Desparately need help for my strawberry hen

[queenb]

For the last month, my strawberry has been laying eggs. I was just thrilled since I had searched the internet for two years to find her a mate.

Little did I know the eggs were of bad quality. I didn't want to disturb them, but when I realized she was egg bound, I pulled her out and she was thin-This was Sunday. The bird shop staff was able to retrieve the egg. (Augustine is a life saver).

Anyway her appetite has not returned. I am trying to feed and hydrate her. She's getting so thin. I will try and find a vet tomorrow..all the standard things have been done. Calciboost to the beak, heat lamp, she is pooping finally..(gave her a little of her favorite watermelon juice w/nestling food) just in case another egg has come in, to help [/b]keep her bowels moving.

I would be so appreciative for any suggestions from all you pros! I just love this little bird...

[dfcauley]

Do you have any NV powder ? If not get some gatorade for her to drink. This will help build up her electrolytes.

Also they love millet and put all foods on the bottom of the cage for her.

So sorry and keep us informed.

[hfentj]

Sounds like your doing everything possible, I'll keep my fingers crossed and say a little prayer for your little baby. Best of luck for you both.

[Sally]

The Calciboost will help if there is eggbinding, the heat lamp will help in general. You say the hen has been laying eggs for a month--how many total eggs have been laid? Does she have a mate? When you say the eggs are of bad quality, do you mean they are clear (infertile) or the chick has died inside the shell? Does she have a premade nest, or built one out of nesting materials? Has she been not eating because she is spending all her time inside the nest?

I would continue with what you have done, take out any and all nests and nesting materials, give her whatever you can get her to eat (does she like fresh eggfood, that would be a good one)--spray millet, any favorite veggies. There are also commercial products like Survive and Thrive that are to give sick birds some energy and nutrition when they won't eat. Donna's suggestion for the electrolytes is good--you can also use Pedialyte to provide electrolytes.

Please keep us posted on how she is doing. I, too, am into Strawberries, they are very special little birds, so I will be keeping you in my thoughts.

[queenb]

Thank you all for your kindness and support.

Sally, you can imagine the weight that bares on ones' shoulders when you are fortunate to have a strawberry. Today, I put her back on Marvel aid, suspecting she had a bit of an infection. She initially responded well, and because it is such a no-no, I discontinued use, but witnessed a dip in her welfare, therefore assumed the sulfur was helping. I also use homeopathics, rescue remedy, and Collodial silver which can't hurt.

I can't help but think this is my fault. I was so anxious after waiting, searching, for two years and driving 14 hours to get her, that even though she and her mate were quarantined, I didn't think about her breeding condition.....(since last summer she laid eggs and sat on them all by herself...if I took them out, she would keep laying.) Obviously, I have them separated, all nesting material gone. She wants to sit on her perch (I had her on the bottom), I guess that is a good sign, and I am trying to get a few drops of liquid marvel aid down her every few hours. Every other time I mix it with nestling food. Monitoring heat cautiously to avoid dehydration.

You can imagine how wigged I am. Her very first egg this season (Mid-March) was like a jelly belly, in fact I posted looking for collaboration on this anomaly. The second was a thin shell. She through both out and laid two more...and then became egg bound...I was trying to leave her alone, and when I had to take her out for intervention, I realized how thin she had become. So, I am really battling her weight as well. I took out the two eggs and examined them. One was thin shelled, the other infertile. Anyway, the egg that was retrieved from her was rubbery, translucent and of average size.

I have immediately put the whole flock on supplements, but they won't eat anything I have put it on. I have applied wheat germ oil on their seed, and stirred in the supplements. I am also using Vitalize and Calciboost until I can get these turned around.

I believe my diamond tails are suffering with the same problem...infertile eggs, although fortunately not any signs of egg-binding.

Worms are always available, but only my waxbills will eat them. They won't eat egg, in fact have gotten pretty picky!

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. I won't take offense!

[Sally]

First off, do not feel guilty. Some finches can be delicate little things, and so all you can do is try with them. The hard part is that without an avian vet, it is mostly guesswork as to what is wrong with them. I have an avian vet not too far from me, but when I took a little Star finch in one time, they commented at the clinic that it was their first finch patient ever--and to tell you the truth, they couldn't help me much.

You are doing what you can, and that is all most of us can do. Don't feel extra pressure because it is a Strawberry--you would do the same for any other species of finch. Finches are experts at hiding illness, which is what makes it so hard for us to even know anything is wrong.

Where are you located? Some of the things you refer to I am not familiar with.

[queenb]

I live in Southern CA. Where are you?

I have found it difficult to find a certified avian vet. I have spent hundreds of vet dollars with poor outcomes. Most of the quasi "bird" vets treat mostly parrots.

I went to the one "expert" for a necropsy on one of my birds to ensure my flock was not impacted and the results came in 2 mos. later-verbally-for $250. Well, at the point...!! who cares!

[Sally]

I'm in Texas, in the Ft. Worth area. If you update your profile to include your location, it will make it easier for people to help you.

I agree about the avian vets--mostly they treat the larger, more expensive hookbills, and many of them have little experience with finches. Some people are lucky enough to have one near them that does have the finch experience, but the rest of us just have to wing it.

[queenb]

Thanks for the concern. Sally. Happy to say, she made it and I just last week put her back with her mate, and this past weekend, put them outside, albiet separate from the flock and of course,...NO NEST! She put some weight on, but her feathers reveal poor, but improving conditioning..BTW, have you seen your bird continually ruffle their feathers? Like they are shaking something off? Use Scatt for parasites...and giving both sulphur supplements..She's not bathing like she used to.

Thoughts?