White Eared Mask finches fluffed up

[CrimsonChris]

Hi there, i am new to this forum, this is my 1st post.
I recently had 3 pairs of White Eared Mask finches sent from Victoria early Feb. I live in Cairns FNQ. They also arrived with 2 pairs Parsons and a pair Plum Heads.
Upon arrival i had all birds in a holding cage inside for a week and gave them clucoden in the water( i hadnt sourced spark as yet). After a week they went out into the newly installed, fully roofed 2nd hand absco aviary. I did think as soon as they went out the cock Plumhead didnt look quite right. A bit fluffed and round in appearance. The hen looked beautifull and tight featherd. The white eared masks also looked a bit 'round' for my liking. We then had a long period of continious rain (10days). During the rain i treated for worms using ' worm enda plus ' for 24 hours. a day break on fresh water then Virkon s for a day then 4-5days on cocivet for coccidiosis. that showed no improvement so after the fist round of treatements i repeated the process again. During the 2nd round i removed both the Plumheads as the male was going down hill. I lost him 3 days later.

The masks are still in the same condition, bit too round for my liking. They are a bit fluffed up, they sit low and squat on their feet.They seem a bit haunched or short in the neck. They dont sit "up". They are however the first to go to the terimites, they seem to eat ok having a healthy enough apetite. They get a small amount of green seeding grass heads daily.
The floor of the aviary is a timber fence panel lined with mesh. No vermin.It has however been 'wet' during the non stop rain.We have enjoyed 5 days dry weather and now its rainging again.
Are they just suffering with the heat and humidity from a climatic change. Did i over dose them on Glucoden. Am i giving too much green heads. During high humidity should i back off on the termites. Have i over dosed with the worm enda plus.
The Parsons are fighting fit and have built a roosting nest. Hen Plum head is fit and energetic.

Thank you
Chris

[E Orix]

Chris
I will most likely be jumped on for the following but, I do not dose new birds.Infact in my opinion birds are so stressed when moved
that you should just give them seed and easy access to water. Maybe some live food if they normally eat it and some soaked seed
and leave them alone.Last night I arrived home with 21 birds.These birds spent 11 hours in the box(not a normal carry box)with seed and water.
At 9 oclock last night they were released into two small internal aviaries.One lot simply got seed and water plus a shallow bathing dish the other the same
plus some mealworms.A light was left on and I have only checked on them twice and it is now 3.30pm the next day and none have a feather out of place.
They were given food and a quiet period to settle down. Also while I use Virkon S in my soaked seed I don't think I would be too keen to add it to
their drinking water.Gluconden shouldn't be a problem. Why did you worm them,did you ask the previous owner if they neeeded it?
As I mentioned earlier stress is the great enemy and quiet and warmth are the best two things to counter it, and not to much medication and interference.

[Craig52]

Chris
I will most likely be jumped on for the following but, I do not dose new birds.Infact in my opinion birds are so stressed when moved
that you should just give them seed and easy access to water. Maybe some live food if they normally eat it and some soaked seed
and leave them alone.Last night I arrived home with 21 birds.These birds spent 11 hours in the box(not a normal carry box)with seed and water.
At 9 oclock last night they were released into two small internal aviaries.One lot simply got seed and water plus a shallow bathing dish the other the same
plus some mealworms.A light was left on and I have only checked on them twice and it is now 3.30pm the next day and none have a feather out of place.
They were given food and a quiet period to settle down. Also while I use Virkon S in my soaked seed I don't think I would be too keen to add it to
their drinking water.Gluconden shouldn't be a problem. Why did you worm them,did you ask the previous owner if they neeeded it?
As I mentioned earlier stress is the great enemy and quiet and warmth are the best two things to counter it, and not to much medication and interference.

Orix,no one is going to jump on you mate,what you do is pretty much the same as me.As for the virkons,i tried it in cabinet drinkers once because drinker waters go off very quick with bacteria,birds became ill very quick even though it was a minute dose,so never again.I only use it to soak seed in now but i do rinse the spouted seed before i freeze. Hi Crimsonchris Cheers Craig

[SamDavis]

I wont be jumping on E Orix any time soon
However...
Chris, I pretty much do exactly what you've done each time I introduce new birds. Only difference is Spark instead of Glucoden for the first week and Moxidectin+ for worms. I do lose the odd new bird - often after worming. I suspect you're correct and it's the large weather change that's the significant issue with the maskeds.
Perhaps a small clue in your post which alerted me was when you said the maskeds where first down to the termites - my maskeds (not WEs) only eat heaps of termites when feeding chicks. Are yours continually feeding? To me this would indicate something's amiss with their ability to digest efficiently. Given they're all a bit unwell and you've done the worm/cocci treatments it might be worth sending off a poop sample to your local poop detective (Avian Vet).

And I'm not sure about Maskeds and Parsons together - big hybrid risk.

[CrimsonChris]

Hi Guys, thanks.

I tried the worming first as i thought this was the obviuos choice then the cocidiosis as the humitdy up here is hell. Virkon s is used by a gentleman on the tablelands, he recomended it as preventative as there is so much yeast and fungus in the air during the wet season.
They dont seem to be eating constantly but the "poop" is quite large and a bit yellow.

[kenny66]

I live up in Cairns as well and the weather has been terrible. I live on the northern beaches and there has been driving rain and quite windy. It is also much cooler tonight. I had red cheacked cordons fledge chicks yesterday and pied ruddies today so I am packing death about them until tomorrow morning. Half the aviary is totally enclosed with a large open flight area but I still think the climate at the moment knocks the birds around. I have had about a dozen Gould chicks out last week and one was puffed up and not thriving from day 1. I put him inside with a heat lamp, no medication, and he seems fine but I am hand feeding. I also was told to use VirkonS for drinking water but all I have read seems to say that it is contra indicated for this, so I did not use it. Almost everything in the aviary is breeding but I have noticed that some species such as stars and Painteds have moved nest positions several times before settling down to do the business.I ahd evrything on Coccivet just after th big wet 2 weeks ago and I definitely think that helps here in this climate.

[kenny66]

I should have mentioned that I use Apple Cider Vinegar in the water to keep yeast development down and from my experience I think my birds do better with that in the water. I use it at the rate of 5ml/ltr but more experieced people might have a view on this.

[west finch]

Hi CrimsonChris this may be a long shot but going on the symptoms you describe have you thought of candida (thrush)? may be worth trying some Nilstat (Nystatin)! I’m not going to recommend a dose rate but I myself personally use 3 ml to a litre of water for a week. Myzo or Danny may have something to add to this topic.
ps .you can get it from the chemist
Cheers

[CrimsonChris]

Thanks kenny66. Its a nervous time with all the rain, it stresses me out as much as the birds. Praying for week of clear weather. i did use apple cider between treatments, maybe ill give that ago again. they are on plain water today and i might give them a rest for 48 hours.
West finch i will try for candida and give the Nilstal ago if no improvement. Thanyou.

[Finchman1]

I would try some Turbosole on these sick birds