What's Going On In My Aviary???

[Dbearden]

Help! I have an outdoor aviary and have been losing a bird a week. They seem fine, then find one fluffed up and secluded, breathing with open beak and then dies. What is going on??? I'm new to raising birds and this is very disheartening. I've now lost a pair of Lavendars, a pair of Gouldians, one red-cheek courdeon blue.

[lovezebs]

Dbearden

Might it be Airsac mites?

[andiok]

Dbearden
Sorry to hear that!
Best thing to do is get the feces tested by some vet,so you know if you're dealing with infection/parasites/viruses

If you cant deal with a vet then

Check for symptoms on the birds. Grab few of them and look all over them. Beak, eyes (look for signs of swelling or yellow discharge coming from the nostrils)
Then check their abdomen, (look for signs of swelling or black spots under the skin and if they're skinny or healthy)

with outdoor aviaries unfortunately there is the risk of getting all sort of deceases from wild birds if not built properly. Their best if built with a solid roof to keep wild birds as far as possible but with viruses its kind of hard though

[Babs _Owner]

Dbearden

Welcome to the forum Your general location would be important because some species are affected by certain weather in different ways.

We have members with outdoor aviaries from all around the world and all have their unique challenges.

Like Elana mentioned, the open-mouthed breathing is a sign of air sac mites, but it could also be due to extreme heat. As Andiok mentioned, it could be disease a vet could help with.

I keep my birds indoors, and I treat for mites twice a year as a preventative. I use Scatt- one drop on the skin. But I know catching each bird is hard in an aviary. Hopefully some of our aviary people can give advice on safe regular preventatives for parasites and disease that can dosed in the water or food so the whole flock can be done at one time.

[Dbearden]

Babe,
I live outside of Houston, Tx. The aviary is actually an atrium in my home and enclosed walls with screen top, and has a concrete floor with a drain and water faucet/hose so I can easily clean. No outside birds or animals can access.
It is open to the rain, but there are areas the birds can stay dry.

[the_gouldian_guy]

I would look into coccidiosis if it doesn't seem like they have mites. Hot weather and moisture are catalysts for it. While the open mouth breathing isn't a typical symptom, in my experience it is probably the biggest killer of finches, especially exotic species. Try to feel the breast of a sick bird. A thin bird will have a sharp feeling beast bone. Also the droppings will often have a foul odor to them. Ideally have a bird checked out at a vet, however that is not an option for everyone. Hope this helps!

[Icearstorm]

Dbearden

The other options seem far more probable, but it could be possible that Aspergillosis is the culprit. It sounds like your aviary is clean and mold-free, so contaminated seed would likely be the source if this is the case.
Aspergillosis

This one covers both Coccidiosis and Air Sac Mites: Common Finch Diseases

[lovezebs]

Dbearden

If I were you, I would try and get a hold of an Avian Vet in your area.

All we can do is guess, and in the meanwhile more of your birds may die. We are not Vets, and it is impossible to diagnose something like this on line. All we can do is perhaps share our experiences, but although well meant, it might be something completely different that is going through your flock.

Please seek the help of an Avian Vet, and do keep us updated.

[Sally]

Dbearden

You are lucky that there is a canary/finch club in the Houston area. They should be able to direct you to an avian vet, or even give you advice. Their next meeting is this coming Sunday, so perfect timing to get in touch with them. Great group of breeders!

https://www.canaryandfinchsociety.com/

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on finch care.