FINCHforum

Hello! I have three newly hatched society chicks, and one egg left! But just now I found one of the babies on the bottom of the cage. Based on where in the cage he was, it looks like he was tossed. He was alive so I put him back in the nest, but I don't know how long he was down there.

Is it possible the male tossed him? It looks like the chick's crop is full of food, and both hens are sitting nonstop on the babies and egg. But the male is eating all the egg food and trying to tear up strips of newspaper on the bottom of the cage. I'm thinking he may be interested in mating again, and therefore throwing the chicks. Am I possibly right?

If so, Lord Grantham is getting his own cage by the end of the day! But if I'm wrong, I don't want to move him unnecessarily.

Birds and breeding are not for the faint of heart!!

hfinney

When a chick is found at the bottom of the cage, we automatically asume that it was tossed.

That is not always the case however.
At times, chicks get caught on a leg or a wing of an adult in the nest, when the older bird flies out of the nest and the chick ends up on the bottom.

This chick is obviously being fed, and is well cared for.

You did well to put him back.

I will usually put the chick back once or twice, unless I actually see it being carried out and tossed.

The male may or may not be tossing (it's not always the male).

Keep a close eye on this trio and the babies, and supply enough eggfood for everyone to have enough.

Good to know! I'm glad I may not have to boot Lord Grantham out of the society house after all!

I have seen them fly out of the nest really fast, esp. if spooked by one of my kiddos. I have four young kids that sometimes find my office/bird room an irresistible hiding spot in a hide and seek game.

I'll keep an eye out. So far, so good. Thanks for your help!

hfinney

That vein is normal in a full crop. And societies stretch it waaay out. Looks like an accidental kick from the nest due to being startled as Elana mentioned.

He has more fuzz than I have ever seen on a society chick.

Is he a hybrid with a zebra?

He's not a hybrid. He has a chocolate pied dad, and then one of my two fawn pied hens is its mom. Definitely no zebras in the cage.

Babs

My societies are usually fuzzy for a day or two after hatching; I think they get their parents' down stuck on them before they dry off.

Babs sometimes my society’s get fluffy bits on them aswell that’s why I write post thinking one was a zebras because I moved the eggs