I had a clutch of White-eared Masked finches fledge last week. It was a bit late when I got home and they were on the floor, but the hen had them huddled in a corner on the ground and was sitting with them. They were still fine in the morning. The next night I got home and they were on the ground again, but no hen this time. I tried putting them back in the nest, but they kept popping out as soon as I turned my back. I was going to catch them up and bring them in for the night (I have done this heaps of times in the past very successfully) when I remembered the another trick. I ran inside and raided my sock drawer. back in the aviary, I caught the 3 of them and shoved then back in the nest, quickly followed by a rolled up sock which would stop them getting out again for the night.
The next thing was to remember to pull the sock out in the morning. However, that night I had a bit of a health issue and end up in hospital until 3am. Consequently, I slept in a bit. All of a sudden, I remembered and was bolt upright and quickly out to the aviary. It was about 8.30am. I pulled the sock out and went back inside and hope. half an hour later they were out for a feed. And now they can get back to the nest themselves.
PS the sock was clean, no BO to suffocate them
