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painted dead
Posted: 08 Oct 2014, 13:12
by Nova
I have attached 2 photos of the second dead bird found on the avairy floor in two days. I believe they belong to the painteds as they are both of the nest frequently at the moment. Otherwise its the Africans. Both are first time parents.
I have been providing green leaves mealworms leb cucumbers as well as green and dry seed.
There seems to be some white spot/lumps behind the head.
Any suggestions/advice would be appreciated.
Re: painted dead
Posted: 08 Oct 2014, 13:26
by arthur
Those 'white spots/ lumps' are seeds in the crops
The chicks look to be about 10 days or a bit less . .
Would be unusual for parents to toss out young with food in the crop, unless they were dead
Have you had any cold overnight snaps that may have caused them to succumb because the parents had stopped brooding ?
Re: painted dead
Posted: 08 Oct 2014, 15:03
by Craig52
I agree with the above and also a night fright setting the parents of the nest. Craig
Re: painted dead
Posted: 08 Oct 2014, 16:22
by gomer
Yes agree being cold would seem to be the main suspect.
Re: painted dead
Posted: 08 Oct 2014, 19:22
by E Orix
The white dots are undigested White Millet seeds. The young could have died from cold even with those seeds in their crop.
White Millet seeds are the hardest(slowest) to digest so young can still starve even with those seeds in their crop.
Years ago the Gouldian breeders would frequently blame White Millet for their young Gouldians deaths because they would find dead chicks still with undigested seeds in their crop.
Re: painted dead
Posted: 12 Oct 2014, 04:19
by Nova
Thank you for the advice. We did have a storm last week but i did not think it was all that cold. The nest is in the most sheltered corner of the avairy but the nest itself is open enough that I could see them sitting in there from a few metres away.
Also one dead bird was found about 3 metres from the nest, could the adult birds carry it that far?
I have read a lot of posts regarding disturbing nests. I have never attempted to look into the nest or interfere in any other way however, I do go within a metre of the nest when changing seed/water etc. Given that the entrance to the nest was visible could they have been spooked by my proximity?
Re: painted dead
Posted: 12 Oct 2014, 10:00
by arthur
Nova wrote: could they have been spooked by my proximity?
Very much doubt it with Painteds