Sudden illness in RFPF - advice please

[Finchy]

Yesterday she was fine. Today one of my RFPF hens - the best bird in my small RFPF flock - is very fluffed, sitting on the ground and looking sleepy. I recognise these as the kinds of symptoms you see a few hours before you see a dead bird. It's quite severe and extremely sudden.

I was able to catch her easily and have brought her inside. Her body feels nice and warm, she has no sign of wasting and no physical injuries. No other birds are displaying any sign of illness. They are regularly wormed and fed a good varied diet. So I have no leads and am unsure what to do to assist. Any suggestions? I am quite new to Parrot Finches (but not other finches) and unfamiliar with their particular quirks and vulnerabilities, so all advice appreciated.

Thanks

[TomDeGraaff]

Do you have her on heat? That is the first thing. Good luck

[Finchy]

Yes, I have.

It looks like what I imagine egg-binding to be. I have never (knowingly) experienced egg-binding before and am not sure why it would suddenly occur in a well-fed sunny aviary, but that's how it looks. I have fed her some emergency calories and Calcium/Vit D by crop needle, to give her some chance at least.

She is in what is (apparently) an egg-bound posture - squatted on the ground, wings out slightly, head straight ahead and low, eyes closed. She is also curling her toes under instead of opening her feet flat, and does not seem to have full control of her feet and legs.

[SamDavis]

I think you are correct - it sounds like egg bound to me too. Keeping her in the hot box is the best treatment. She'll either pass the egg soon or unfortunately she'll pass away. It inevitably happens to everyone who keeps finches at some stage.

[Finchy]

She's not looking good at all. Poor thing.

I think she may have had pre-existing/congenital reproductive difficulties, because she's had two clutches of one - a single baby that died/was tossed at about 10 days old, then another single baby that fledged and is doing well. I thought having just one each time was pretty odd, so perhaps what I am witnessing now is related to that fucundity problem.

I think that soon I will be on the lookout for some much better bred pied RFPFs. If only Doug Hill was still breeding them. Stunners, they were - ruined me for other pied RFPFs!

[Myzomela]

Hi Finchy,
If she's egg bound you should be able to feel a firm swelling where the belly would be.
You are doing all the right things. Some Polyaid or QuikGel may also be helpful but in her condition you don't want to over handle her.
Make sure there is some water available to add some humidity.
Good luck with her.

[finchbreeder]

Is she an older hen? Coming to the end of her breeding life? Could that be the reason for the low fertility?
LML

[FINCHIE]

Hope she is still kicking, when my hens have ever been egg bound I put them in a wooden bird box and place a warm wet towel over the top of the box. It has worked for me every time.....so far anyway!!!!

Hope she goes ok!

[Finchy]

She passed away overnight unfortunately. If the sellers at the bird show were being honest with me, she was less than 2 years old. Her daughter is a sweety, so I'm glad for that, but this wasn't the plan.

So now I need new blood. Who has good-looking, healthy, aviary-bred pied RFPFs in Sydney?