FINCHforum

Ok am not sure if i have a epidemic or just bad patch of luck, last night i fount one of my owls pn cage floor and it could hardly keep itself up, i isolated ot but unfortantly it did not survive, anyway this evning i fount two zebs dea, one was a fledging that just started eating on its own the other was a hen around 3 year old, all in different cages but same room.
Only thing new was a fresh batch of millet i got from a different source,i have removed that thinking it may be that.
Has anyone else any ideas/suggestions?
Have put vitamin drops in the water, just hope i have sorted it or figure it out soon!!!!

Oh no! I hope you figure it out quickly. Hopefully someone else will have an idea... I'm sorry, I don't but I don't have much experience yet.

I would treat with an antibiotic fast. I had something similar happen a month ago and I had to remove all food, water dishes and clean out all cages with disinfectant to prevent the spread of "whatever it was that was killing my finches." I treated all for ASM with SCATT and put antibiotic in the water. Then I treated all with Ronivet 12% and followed up this last week with Probiotic. I stopped the death cycle and saved about six finches. I had lost three in the beginning, within a day of each other. I pray you can get this under control. As always keep heat on them and watch droppings and behavior. Check all food and water dishes and prevent drafts from A/C etc. Keep us posted.

Thanks, it middle night here so cant do much but sit think and worry at mo but have my alarm set for crack dawn to clean them all out!! Only thing i can think of is the millet as that is only thing new,i put it in a old containor so possibly there was something in that, hopefully as it only been 2 days since i changed the millet they have not eaten loads of it, the sprigs were still fairly full, gona change the flooring incase any has fallen into that

Toby...was the new millet bought boxed or was it in open containers/bins at a pet store that had other birds near it?

It wasnt from a petshop, was from a supplier who deals mainly in farm animals supplys, was with a friend who was getting feed for his farm, it was in open buckets n half the price i usally pay

Toby, I avoid buying from open bins at feed store or some pet stores. Feed stores may have mice, rats and pests like roaches. The millet could be contaminated. I would remove it and clean and check all the cages to see if there was something else that made them ill. The fact that they were all fine and caged separately and the only new common factor was the millet it makes me think possibly some of the birds came in contact with a contaminate.

Are anymore sick? Sometimes if millet or food gets wet/damp mold starts growing and is present even of you don't see it. Check everything...hope you do not loose anymore and no one else gets sick.

Quick update, another fledging from a different family died through the night
i have changed the floor covering etc this morning and added vitamins and antibiotics for everyone, fingers crossed

I hope you are able to stop this soon Toby.

Toby
I am so sorry to hear you lost another one! I sure hope the antibiotics and cage clean up change the pattern. I was so scared when I lost my three finches last month. I still have six others recovering in quarantine and am not returning them to the flock until I am sure they are 100% and won't infect any other birds. Keeping prayers for your flock.

Toby, so sorry this is happening. Are the sick ones able to drink and eat on their own, the biggest thing is to make sure they stay hydrated. If they can't drink or are to weak to drink on their own you may need to give them the meds by hand.

Keep them warm. Keep us posted.

What are the birds symptoms...is their stool normal, any sign of blood?

I have not seen any blood or unusual stool, but as been working not had chance to watch, as for symptoms all other birds seem to be acting fine, the only thing I noticed was that the owl did not seem able to balance on a perch
I have a feeling there may heve been something in the tub that I put the millet in and that they have picked up traces of poison of some sort as it is only really young or old died so far I am hoping the other adults have stronger immune

I am so sorry to hear of your losses! I hope you can sanitize their cages/bowls and get this stopped. It's everyone's fear. Keep us posted.

I've lost about eight the last month...all died shortly after leaving the nest.I've treated for coccodiosis as they had all gone light and I suspect this may be the cause...hard to tell yet and another 3 days treatment yet.I've treated all species and removed bathing facilities for now.
I shall follow up with a probiotic next week.

Harkers Coxoid available in the UK for pigeons...halve the dose for cage birds.
Check if your birds have a pronounced breastbone.

Thanks paul thats what i put on this morning is harkers coxoid.
Just done the evning check and no deaths today will keep eye on it over next week but hopfully it is sorted now