I killed a mamma finch

[Jessica]

Her name was Darling. She had been listless and fluffed for two days and wouldn't let Jim Dear breed her which she had allowed up until then. For two days he hounded her constantly. I wanted to put her in our hospital cage with heat lamp and let her rest but she'd fly off if I tried to reach for her.

Since the flight had another couple incubating, I didn't want to chase her and cause disruption because it might cause other parents to toss their eggs. So last night, I attached heat lamp to top of cage (I have perch there) that she could use if she wanted and went to bed. This morning, she was dead in bottom of cage and an egg was laying next to her. They have two cuttlebones in the cage and a pinch bowl of cuttle powder which is always kept full and she used it a lot. They also have a reptile dish with ground egg shell.

Question please: Since I knew she wasn't feeling well, should I have risked disturbing other nests to catch her? Honestly, she didn't look VERY sick - just 'out of sorts.' True, I don't know much about 'how sick is sick'. I have on our list to attach a 'catch cage' to help in catching them but we haven't decided on best approach there yet.

Her name was Darling. Jim Dear now runs (hops) around the cage crying for her. It is so sad. What would YOU all have done, please?

PS I just put the egg in the other nest with the other eggs. I hope it didn't disturb them too much and I hope they continue to incubate. I DESPISE not knowing what to do!

[finchbreeder]

She was obviously egg bound. BUT - this is only obvious in hindsight.
An experienced birdo MAY have guessed from observation.
Putting her in a hospital cage would in general have been a good idea. BUT if she was flighty, chasing her around was only going to distress her more.
So it sounds like you did the best you could in the circumstances.
Sadly egg binding does happen. Some birds are genetically weaker than others, some birds are dumb and don;t eat the calcium they need. Some it is a combination of both. Success is up the birds and you as a team.
Putting the egg into the other nest was the best you could do for it.
You have done the best that could be done in the circumstances, and now must accept this as part of the learning curve of life with birdies.

[Jessica]

you just made me cry. thank you for making me feel relieved. we will work hard at figuring a safer way to catch them in case another one gets sick. so far, the other parents have left the eggs in the nest (not that I peeked). Fingers crossed and we will have a family party if one of the chicks live and come out yellow as their mamma bird (foster parents are standards). Yellow daddy is still flying around crying for her and searching every nest. Poor thing.

Finchbreeder, thank you. I will share your words with little brother who is mad at me and dad for not fixing the sick momma. He's a farm boy too so we're surprised he's reacting like that but what do you do .. he's still little.