I don't think my fledgling's going to make it!

[Corkysgirl]

lovezebs There's such a difference between hatchlings and fledglings, but now I'm finding more and more that it is really about the personalities of the birds. I guess it's just like people. I am amazed how different they all are! This one was a real stinker!

[Corkysgirl]

I think he is a he. I'm seeing a shadow of patch cheeks starting. I'm still concerned. He's still screaming to be fed. I'm comforted he's eating now, but he doesn't look right. He looks like he has narcolepsy. He can't keep his eyes opened. I never had a bird do this. He is falling asleep constantly, even with all the other birds bumping him and all the noise around him. He's thin, but hanging in there.

[delray]

i pray for him. Hope he gets better to the greatest potential.

[Corkysgirl]

Thanks delray. I'm praying he makes it too! I put some Romaine lettuce in there. I went in a while later and mom and the other chicks are eating away at it and the millet spray. He's just sitting way over away from them sleeping on the perch. I took him out an fed him some squash and apple sauce. It wasn't easy. I didn't get much into him. I tried to check his crop. It's very hard to see with all the feathers but I couldn't find any food in it. He's very thin. He's still missing the feathers on top/base of his tail, but he's also missing all the underside feathers and I can see all his insides working. I don't think he should be missing all of those feathers. Something's not right. There's no dirty vent. In fact, I was searching for a vent, needed a magnifying glass. It's almost like there's something wrong there it's so flush with the rest of him. Something just doesn't look right, but I can't quite put my finger on it. I so wish I had a camera that worked right.

[MiaCarter]

That's curious about the abnormalities in this little guy.

Though it seems that getting less nutrition than the others could explain his abnormalities.
If he's weaker then he would beg less vigorously, which would keep him weaker than the others. That would slow his growth and make him mature at a slower rate.
And it would make sense that if he's thin, then his feathers would come in slower since feathering takes a lot of raw materials.

Is there any chance of inbreeding? Is it possible the other siblings are from an unrelated dad, but this guy is from a male relative of the hen?

I would try to give him a boost of nutrients if you've figured out a way to get him to take what you're offering. Even just a drop of honey with multi-vitamin on the side of his beak every couple days could help. It could be he's just not getting enough nutrients and that would make him lethargic and tired.

Whatever the case, I hope he makes it!!

[Corkysgirl]

The area there are no feathers, he had feathers before so he's lost them for some reason. I'm sure he is smaller and weaker because of less nutrition. There's absolutely no chance of inbreeding. His mother is the from a line of a finch I had from Maryland, and his father is from a finch I got at Petco in Maine. I'm giving him honey when he is really weak, daily. He was screaming to eat again earlier and the mom fed him again, but just a little. The other two are completely weaned. Thanks!

[wildbird]

Do you think mom might feed him if they were the only two in the cage? You could try feeding young small kernel cooked sweet corn. Squeeze the kernel out of the shell & crush it. It's not the most nutritious diet, but I raised wild birds on it. They seemed to like it, & grew into healthy birds. It sounds like, at this point, anything is better than nothing. Will he pick at anything, like dried eggfood or hard boiled egg with millet seed mixed in?

[Corkysgirl]

The mother isn't feeding the other chicks. When she fed him, she only fed him, what seemed to be a seed, and then quit. I saw that twice today. I have to assume he ate some millet spray as that's what he did eat yesterday. He also ate a little boiled egg yesterday. He ate a tiny bit of squash, apple sauce and a little bit of honey today. He wasn't screaming tonight and he wasn't fluffed up or lethargic. If he just can do this a few more days, he may get the idea he has to eat the seed. I just wonder if something else is wrong with him. I really have no other place to put the other two chicks. The father already is in the sick cage. I live 75 miles from a Petco to even buy another cage. Right now I can't make the trip with a funeral and truck repairs. He won't open his beak for all the tea in China! I put it in the water/NV mix and he won't open it. I really think he's dehydrated. Even if he eats, he isn't getting fluid if his mom isn't feeding him...if he doesn't drink. That's my concern.

