Unwell Painted

[maureen_g]

finches247 - So it's not only me it happens to! The thing is I always routinely check but obviously hadn't done so well enough. Dad is feeding the babies but I noticed that another male has been in the nest on a couple of occasions. The babies don't make much of a noise like they do when dad is there. It is ok for this other male to be going in there? No one would dare go anywhere near the nest if the hen was there. She was a ferocious protector!! She'd attack other hens and have a beak full of feathers and one day I saw her with another hen by the head screaming!! And those other hens wouldn't even be near the nest to get her so mad!!

[finchbreeder]

Put a small cage with seed in on top of the avairy, just in case Mum Gouldian comes home. In the meantime watch Dad, a good cock will certainly try to raise the young on his own. Re the other cock, he may be a frustrated dad and help feed the young or a potential nest thief and sling the young so he can take the nest. Observe carefully. And good luck.
LML

[maureen_g]

Thanks LML I'll try that. The other male in question is the only one trying to court the hens but getting rejected. I'm afraid the girls might think he's ugly just because he has a bald chin and throat. But I'll keep my eye on him.

[Diane]

Hopefully the trap cage will get the escapee hen, having young in the nest can be a big draw for her to stick around especially if she has been as protective as you said providing she hasnt flew to far the first day out.

Ive had a cock bird raise a clutch of 4 babies from about the same age after the hen died so it can happen. Good luck.

[maureen_g]

Unfortunately I just found the hen. She was dead in the nest box with the babies still keeping her body warm. Healthy one minute and dead the next. Dad is still feeding well and the babies look healthy. No wonder other birds were showing interest as there was a bad smell in the nest box. It seems to have gone since I took her body out. On a lighter note I had 3 out of 5 baby goulds fledge this morning from another aviary!! These are my first babies apart from one lot of gorgeous zebbies!!