FINCHforum

I am house sitting for a friend and have not had much luck with animals. The latest issue is that there is an aviary with cockatiels, quails and a number of Gouldian Finches. Over the past few days the finches have started loosing feathers on their heads and today I found 2 dead. I know nothing about birds and I don't want the, coming home to dead animals what is wrong with the finches and what can I do?

Just have time for a quick answer before I leave, but cockatiels and finches should never share the same aviary, IMO. I would call the people and tell them what is happening.

I agree wholeheartedly with Sally here.
Just looking at the size of a cockatiels beak next the that of the head of a gouldian gives me shivers.

Are you dumping out the food and giving them fresh food every day? If they'd been getting along and now all of a sudden, aren't - maybe they are fighting over food. Is the water clean? Bob

There could be a number of factors, bob mentioned food sally and janine mentioned cockatiels and I reckon that these are probably the two problems I would look at. How long have these birds been together ? I would ring the owners and let them know what's happened and ask them what they would like you to do since they are their pets.