

[Diane]

Sorry about your loss

[Page0044]

So sorry to hear the bad news

[simmot]

sorry you lost her.
Tanya

[finchbreeder]

Sorry to hear that.
One of the problems of breeding birds is we will always loose a few.
And 75% of the time they will be hens.
LML