Pecked nestlings

[monotwine]

I'm not sure who the culprit is in my aviary! I found my four nestling Gouldians in this condition when I came home today.
All was fine for weeks now. I can only think a) the young fledglings from the other clutch ventured in ( would they do this?) b) male of the fledged clutch has decided to drive this clutches hen to mate??? Would he attack the nestlings though?

Pecked!.jpg (146.84 KiB) Viewed 982 times

Arg so fustrating. I don't really have a plan B for this lot. Two have been very badly pecked. One scalped. I treated their wounds for infection, but thats all I could do and put them back out there.

I saw no-one go in again, but it was close to roosting time anyhow. They were well fed at least.
I've placed a nest in with my bengalese, who were in rest, in the last attempt at a plan b incase I have to move survivers.

Any thoughts as to why this would happen now at so late a stage? All my other birds are acting as normal and most are on their own nests so not searching for sites etc. I can only think of the Gouldians doing this to themselves...

Its never smooth sailing.

[cindy]

Monique...I have a pair of Florida Fancy Zebras that gave me a perfect first clutch. The second and third clutch fledged plucked. Their diet is good but my only thought is that they wanted them to fledge, so they could lay eggs again which they did before the last two left the nest. Nothing like bald babies!!!

One of my penguin babies fledged and the father went and pulled the tail feathers out right in front of me. Grrrr.

[monotwine]

Cindy I don't know if we will ever truely understand what goes on in their little bird brains.
This just seemed so malicious. One baby I can see his skull through the wound and the other is badly pecked all over his head and wings! Nasty whomever it was.
I don't know if they will make it, but at least they are old enough to maybe pull through if they don't get infection. Younger and I think they would have been done for.

[dfcauley]

Gosh.... I don't know, but I am sure Misty can sympathize with you as she has had this happen several times. Mean ole birds!!!!! They are after all just little babies.......

[Sally]

This does look like malicious pecking, not just pecking to get feathers to line a nest. Since I breed in cages, I don't really have this kind of problem. Hope the little ones pull thru.

[lovemyfinch]

Oh my, that is malicious
I sure hope those babies make it through the trauma

[GOULDYGIRL]

Since it wasn't mentioned, I'm going to assume you have no other species in with the Gouldians? If not then I would have to guess one of the adults, I would bet it wouldn't be the just fledged chicks which are adorable BTW!

Poor babies. That's a shame. I they pull through. Do you have a place to put the adult male if anything? At least till these little ones fledge? Looks like only a few more weeks.

Good luck!

[G8love4finches]

Here's hoping your little guys put through!...What a nasty attack!!

[MLaRue]

Do you have other adult Gouldians in the same area as these babies that are not their parents?

I would blame them - they want this nest I have learned that domesticated Gouldians are down right evil when it comes to breeding and what turf they want when it is already occupied. Next will be babies pulled out of the nest - at least that is what happened to mine!

[monotwine]

They are housed in a communal aviary with other species and Gouldian pairs.

Misty I'm with you on this I think it is another pair. The dilute male is a dotting parent to his fledged babies, but its right about now when a pair starts looking for a new nest. I'm thinking it's him, but have no proof. This clutches nest is the highest in the shelter of my aviary. His nest was the highest in the outside flight. Perhaps because it is getting cooler he now wishes for this cozy high nest inside. I added extra, higher nest boxes this morning too just incase.

I'm moving my smaller aviary to a sunnier & warmer spot this weekend. There after I can move him, his wife and all his babies to the other aviary if that would help, but I also don't want to chance that he then stops feeding his own.

this comes with communal breeding I suppose.

[L in Ontario]

Sorry to hear this - I hope they all pull through for you. How are the kids today?

[6finchfriends]

hope you find a solution and the little ones heal up and fledge soon! They are beautiful little Goulds!

[MLaRue]

They are housed in a communal aviary with other species and Gouldian pairs.

Misty I'm with you on this I think it is another pair. The dilute male is a dotting parent to his fledged babies, but its right about now when a pair starts looking for a new nest. I'm thinking it's him, but have no proof. This clutches nest is the highest in the shelter of my aviary. His nest was the highest in the outside flight. Perhaps because it is getting cooler he now wishes for this cozy high nest inside. I added extra, higher nest boxes this morning too just incase.

I'm moving my smaller aviary to a sunnier & warmer spot this weekend. There after I can move him, his wife and all his babies to the other aviary if that would help, but I also don't want to chance that he then stops feeding his own.

this comes with communal breeding I suppose.

Yes, it actually drives me crazy! I know it is the Gouldians (in my case) I was so quick to blame the Grens but they were not the birds doing this - the males AND females when they want a nest - they make sure they get it.

[monotwine]

the babies bar one look ok. They are all well fed but the one has a bad head wound. Ill just keep it clean as possible and hope for the best. Ive had birds with similar injuries survive, but never so young. At least it does not seem like they got pecked again.

[cindy]

I do hope the little one does well. This pecking and plucking is a bit trying at times!!!