Help!! My Mother Finch is Sick!!!!!!

[schilman63]

Help. I have 5 finches, 1 female, 3 males (one is the daddy and two are their offspring) My mother finch just hatched two babies. Everything has been fine but last night I noticed she was at the bottom of the cage and her feathers are fluffed. I dont know what is wrong with her. If she is sick or could be possibly be egg bound, i didnt thik she could be egg bound since she is raising babies( they are about a week 1/2 old. anyway would it be ok to remove her from the nest even though she has little ones. She has been moving around the cage some going into the nest some then sitting on the cage floor. I would greatly appreciate any help or advise you could give thanks!!!!!!!!! stacey

[Finch Fry]

A few things.
1. What kind of finches? (i will assume zebs)
2. you said 5 finches but you said 1 female, 3 males... I am missing something

3. Its actually very likely she is egg bound. If the chicks are 1.5 weeks old and are feathered, then the mom has not been sitting on the babies to keep them warm since they can keep themselves warm. With her out and about, dad has mated with her again for sure. She may be nutrient deprived from the last bunch and was not ready to start another clutch so soon... here are my suggestions.

... 1. Remove the mom. The dad can feed the chicks and will have no problem caring for them on his own.

2. Put the mom into a small cage, add lots of heat and a moist towel to increase humidity. If you have a humidifier, perfect, fire it up. Keep her warm and wet (not literally wet, just with high humidity) and put the food and water at the bottom of the cage so she can get to it without having to fly. She will most likely pass the egg, or pass away if she can not. Not much else you can do beside this.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Sally]

It does sound like she might be eggbound. It is awfully early for her to be laying more eggs, but not unheard of if she is a Zebra. As Chris said, move her to a smaller cage, provide heat and humidity, and if you have any liquid calcium, a drop directly in the beak can help. If she has two babies already, then two more in the nest, that still is not a lot of babies to have put a lot of stress on her body. She may not be getting enough calcium, or may not be able to absorb the calcium you provide. Is she getting some ground-up eggshells, or oystershell grit? Is she getting a calcium supplement that has vitamin D3 added? Or does she get a vitamin supplement that has D3?

[lovemyfinch]

Keeping my fingers crossed for you and your hen. You have recieved the best advice possible. Keep us updated.

[B CAMP]

Not much more can be done other whats been suggested. Welcome to the forum if you fill in your profile it makes answering questions a lot easier if we know where your from. Check out the link on the left finch infomation center has a lot of info on zebs and other spiecies.Good luck with your hen

[ac12]

An easy way to get heat is to use a small desk lamp with a 60w incandescent bulb. Place it on one side of the small cage pointed at the cage. That way she can go to the lamp for heat, and go on the other side of he cage if it is too warm. If you have a small thermometer, put it next to the cage. Don't get it above 80F, it will be warmer under the lamp.

Humidity can be as simple as a dish of water. The same that she would drink out of. The wider the better, for more surface area for the water to evaporate. Or wrap 2 sides of the cage w damp towels.

Put this cage in an out of way place, so she does not get disturbed and can recuperate.

Here is an article:
http://www.finchniche.com/f-eggbinding.mgi