Injured zebra finch?!?

[alygirl92]

Hi everyone! I have 4 zebra finches, two males and two females. All are about a year old. Yesterday I found one of my females, Flynn, laying on top of her food bowl with her wing and leg caught through the bars of her cage like she had fallen and gotten stuck there. I freed her but she seemed in shock maybe, she was just sitting with her feathers puffed up and her eyes closed. I moved her and her mate to a hospital cage and put a heat lamp on her. After about 4-5 hours she seemed to be feeling better and ate quite a lot and then got in her nest with her mate, Martin, to go to bed (that's where they sleep). I left her by the heat lamp over night and this morning she popped right out of her nest and was eating and being active. I don't think her wing is injured very much, she can fly with it and move it and nothing seems to be wrong with her leg. I'm hoping she is fully recovered, however I noticed one unusual thing which is that she's holding her tail cocked at a higher angle than usual. Instead of hanging in a straight line with her body like it used to she is holding it up in the air at an angle. Is this something I should be concerned about and what could be causing it?? Thanks for your help! I don't have a single avian vet in the area that I can take my birds to so I'm pretty much on my own caring for any health issues!! Thanks again!!!

[Sally]

The fact that you found her in the seed dish makes me wonder if she could be laying eggs. Did you check the nest to see if there were any eggs present? Two pairs of Zebras will usually start breeding fairly quickly. She could have been egg bound. Be sure to keep some liquid calcium on hand, it can be a lifesaver in case of egg binding. You have to order it online, or you can use human liquid calcium in a pinch.

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at www.finchinfo.com, where you will find many articles on breeding, general finch care, and especially the Zebra finch.

[alygirl92]

She has laid eggs on and off for about eight months, I usually remove them from the nest because I'm waiting until the summer to let them breed. She wasn't really in the seed dish, I have a seed cup with a guard over the top to keep out droppings, etc.. and she was wedged between the guard and the bars of the cage like she had fallen.

Do you think she is egg bound?? If she is what should I do?!? And what kinds of symptoms will she exhibit if she is egg bound??? Thanks!!

[Sally]

Yes, she might have gotten herself wedged in that small space, birds are quite capable of getting themselves into this kind of trouble. Once you have ever seen an egg bound hen, you will know what they look like, it is pretty consistent. They will usually sit on the floor of the cage (sometimes a perch), belly close to the ground, drooping wings, squinty eyes. They will just look like they feel terrible, think of how you feel with a bad case of the flu. This is an emergency situation which requires quick response, that is the reason I keep a small bottle of liquid calcium on hand all the time. One or two drops to the side of the beak, some heat via a heat lamp, and some humidity, and you will be amazed at the difference in the hen once she passes that egg--she will look and act like nothing happened.

[steve]

Sally

Does the rear end of the bird seem swollen when they are egg bound?, I am worried about one of my Canary Hens.

Steve

[Sally]

It can. If in doubt, you can always give her a drop or two of liquid calcium directly in the mouth or to the side of the beak, it won't hurt her and will definitely help if she is egg bound. Egg binding most often is caused by lack of calcium or lack of exercise. Even if you are providing plenty of calcium in her diet, she needs vitamin D3 in order to utilize that calcium. Most vitamin and/or calcium supplements today include vitamin D3. Our indoor birds don't get exposure to the natural sunlight they need, so we have to supplement it or provide it in their diet. Egg is a great source of vitamin D3, plus the shell provides calcium.

[steve]

Sally

Thanks, my birds have access to direct sunlight most of the day but I am going to treat her anyway.

Steve