Hi Everyone,
I had two stars fledged and I did'nt know there were any more in the nest and a little one flew out to the ground. I put it back but still comes out and cannot fly very much. To-night was on the ground so have brought it inside for the night.My question will I try and feed it myself before I put in aviary for the day or just put it in and see if the parents feed it. I will have to bring it in each night till it can fly. Thanks for any advice.
Wow, this is one of those times where you need to take the risk and leave it with the other siblings (in my opinion)....it is leaving the nest so that it doesn't miss out on a feed and it probably wants the warmth of the others.... BUT, others may disagree.....
The chances of the parents taking it back tomorrow are slim so you will probably have to feed it yourself for a few weeks (if it makes it through the night)...by all means give it a go nice and early, monitor closely and I will keep my fingers crossed for you.....
Thanks for your reply....The reason I brought it inside was because the other two babies are alot bigger and can fly quite well, this little one cannot fly so it cannot get to it's siblings. I checked late to see where it was and was on the floor of the aviary that is the reason I brought it in. I had a baby painted fledge and was on the ground and it died from the cold. This one seemed to be the runt as it is very tiny compared to the other two. I was just wondering if anyone else had brought babies in (when they thought they would not survive) and put them back in the aviary next morning. Thanks for the advice.
Lyn,
It happens fairly regularly that there is a runt in the nest. Unfortunately in my experience it is rare for these little ones to survive long term - I suspect there is usually much more wrong with them than just being small. I think you've done the right thing bringing it inside to be warm as this will most likely give it the best chance. Whether the parents will feed it in the morning is another thing - sometimes they do and sometimes not. Either way it is unlikely it would have survived the night out in the cold. I have brought them inside at night, but without much long term success I'm afraid - sometimes I suspect it merely prolongs the agony for a few days.
Sam
Thanks Sam for your reply, I will see what happens tomorrow I have handfed zebras from a couple of days old and have had success so if the parents don't feed it I will give it a go myself.
Hi Ben, No my cordons have never bred I only have the one pair and have had them for 4 years now, make nests lay eggs but never hatch. The same with my OB I have also had them for over 3 years the same with my RF parrot finches. The only ones that breed are the stars and painted I am not to worried as I just like to look at them. Most of my finches have there original partners when I bought them. My aviary is 10 meters long and lots of bushes and nesting sites so I think either the male or female are infertile. The zebras are in an other aviary and they breed non stop. What finches are you keeping now?
I would keep it inside overnight, put it back in the morning and see if the parents feed it, if not you could try a supplement feed to keep it going till its starts to beg loudly. From what I have read parent birds will call the young from the nest and often refuse to feed the babies untill they fledge so its unlikely it will stay in the nest. You might be in for a week or so nighttime babysitting, with the occasional feeding.
If you can put some branches on the ground (hopefully in the sun) so it has a chance of getting off the ground and staying warm during the day. Fingers crossed the parents feed it during the day. Let us know how you get on.
Diane The difference between Genius and Stupidity is, Genius has it’s limits
Hey lyn got alot now. Got longtails and diamonds from sam. Red cheek cordons..red brows..gouldians..plumheads..painteds..red faced parrot finches...scarlet chested parrots ...elegant parrots a house sparrows lol. Oh and a pair of yorkshire canaries.
Thanks Diane, I kept it overnight and put it back in the aviary at 6am. I have been up to the aviary alot to today and yes both Mum and Dad are feeding it. It has a great spot in the sun and moves around on the floor when the parents call it. It has no tail feathers at all.I will bring it in again to-night and do the same tomorrow.
Hi Ben, You certainly have a great collection of finches. I still have all the same ones all original pairs, I would love to get some different ones but don't want to get rid of the ones I have. Some of them are getting pretty old a couple of pairs are 5 and 6 yrs old. I would love to get a pair of elegant parrots but will wait. When we went away for the 3 months my boys looked after the aviary and a friend who has a big aviary he knows how fussy I am with my birds. I laughed he asked me what days does he change their sheets and his wife was knitting socks for them. I am happy to say all my birds were fine and had some baby zebras ( but of course they breed non-stop). Let me know if you ever want to sell some of your birds off spring I would be interested.
Yea no probs lynn. Hopefully i turn out some young elegants soon. The parrot finches are chasibng each other around like mad tho so thats good. I just wish this weather would get nicer. Got young cordons in nest now also.
Your avairy sounds great now that you did the extension! Weird tho about your cordons becuz it wouldnt be you doing anything wrong and especialy not in that avairy. I rekon someones shooting blanks or the hen is infertile.
