FINCHforum

Hi, I am new to this forum and keeping finches.

I have had the pleasure of looking after an indoor aviary of finches where I work, for almost a year, we have around 40 to 50 birds, a mixture of parsons, hecks, gouldian, firetails, star, strawberry, owl, parrot and recently cordon bleu. They all appear to be well and happy, apart from the gouldians. I ve lost afew in the last year and I am wondering if it maybe due to missing something in their diet?
They are given a premium finch seed, millet and egg food daily, they always have access to grit and cuttlefish. They are given greens afew times a week, but should this be daily, and what should i give them? I have recently started giving them peas as advised by a gouldian breeder, she also mention soaked seed, but I am not sure how to go about this. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

Sheddy I doubt it’s anything to do with the diet at all because you have a very healthy diet I think there must be an illness/disease that the gouldians are catching

Hopefully some other members shed light

Hi I dont know too much about the different types of finches but have also worked in an aviary with zebra finches before. I found I was restricted with the politics of budget to care properly for them. They require fresh food daily. Finches, some species more than others, are incredibly territorial. When I worked in the avairy I kept it very clean daily and scrubbed down the concrete on a regular basis with an appropriate cleaner. Im sorry I cant be of anymore help.

Sheddy

Were the gouldians experiencing feather problems or neck swelling before they died? Gouldian finches tend to have higher iodine requirements than other finches, although it's doubtful that this would directly lead to death.

The aviary is kept very clean, it has to be as it is on display to the public, a couple of the birds lost the feathers from their head I didn't notice swollen necks, they were puffed up and lathargic for a time before they died.

Welcome to the forum!
It's probably some disease, because even if you feed them a really good diet not all diseases can be prevented. Birds usually don't look sick until they are almost dead so if a few drop dead suddenly that might be what happened. Gouldian finches are also most prone to air sac mites, which if left untreated can kill them. They can also pass the mites to their young and other finches. Even though the mites are treated the finches still might not survive.
Another problem might be egg binding. It only occurs to hens. Even if you give calcium to them, old hens and young hens laying for the first time are likely to get it. It can occur in the nest, feeder or aviary floor. Telltale symptoms are puffing up, seeming tired all of a sudden and wet or dirty vent.
As for soaked seed, it has greater nutritional value than your normal seed. Basically just soak some finch seed in water until they sprout. If it doesn't sprout then the seed is bad. You will need to change the seed every few hours to make sure that your finches do not eat mouldy seed.
Peas can just be the frozen ones you find at the supermarket. They still have the same, or even greater nutritional value than normal peas. Boil them, cool them and mash them. If you like, you can also add some soft food mix.

Thank you Cathy that's very helpful, I have been giving them a worm/mite medication once a month, my boss seems to think they can get air say mite from live meal worm, is this correct? I will give the soaked seed a go, give it to them when I arrive at work and remove it before I leave so it does nt go mouldly.

Sheddy oh I think that’s the problem apparently love insect food can give certain birds bacterial inferctioms etc so this is most likely the case

You can also give kelp powder as a source of iodine.