Poorly finches, nothing is working

Includes Species Profile.
User avatar
Craig52
...............................
...............................
Posts: 4979
Joined: 11 Nov 2011, 19:26
Location: victoria

Totally agree FB
I believe it is intestinal worms aswell.
I also believe FCB is now being obsessed with medications to fix symptoms just in case it is that people are saying.
Keep it simple as the majority of problems with finches are intestinal worms picked up before you got them usually picked up from worm eggs picked up on the floor from other infected birds droppings. The first bird eats an infected insect and the cycle starts all over again.
The birds droppings can change colour due to how infested they are with worms. Make sure you get a wormer that includes tapeworm killer as most don't.
User avatar
FinchCanaryBreeder
...............................
...............................
Posts: 48
Joined: 30 Nov 2022, 20:15
Location: England

The wormer I have for them contains Ivermectin but it doesn't cover tapeworms.

I'll have a search online to see if I can find something that includes tapeworm killer or see if I can find a vet to sell me some. There diarrhea has been green and watery this morning.

Would blended hot peppers or hot chilies work to cure worms? I some people feed budgies those as a natural wormer.

There were some broken eggs on the aviary floor this morning plus a newly hatched dead chick but the other two chicks in the nest box are still doing fine, another egg hatched in another nest box also.
User avatar
finchbreeder
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Posts: 11489
Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Some people eat hot chilies too. But I am blowed if I would eat them or feed them to my birds to get rid of worms. They might kill the finches faster.
LML
User avatar
FinchCanaryBreeder
...............................
...............................
Posts: 48
Joined: 30 Nov 2022, 20:15
Location: England

Apparently budgies can eat them because they don't have the taste buds like we do but I'm not sure about finches.

I've found something on ebay which is a wormer for birds including finches and it covers tape worms, it is a powder that you mix with the water. I have ordered some so hopefully it should arrive in good time, there are issues with UK mail right now so things are taking longer to arrive due to strikes.

Its been one step forward and two steps back with the finches so I'm hoping I can get them all better and breeding properly.

The breeder who I bought them from, had a lot of finches and I mean thousands of them and there was bird poop everywhere so I don't think he was keeping up with the cleaning. The Canaries also didn't look to bright when I bought them from him but they are looking much better now, not so ruffed up and have better plumage and generally look healthier than before.
User avatar
finchbreeder
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Posts: 11489
Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

I have watched Budgies (my mother is a show budgie breeder) take medicated water. I assure you - whoever says they can't taste is wrong. They pull "yucky" faces at medicated water, just like kids do when tasting raw lemon.
Mail system here is rather hit and miss too. Mostly due to staffing shortages to drive the trucks (if the rumors are to be believed)
Overcrowding does require very stringent cleaning efforts - so it sounds like your breeder has got himself in a pickle.
LML
User avatar
FinchCanaryBreeder
...............................
...............................
Posts: 48
Joined: 30 Nov 2022, 20:15
Location: England

I have noticed another finch is going down. I was eager to clean out what I thought were empty nest boxes but there are chicks in most of them now. They are newly hatched eggs. I counted at least 8 new hatched chicks.

I use a small mirror and flash light to see inside without disturbing the nest boxes. The nest boxes are dirty inside which has been bugging me but I'll leave them for now while there are chicks in them. I normally find most on the aviary floor so I don't want to be losing anymore chicks than I need too.

Laying eggs must be really taxing on them so I really want to make sure they get the vitamins they need from the greens.

I have a plan for the greens... They had eaten a bit more greens this morning which was great to watch, I think what I might do is, I won't give them any seed until the afternoon so they'll just get greens and egg food in the morning and then I'll give them there seed a bit later on and that might encourage them to eat a decent amount of greens.

Does that sound good?
User avatar
FinchCanaryBreeder
...............................
...............................
Posts: 48
Joined: 30 Nov 2022, 20:15
Location: England

Annoyingly one of the new chicks of the tree that left the nest some weeks ago has its head tucked. It looks like I'll be losing chicks regardless so I'll just clean out the nest boxes anyway and put the live chicks back in them once they are clean. Its so disheartening seeing one of the new chicks with its head tucked. Its barely a couple months old and I'm losing it already.
User avatar
finchbreeder
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Posts: 11489
Joined: 27 Jun 2009, 20:00
Location: Midwest of West. Aust. Coast
Location: Midwest of West.Aust.Coast

Do not touch the nests from the time the eggs are laid till the time the feathered chicks leave the nest. You are causing the birds unnecessary stress.
Do not take their seed away for any period of time, the parent birds will not be able to feed the chicks enough and they will starve.
Just back off a bit and let them be birds.
Enjoy watching them from a distance and stress yourself and them a lot less.
You are taking the joy out of this for yourself by over stressing.
LML
User avatar
FinchCanaryBreeder
...............................
...............................
Posts: 48
Joined: 30 Nov 2022, 20:15
Location: England

I hear what your saying... it wont matter because the new fledglings all have there heads tucked today on the aviary floor so no chicks will make it even once the other chicks leave the nest they will also go the same way in a short time. I've left them alone but I don't enjoy watching them because I see they are suffering which isn't nice to watch. I'll leave them to it and just do what I can until they are all gone. There is no guarantee that the wormer I bought for them will work. I don't know when I'm going to receive it so the new fledglings could be dead by then. The seller also sells an antibiotic which would be the last thing to try and if that doesn't work then I'll have to give up.
User avatar
FinchCanaryBreeder
...............................
...............................
Posts: 48
Joined: 30 Nov 2022, 20:15
Location: England

Here is something I found which I've copied and pasted below its just a matter off getting hold of the right meds to flush out the worms/ bacterial infection.

1. Bacteria - This is number one on the list because it's the most common. There are several types of bacteria can cause the symptoms, thankfully the treatment is pretty simple. A good broad spectrum antibiotic.  Enrofloxacin works well but it can only be given to the adult finches. For bird with babies in the nest, Trimethoprim Sulfa is safe and effective for a wide range of bacterial issues. The chicks don't have a sufficient immune system to fight off the bacteria invaders. Antibiotics should always be followed with a Probiotic to re-establish the health bacteria of the digestive tract.

2. Avian Gastric Yeast - Also known as Megabacteria. It isn't a bacteria and will not be effected by the use of antibiotics. Amphotercin B for the treatment of Avian gastric yeast.

3. Protozoa - Now we have the second most common cause. Like the bacteria it's given to the chicks by their parents. The treatment is Ronivet-S or Ronex, given in the drinking water of the parents. They in turn give the medication to their young. Also like the bacteria it's highly possible the parents aren't showing any signs of the protozoal infection. Trimethoprim Sulfa and Ronivet 12% can be mixed together for an effective treatment for intestinal parasites and infection. I recommend two weeks and re-evaluation to see if longer may be needed.
Post Reply

Return to “Zebra”