Society finch being plucked

[carcoozie]

Sorry if this is posted in the wrong place.

I have 2 male societies - one was a little agressive to the other in the beginning (they settled down and I got a larger cage).

After that, they hatched out a gouldian egg and the three were getting along great. The baby lived for 9 weeks and died suddenly. Since then, the previously aggressive male has become aggressive again. He has plucked my other male almost bare on his back.

I have seperated them in order for my little guy to regrow his feathers.

My question is, would it be better to add a third bird to the mix because they seemed to get along so much better with the baby in there? Also, will male societies fight over females of a different species? So, should I get a male?
Also - crazy question - could the one male be missing some nutrient/vitamin that he is getting out of the other birds feathers (calcium?) - he appears to be eating them?
I have added oystershell to both cages.

Thanks in advance for your help.

[ac12]

Did you give them a hardboiled egg mix?
I could be the plucker is missing something that the feathers provide.
I did this with a pair of zebra hens, where one was plucking the other on the back of her head. After giving them egg daily, I noticed that the plucked bird was regrowing her feathers, and the plucker appeared to not be plucking the plucked hen any more.

* * * *

The chick died at 9 weeks. That would be a few weeks after the chick weaned?
Sounds like it "might" be Cochlosoma. According to my notes, the chick would die shortly before or after fledgling or about weaning.

If it might be Cochlosoma,
#1 - Move them to a different room from your goudlians, to quarantine them.
#2 - Be careful not to mix their food and water dishes with your gouldians. Might be too late already, but won't hurt.
#3 - Let them foster another gouldian chick or two and see if it lives past weaning, or dies prior to weaning. If it dies, you need to get rid of those birds, as they likely have Cochlosoma. They should not be used to foster any gouldians.

[carcoozie]

Thank you for the response. They have had a dry eggfood mix in all the time - I have just started adding boiled egg back in.

I was wondering if it was one of the "Cs" that had killed the chick. However, "he" was fully weaned and just starting to get in his chest feathers, so I'm thinking that it wasn't that.

I don't have any other gouldians - he was fostered from an egg a gal sent me through the mail. But I thank you for the info and will keep it on hand for future - I do hope to get gouldians one day.
Thank you.

[ac12]

Oh bummer

I know what it is like to get your first gouldian from an egg. That is how I got mine.

After that my gouldian "infection" spread and I got several more, until now where I am out of my limited space for any more w/o getting rid of my zebras...which I am thinking of doing.

[debbie276]

From the book "Problems with Finches" by Robert Black he states that by far the most common cause of pulling feathers is a craving for food.
Feathers are nearly pure protein, with traces of minerals and fats to give them strength and color. The lack of adequate protein in the birds diet is the most common cause of this problem, it can also be the minerals that the finches are lacking. Another serious possibility is a lack of salt in the diet, living parts of feathers are rich in salt.