FINCHforum

Hello all, and good day. This is my first post, though I've read--and learned from--many wonderful posts over the last couple of months. Thank you!

I'm the 'custodial human' of 2.5 society finches: mom, dad, and a little speck of a chick who hatched just yesterday. Mom only laid three eggs; one egg got kicked out a couple of days ago (infertile), and the third egg is still in the nest with the chick. It's all very sweet and mom and dad are already quite attentive to the singleton.

In keeping with his preferred minimalist aesthetic, dad prepared the bamboo nest with three pieces of hay, artfully arranged. Though they've been given ample material (timothy hay and fluff, both used at the pet store, so familiar to them), my society finches have shunned it all. I wouldn't judge, but today I saw the world's tiniest leg pop out from between the bamboo slats at the bottom of the nest. The chick pulled its leg back up, but I'm worried that it might get injured in the future. Should I try to introduce hay directly into the nest? Or is this just a lifestyle choice that I needn't worry about?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions!

morrowlane
I would add soft grass under the baby and egg, as a lack of nesting material could easily lead to splayed legs (and broken legs, in your case). Scoop up the egg and baby (plastic spoon should work for the egg), and then add the nesting material before replacing them in the nest. Try to do this while both are off the nest; if one of them is always in the nest, you may need to nudge it off. Society finches tend to be relatively calm, and therefore less likely to abandon then other species, so this hopefully won't freak them out too much.

morrowlane

I'd offer them some bits of shredded kleenex, which most birds find irresistable, or try and add some bits into the nest around the baby and egg. The parents will arrange it hopefully.

Good luck, and congratulations on the new arrival.

Thank you, both! I'll definitely try both suggestions.