Aussie Finch Forum

We have a beautiful fawn coloured mannekin who was badly pecked on the head by a laying pair. I dont know if it is a cock or hen, but have isolated the bird. It is eating and the wound seems a little better, it's more scabby.. At first I thought it was the wound causing the persistent twitch but now I'm concerned. Any advice would me most welcome.

If the wound where the pecking was so bad infection may have entered the brain that can lead to stargazing or twitching or vertigo. If that is the case it's best to euthanize it.
Bengos and most mannikans are easily sexed by under the bill where it meets the throat feathers. Females are V shape whereas Cock birds are U shape.

In a mixed group it is rare for the males not to dance. So you should be able to pick them out by their behaviour too.
LML

Keep the bird warm, humid and out of cold draughts.
Feed it a varied diet including lots of plant matter. You can add a vitamin mineral supplement each day if you like.
Have a nest in its cage so it can sleep in there at night.
Monitor it over the next few weeks.
If the wound heals up that is good and means it isn't infected.
If the bird has brain damage from the attack, it might heal up over a few weeks, or the bird might continue to twitch for the rest of its life.

Just monitor it at this stage and see how it looks each day. Quite often minor brain injuries heal up and the bird is fine.

If it has bleeding on the brain, it might die over night.
If it falls off the perch and has trouble standing up, then euthanise it. But see how it goes and don't kill it unless you have to.

Thank you for the advice. We have the bird in a warm secure place and it is eating and flying. Will put nest in and try and see about sexes but ours seem to be rather strange. Over a year and not a single clutch. Although we have eggs now but they look tiny. We will see what happens. Will definitely not euthanize unless absolutely necessary.

I persume we are talking Bengelese Manikins here? Because if you have had them for over a year then some should definately have been dancing by now. My old boys dance sometimes even without mates.
LML