FINCHforum

Hello,

I am losing my third clutch of baby gouldians. They all do great then suddenly all babies die. They have full crops but all die at the same time. Can anyone please give me any advice?

I think we need a little more background information. Are there any pets disturbing the parents? Are the parents abandoning the chicks - if left alone they will get too cold. What are they being fed? What material is in the nest?

They are fed normal finch seed and their egg food. Feeding isnt the issue as I have several other cluthes that are successful. The parents have Privacy, plus the room is kept very warm. It doesnt appear as though they are being abandoned...Their crops are full. It's like something over comes them all at one time.

I am sorry for your loss. This must be difficult on you.

I viewed your site at the bottom that is a beautiful bird, the Straw Headed, Purple Breasted, Powdered Blue Silver is stunning.

Omg, that's terrible I'm very new to breeding myself but was just wondering. Is this 3rd clutch all from the same parents? Could the parents be carrying something and passing it on to the chicks? If their feeding them, not tossing them, and your keeping them warm, I can't imagine what it could be other then something is wrong with the parents. Either congenital or otherwise. Very strange, and must be heartbreaking to loose 3 clutches like that.

Hope you can figure it out ;(

Renee

Is the eggfood made with boiled egg? Or are you feeding a dry commercial eggfood?

My best guess without knowing any more would be that the chicks are gatting a yeast infection. The crop is not empting out.

Or it possibly could be the eggfood has spoiled. (if using boiled egg and left out too long.)

Or could the chicks have gotten too cold?

Sorry to hear this. There are several medictions you can put in the water that would prevent a yeast infection.

This is the 2nd clutch from these parents. The other clutch was different parents..Yeast infection?? What causes that? The eggfood does have dry egg food and veggies in it. Dont think it is the egg food as other birds are ok..

Well thenit is not from spoiled food if your are only giving the dried product. Here is a site eith gastric yeast infection explained better than I could.
http://www.finchniche.com/f-agy.mgi

I can offer no suggestions, but want to say I am sorry for your loss.

I found this, it may help

Here is the link but there are a lot of topics so I will include part of the article, you have to scroll down to find the question/answer and to read further

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/features_faq.mgi#din

Why did the hatchlings die in the nest?

"Any of the following could be the reason; excessive heat or cold; male’s excessive nesting drive; fouling of the nest; nest invaded by ants or lice; night frights; immature parents; lethal factor due to genetic make-up; interference from humans, vermin, other birds or predators; insufficient or inappropriate diet. In my experience I have found the latter again to be the most common reason. However, if you are loosing your babies at the 10 to 14 days consider the information given on coccidiosous"

I feel odd asking what I feel like should be an obvious first question, but here goes:

Are these birds being parent reared or are you are using societies to foster?

What do the poops in the nest look like?

Did any behavior significantly change the day before the babies died (no begging, reduced begging, changes in parents behavior, etc.?)

Dying with a full crop is usually the sign of some kind of infection, and unfortunately, the way you describe it sounds exactly like how campylobacter kills full clutches.. which is why I ask if these are fostered.

Two clutches were parent raised and 1 was fostered by societies..

I have no advice as to what could be the cause, but I do want to let you know that my sympathies are with you.

I had this to happen to me once. I lost two clutches from two different parents at the same time.

I believe it was coccidiocis. I treated my whole flock with Trimethoprim Sulfate and I have raised loads of gouldian babies since.

If your bird is carrying this disease that COULD be the cause.
This was suggested by someone else for me to do and it worked.
Not sure if this is your problem, but maybe worth a try.....????

brandon_cindy6 wrote:Two clutches were parent raised and 1 was fostered by societies..

And all three died the same way?

Do you happen to know if the parents that raised the chicks were fostered by societies or if they are or were housed with societies that may or may not have been "clean"?