Aussie Finch Forum

Hey everyone!

Today I went out to my aviary to find one of my baby gouldian finches on the ground. I noticed its right wing was damaged and upon closer inspection I was shocked to find the most part of its wing chopped completely off at the bone. I tried looking for a stray piece of wing as horrible as that sounds but to no avail. Not sure if it was a cat but I've never had a problem with birds getting attacked by wild animals in the past five years.
Anyway, the baby bird seems okay and isn't too frightened at all really, but it cant fly to the latter part of the cage to be with other birds and get food. Thankfully I had water on the ground earlier for the birds. I am not sure what to do with the bird and I think if I segregate it from the rest he might get restless and under shock... I only have experience with budgies. Anyway, any advice on what to do here? The bird is currently staying inside with me

Thanks in advance

Hi,

My thoughts are...it will make a great ambasador for finches,(namely the best...GOULDIANS), when you have it in a small cage; inside; and your guests see it and say how beautiful it is, then you can direct then outside......WOW...

Cheers
Ripley

Assuming the bird recovers from the shock and trauma of the injury you do have a few choices.

You could leave the bird in the aviary to see if the bird can cope, at least this way it will have the company of other birds. Just make sure some food and water are available at low levels and plenty of perches within easy reach to enable the bird to get to one of the higher perches. Many disabled birds find a way of getting about providing a little help is provided.

You could keep it in a smaller cage with plenty of low perches to enable movement around.

If you do decide to keep it in a smaller cage then you would have to decide if a bird friend is needed. On one hand it gets company but on the other the bird friend gets a smaller place to live.

Sorry to hear about your bird. Like Di said if the bird recovers it can lead a relatively normal life. I have a Double Bar hen with a broken wing, and with some slanted well placed perchers it can get about, roost with the others and even fledged three chicks last breeding season.

I had a Gouldian cock that was attacked - i suspect a butcher bird - his spine was twisted, so he could not fly right. Poor little helicopter. So I did the low perches so he could move upwards by steps thing. He lived hapily in the avairy for several years like this, even fathering a couple of chicks.
LML

I have a geriatric male zebra finch who I keep in a cage, as I was concerned about him managing in the aviary. The cage is pretty long (about 1.3m), but only about 50cm high, so he has no problem hopping around. I kept a breeding pair in with him, so he had company, but he kept kicking them out of their nest after they had laid eggs and taking over it. So I put a girl in with him, and they happily raised a clutch over summer

wow, thanks for all the replies! i havent been on because it took a while for my post to be approved being a new member
the bird is looking very happy, and Ive but him in a smaller cage indoors. I think I will give him a week just to repair and there seemed to be another baby finch that was hanging around him in the avairy, that bird might be a good friend. I definetly dont want to but the sick on back in the large avairy.
Thanks so much for your help! much appreciated
Daniela

Hi Daniela,

Hope the gouldian is well on the way to recovery.

Wishing all the best.

Should make great company.

Peter & Rebecca.