Birds seem healthy (just a question)

[birdeatcat]

Hello all I haven't posted in quite some time, Just lately I wanted to ask.

I am in the throws of breeding a pair of my societies and my societies SEEM to be Bony, but what's odd about it is their very active and eating what they normally do. I weighed most of them and they seem to be normal weight. The females are 2 grams or 1 ounce (I'll update with the egg laying female when she pops out of the nest for a snack). And the male (society) that I weighed is 2.5 ounces.

So their not losing scale weight. Is their any suggestions that I might give, my Finches so that they may put on a little bit more weight.

One more thing, these birds get out of their cages and fly all the time! so their not lacking exercise.
they get a diet of Zupreem, 2 different seed mixes, Vegetables and Spray millet.

If everything is okay, she's got 5 eggies now XD

[debbie276]

To put weight on your birds I would add oily seeds to their diet like sunflower, thistle and safflower.

[L in Ontario]

Also, if you're not as yet, try giving them eggfood and soakseed mixed with some veggies and the all important Wheat Germ Oil and Cod Liver Oil. There are several recipes on this forum. Here's a thread of a few eggfood recipes -

http://www.finchforum.com/viewtopic.php ... 7&p=193080

[DanteD716]

I would not let birds out while breeding, it disrupts nesting and female might have an accident and an break an egg inside them. You should try fresh eggfood for them, especially when they have chicks, sounds like your diet is pretty good so far. I offered fresh eggfood, chopped carrots, and leaves of lettuce daily to breeding birds, and they ate it all. They also got millet weekly

Liz has been typing faster lately!! It always says a new post has been made when I hit submit!

[birdeatcat]

I Seemed to have over reacted, I'll crush sun flower seeds for them and I did stop egg food, but Haru and Ryuuzaki get tons of Egg food! (breeding pair) along with plenty of Veggies and their Calcium plus in the water for 5 days. And in the winter time I'll give them cod liver oil in their seed, cause It goes rancid in their cups in the summer.

by the way Liz, Lima Bean is an Orange head XD Her beak is Orange on the Tip.

Thanks!

[DanteD716]

I think you're fine then!

[birdeatcat]

@ DanteD716 Haru and Ryuuzaki are Tamed, but I believe she has laid the last egg, and their Both incubating. I just keep an Eye on them and bath them often, she hasn't had an egg broken inside her, knock on Wood, but usually when she comes out later in the after she already laid an egg that day.

But I will keep this fully in mind for my birds that are fussy about being touched.

[L in Ontario]

I Seemed to have over reacted, I'll crush sun flower seeds for them and I did stop egg food, but Haru and Ryuuzaki get tons of Egg food! (breeding pair) along with plenty of Veggies and their Calcium plus in the water for 5 days. And in the winter time I'll give them cod liver oil in their seed, cause It goes rancid in their cups in the summer.

by the way Liz, Lima Bean is an Orange head XD Her beak is Orange on the Tip.

Thanks!

I know LB is an OH - technically she is a BH YTB and she is also split to blue!

Just a note to not give too much Calcium Plus in the water - too much of a good thing can be detrimental too. I always alternated Calcium Plus with Liquid Iodine and clear water -
Day 1 Calcium Plus added to drinking water
Day 2 Clear Water
Day 3 Liquid Iodine added to drinking water
Day 4 Clear Water
Day 5 Calcium Plus added to drinking water
Day 6 Clear Water
Day 7 Clear Water
Repeat.

Not saying you have to follow that routine, just saying what worked for me / my Gouldians. If your routine is working - YAY!

[Jasmin]

Birdeatcat...I'm just wondering...how do you weigh your birds?
I can't wrap my mind around that and I had to ask or I'll be thinking of it all day!

[DanteD716]

@ DanteD716 Haru and Ryuuzaki are Tamed, but I believe she has laid the last egg, and their Both incubating. I just keep an Eye on them and bath them often, she hasn't had an egg broken inside her, knock on Wood, but usually when she comes out later in the after she already laid an egg that day.

But I will keep this fully in mind for my birds that are fussy about being touched.

Well if she has laid and is tame you are fine then, but for flighty bird try not to scare them too much. I think you are doing everything fine! You should have great chicks, and the parents should also be okay

[birdeatcat]

@ Liz, Mhmm my mom said she was split to blue, and I was thinking maybe not But If she is XD

Haru and Ryuu, I gave them calcium plus to her mouth, to start her and for the first 3 days calcium in the water, and clear water for two days and calcium plus etc.
By the way, Lima bean must have eaten something yuck, maybe a seed in the water, then got sick from it, but she's okay now. I did notice she's got quite the personality, she seems to like to soil her food here with water and poop. she so darn silly. ><'

@ Jasmine, When I first took my first crested, to the vet he unfortunately passed away from stress =(. The Vet showed me how to administer medicine and also how to weigh. They weigh best on a scale that has grams and ounces. Digital works but we use one that weighs food (lol no finches are eaten)
We place them in a plastic container with a lid slightly off for breathing, make sure that the plastic container doesn't show on the scale or subtract the container and the lid weight from the full weight. sometimes they will fuss but will calm eventually, mine didn't fuss. It takes a second or two to weigh them.

@ DanteD716 Thank you ^^ I'll post pictures of them, and I am hoping that they'll let me help them out and hand rear, maybe the parents will take some of the mix too. I have seen it done with Zebra finches on youtube, and the parents eat with the babies =)

[birdeatcat]

Hey Everyone 2 of the eggs are fertile XD!

[debbie276]

Wonderful news!!
Best of luck

[birdeatcat]

@ Debbie276 Thank you very much ^^

I am so excited and curious to find out their genders and colors! =D

[L in Ontario]

Great news Erica! Is this your first breeding adventure?