FINCHforum

I clean my cage every weekend, replacing all newspapers and giving the bottom portions of the cage a complete wash and rub down and then some lysol. The upper portion of the cage, bars, is rubbed down with a warm wet towel.

The nest, I have never cleaned. Should I? It has 2 hatchlings in it. It smells so NASTY i almost GAG when I get close to it. And I can see the baby poo piling up on the nest perimeter. I really want to clean it but I am sure it doesnt matter. In nature no one cleans out the nest for them... any suggestions here?

I would leave the nest cleaning until they have fledged... could wear a clothes-peg on your nose.

Good answer liz

Smells better now

Chris ,

Are you taking the place of poohbear with the funny pictures?

I have never had a nest to smell THAT bad even with 8 nestling in there.

Are you sure there is not a dead baby in there? I have heard that is a terrible smell......

Could be a rotten egg too.

Nopers. Not taking the place of pooh bear. Just felt that it was an appropriate picture for that conversation.

I am gonna say that there is no dead baby in there. I know for certain there were 7 eggs and now there are 5 eggs and 2 babies. Unless my math has failed me, surely 7-2 = 5

Now if an egg is bad... umm.. its still in the egg.. so would the egg stink if the egg is sealed?

An egg could get a very tiny hole in it (from a claw puncture for example), though I've never experienced a 'really bad' smell from a nest even with 7 chicks in there and all their poops nor from any old unhatched eggs.

Finch Fry wrote:Nopers. Not taking the place of pooh bear. Just felt that it was an appropriate picture for that conversation.

I am gonna say that there is no dead baby in there. I know for certain there were 7 eggs and now there are 5 eggs and 2 babies. Unless my math has failed me, surely 7-2 = 5

Now if an egg is bad... umm.. its still in the egg.. so would the egg stink if the egg is sealed?

I'm glad you are following in Poohbear's traditions. I really enjoy seeing those pics and replies from both of you.

Are you using the 'new' math ..Don't know how old you are so that may be a lost comment.

I would suggest as Liz did, that you may have a 'ripening' dead egg in there. Can't tell you how to proceed with that. You can inspect the unhatched ones. Use your clothes pin in the mean time. I think you'll find out soon.

I think it's time for a nest inspection. There has to be either a bad egg or a chick in there. I have 5 babies and 2 parents in the nest and I don't smell a thing. I too see poop around the opening and inside but it doesn't smell at all. Something needs to be removed. I'm sure now that the chicks are 10 days or so it wouldn't bother the parents if you took it out for a minute to see what's going on.

JMO,
Renee

I agree... while I do think that bird poop does have a distinct smell, it is rather subtle, and I don't find it too offensive. I would have to have my nose pretty near IN the nest before it would bother me. So I guess there's a bad egg in there...

I'm glad we have some agreement. Finch 'poop' isn't too offensive, but it doesn't sound like what you are smelling.

There is something else going on. The 'dead' smell is quite different than the 'poop' smell.. and quite offensive..

Agree with everyone else. You need an inspection and I'll bet you'll find out why you have that odor.

oh boy.. I hope I wasnt smelling myself....

Well.. I don't know quite what to say .. Men smell different than women.. and they always comment when I've been working.

You'll find the culprit Finch Fry..