Changed hen behaviour

[Sime]

Ok, I've got 7 birds. 3 hens, 4 males.

One male and female are busy looking after chicks, they are fine.
The other 3 males seem to be ok.

Now, the two black faced hens have gone very quiet, usually very very active all day. They have times especially when eating, to look and behave normally, appetite is the same as the others, and are drinking.
But as soon as they have eaten, the spend most of the day sleeping, the head bent back into their wings type sleeping.
And then instantly, go back to normal, eat and drink, then back to sleep. They seem to breath a bit heavier than the others, and I don't know how to read their stools to know what's good or bad.
I can't hear any clicking in their breathing, and their condition is excellent.

So, can it be two hens dealing with reproductive systems that havnt been used because of no mate picked, or do you think they are sick. If it was air sac mites, wouldn't all of them be sick?

Do Gouldians go quiet when it gets colder, as it has gotten colder here in the last few days?

So yeah, don't know what to make of it.


Sime.

[matcho]

Sime,

I think that it may be then fact that Goulds do not have any down as in cold repellent because of their heritage of warm climate. As has been said many times cool drafts are your worst enemy. From what you are saying they are just trying to keep warm in their own way.


Ken.

[Sime]

I should have said, they are kinda indoors, I live in a big caravan with a 19foot annex which they are inside of. It's partially heated during the day, but it's colder than it has been, but they are not exposed to the elements as they would be in an aviary.

I was watching some youtube videos of birds (Goulds and Canaries) with air sac mite, and my hens are not behaving like they are in the videos, but it may be early symptoms?

[vettepilot_6]

If you are using a heater...are the goulds staying close to it or basically ignoring it? if they are close and still fluffed I'd say they are off colour....

[Sime]

The heaters that are in the cage are only on at night while they are sleeping.

By heating that I mentioned in my last comment, I meant the whole room is heated, but just enough to take the edge off of the cold, not enough for me to be comfortable being it to watch tv for example.

It may be an annex on a caravan, but it has a carpeted deck and an insulated vinyl roof, so it's as good as a room in a house.

[Sime]

Ok, after watching them while they are sleeping tonight, the two hens are breathing twice as fast as the others ( and it's not cold) and there is a slight popping noise coming from one in particular ( sounds like rice bubbles, just quieter)

So it could well be the start of a mite problem.

So where do you commonly get the medicine from?

[E Orix]

I doubt if it is a mite problem. I think it's a Gouldian problem, million dollar birds on a sunny day and 5cent birds on cold days.
It was quite cool here today and the Gouldians looked fine while feeding and feeding their chicks but as soon as they settled
they just look miserable. They should be fine as long as you limit drafts and air movement.

[vettepilot_6]

You can buy it online from here.... I have a couple doing same but not tucking heads under wings..just a little fluffed....as soon as sun is up they are just like the rest...

[Sime]

I see your point orix, and hopefully it's as simple as that, but just in case it's mites, how long is it before it gets worse, what time frame am I looking at so I can know when to just realize they are being sooks lol?

One thing that they havnt had recently is the cage partially moved outside, those two hens enjoyed that immensely. The reason why they havnt been moved outside is that the end of the cage that is exposed outside has the birds nesting in it, so as soon as the environment changes for that breeding box, it throws the parents out, and all the other males think it's a free ticket to go inside.
As soon as those chicks are capable, I'll give them some outside time, might cheer them up.

One thing that led Leeds me to think it may be mites is that this changed behavior started after the introduction of a new male, and was hoping he didn't introduce something, but he's fine.

[Sime]

Here's a video of the unhappy lass

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4Iqz8v_KM