[Corkysgirl]

We made it through another day. I did not feed him even once. He screamed a few times but I didn't see his mother feeding him. I saw him on the millet spray eating. He isn't falling asleep as much. He seems to have more energy though he's no where near the growth or the stamina of his siblings, but I'll take just being alive at this point. I got some "Hearty Bird" today and some Pet Power Pollen, and quite a few other things in hopes of giving him a boost. I put the Hearty Bird in the water with the NV powder. Hopefully this will push him over the edge. Each day he's a little stronger. Today is the first day I really have hope. He was too funny tonight. Everyone was in their nest, lights out, almost dark in the room. I wanted to make sure they were all in before I shut the door. I don't really like the fledglings not to be inside the nests. I'm afraid they'll be too tired if they perch all night, especially the weak one. He was in the littlest nest, head popped out looking at me. It was the cutest thing! They're all usually oblivious to me. I loved it!

[dcompt]

I'm glad your little one is doing better. It sounds like he might make it after all. I hope you've given his parents a real scolding!

[Sally]

He must be eating some, or he wouldn't still be alive, so each day he makes it, he should start doing better. If he will drink some of the NV powder, that should really help him. I use NV powder for any birds that are stressed--new birds, birds going to the mart, birds going to a show--it really seems to help. As he gets stronger, he should also start to catch up with the siblings.

[Corkysgirl]

SallyI never see him drinking it but he must be...and even if his mother fed him today before I woke up, she is drinking it. Yesterday I got a little in him directly, very little. Yes, I think the NV powder really helped him! Now with the Hearty Bird...maybe it will just give him another boost. I put a new giant millet spray in there tonight for the morning. I don't think he's eating the big seed yet. It's really tiny seeds but big for him. I have a variety of seeds, different sizes. When I have fledglings I use the smaller seeds. He definitely wasn't crying for food as much today. The mother ignored him so I think she knows he's getting enough. I chose not to feed him because I took her cue. When the parents would stop feeding, they usually knew the fledglings were eating enough. Also, he looked stronger, not as tired. Unless some freak thing happens, I think he's turned the corner. I'm so happy he did!

[MiaCarter]

Yay! Happy news!

Hang on little, guy! You can make it!

Have you tried jello?
It's one of my secret weapons for dogs and cats who won't eat; the last thing I'll try before I pull out the IV for a sub-q injection of fluids.
Last batch I made up I gave some to a bird who wasn't eating well and she ate it! I think it appeals to birds who like fruits. Obviously it's 99% water, so very hydrating.

Oh, and another idea if you want to try to get him to beg: play a video for him with the sounds of others begging. My breeder friend does this and it works beautifully!
Someone here posted a good one that I downloaded with a couple zebra babies begging like crazy! I'm almost positive it was sandri_90 who posted it?

What is this magical NV powder that you speak of?? Is that the actual name?

[Corkysgirl]

MiaCarter Here's a link to show you what the NV Powder is. I get it through Laraine at lady gouldian finch. http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/product_nv.php
I was kinda hoping he wasn't going to beg any more but feed on his own. His siblings have been doing that for quite some time. Today he's begging like crazy again. His mom is grooming him so I think because she's getting close, he's getting "ideas."
Yes, I'm VERY happy he's still here! I really love that little guy! He's so funny! He's screaming again right now. I think he may just be okay.

[MiaCarter]

Corkysgirl -- Thanks for the link!

Could you sneak him a few drops of Pedialyte while he's begging from mom? I've read the wind pipe gets closed off when they beg, so I believe it would be safe.
That would help with the dehydration issue, which seems to be his most pressing problem.

I think Sally is definitely right, though. (As always! LOL) He must be eating enough if he's still alive.
Hopefully he'll get the hang of this thing known as weaning! Poor little guy.

My little Squeepers just stopped begging one day and "got it." I've also heard from others that weaning if often like a flipping a light switch and they just get it one day.
But it sounds like it's much much more gradual for this little one.