Very hurt/sick society hen!!!!

[fhgwgads]

Maddie how's it going for your little girl?? I've been thinking about her quite often!!

[Maddie]

She's looking about the same as before, but has more energy. I've put a cover over part of the bowl so she feels a bit safer. She's not very happy with me at the moment- in fact, I've been bit quite a lot. I'm lucky she has an itty bitty beak!
When should I expect her feathers to start coming in?

[chirpy]

I think biting is good she has energy to fight back. That's what my boss/vet would say ;)

[fhgwgads]

Maddie feathers are going to take a while. You should start seeing pin feathers coming in soon but it will be a while before they fully grow out. I wouldn't suggest leaving her in the bowl for the entire time.. just until she starts moving around again. She should manage until they grow in.. though if she has trouble maybe you can put her in a smaller temporary cage or rearrange the present cage so it's easier if she can't fly. But you will definitely have to keep an eye on her until she is back to her normal self just in case it was the others picking on her.. and even if it wasn't they may see her as weak and/or a threat now being that she has missing feathers and may attract predators to the nest in their minds. As for the exact amount of time it takes for feathers to grow in I am not sure but maybe someone else knows. Give her plenty of fresh mashed hard boiled egg with the shell and it will help regrow the feathers.

[lovezebs]

How is Piper today? I love that name by the way. Has therw been any improvements?

[Maddie]

No pin feathers yet, but she is a feisty little thing!

[dcompt]

When there was an accident with Pippin - I dropped his cage (!!) he lost tail feathers and flight feather from one wing. This was in, maybe, February. He didn't grow them back until what seems to be a regular molting time - July/August. He was flightless for months.

I hope Piper starts growing hers back at once. If you put her back in the large cage, be sure to have enough perches that she can easily get around. Pippin was like a little monkey by the time he got feathers back. Between extra perches and clinging/hopping round the sides of the cage, he managed fine, though he rather short tempered for a society, probably because he felt vulnerable.

[lovezebs]

How is the little patient doing? Starting to hop around yet?

[Angela&Shalamar]

I wouldn't bet on the Bangalase being nicer to a weak or injured bird and neither would my dear Pipkin. That's why he lives alone now.

[dcompt]

Not really on topic, but my societies were beyond nice to a sick cage mate, though it might not be a universal behavior. When Dee became sick I separated him, but he was pining to be back with the others so after medicating him, I just put him back in the large cage; if he was contagious they had all been exposed anyway. He was much calmer out of the hospital and back home.

It eventually turned out to be probably a tumor, and as he became very sick towards the end, hard breathing, and near collapse after any flying, one of the birds always perched next to him, cuddling up. When he began to stay in the nest most of the time, one or another was always with him, snuggling, sometimes one on each side of him. Mine are very defensive of their nests, but Dee was allowed in any of them after a flight when he would obviously be in respiratory distress. He just headed for the nearest, and all of them, even my dominant pair that let NO ONE in their nest permitted it. It was really rather touching how much care they took of him.

I get aggravated with my guys sometimes, but they came up trumps for those weeks!

[Maddie]

Donna-
That is so sweet! I am very sorry that you lost Dee, though


Good news about Piper! She is hopping about (a little awkwardly) and she has some pretty decent sized pin feathers.
I moved her into my travel cage to prevent head injury. She was jumping up to the top of her bowl; I was concerned that she would concuss herself on the cookie sheets! I also moved her so she could practice perching again. She can't keep her balance very well but seems to enjoy trying.

I've put her little baby cage next to one of my flight cages. Do you think that will upset her or make her happier? I know she is probably feeling a bit vulnerable...

[Zebrafincher]

Hi there,

How is your little one doing? I hope she gets better. My experience has been with finches and canaries that if they bite you, they are definitely feeling better. My small fry, Merl, is tiny but he hangs off my fingers (and the vets!) if I pick him up. He bites quite hard for such a small bird!

How are the other two doing with the nest? You mentioned there were some eggs.

Good luck with her.

kind Regards


Zebrafincher
Proud owner of:
“Kevin the King”, groutchy, cranky canary – 12 years
Beaky the Zebbie – 9 months old – a real, real cutie!!!
Merlin “Merl” the Starfinch – 2 years – and “bossy as anything for such a small fry!”

[fhgwgads]

Maddie glad to hear she is doing better!! I am sure she is feeling better being in the cage too and not confined. They can get antsy even when what we do is in their best interest. And it's good that she's back to moving around and trying to perch. Hopefully her feathers will continue growing in quick, too. I don't think it is a problem having her next to the other cage. They are very social creatures and at least she can feel like she is with her buddies! Especially if it was the dog that got to her.. she may not understand why she was suddenly taken away. But I am glad she is doing better! Wishing you the best! And for her a quick and full recovery!!

[Tammy]

just a thought but have you every heard of that saying 2's company and three a crowd. maybe a fourth finch would help, 2 girls and 2 boys . just a thought. I love society finches they are wonderful birds. -tammy

[Maddie]

A good update! All of Piper's feathers have grown back and she is flying around again! I tried putting her back in my aviary cage... the boys were a bit too excited to see her. She was getting chased nonstop, so I put her in a different cage with one of my mated pairs. They are being so very sweet to her! They are like her little nurses

I'll post a pic sometime soon!