i hate zebra finches!!!

[rainefeather19128]

today my male savagely attacked the chicks they had. he killed the fourth by shearing off the tail and biting the wing points and almost got the third when i found him. there are still twoothers and the third with clipped pin feathers.i hope they will be ok,but i know they won't if mom doesn't care for them or attacks them. THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[christie99]

Sounds like they need a break from breeding. I would wait at least 6 months of complete break time for the pair, no nests in sight, and removing any eggs that are laid elsewhere. Then I would try again in a secluded area where they are the only pair. Stress can cause birds to attack their young.

[expressmailtome]

I am sorry about what happened. If you decide to breed again, many people use society finches as surrogate parents for other finches. From what I have read they make great parents.

Matt

[Lori~D]

Zebra finch pairs like that simply need to be separated and not bred at all. They breed like rabbits anyhow and there are already many many needing homes. If they are not good parents they wont make good babies. Its not their fault - its nature, It is our responsibility to see that, To see there isnt a need for more Zebra finches and separate the pair.

[RubyMuse]

Originally Posted by Lori~D

Zebra finch pairs like that simply need to be separated and not bred at all. They breed like rabbits anyhow and there are already many many needing homes. If they are not good parents they wont make good babies. Its not their fault - its nature, It is our responsibility to see that, To see there isnt a need for more Zebra finches and separate the pair.

I appreciate your comment. It is never the bird's fault...only the situation they are in.

[christie99]

I hate to disagree Ruby, but sometimes the birds mutilate and kill their chicks because that is how they were treated as chicks. While sometimes it is the situation, sometimes it isn't. Either way, at least a break from breeding is needed. If they show signs in the future of mutilating chicks, then I would prevent breeding.

[rainefeather19128]

my parent pair was bough from petsmart.i had no hand in rasing them as chicks.they did well with ther very first clutch,too well i might think.they have everything they could need or want and are in a room with minimal stress as possible(they have their own room.)i'm not abusing them.

i bred for my own self not for others,i do like them to a point.as of now all males and females are separated.i don't think i'm going to breed zebra's again at this point.
they bred in a seperate cage.

i think the hen is picking at the feathers out of boredom or something.she does defend them and feed them but has this bad habbit of pulling the pin feathers.
if i remove them for the day and introduce them about round 6pm or so at the dying of the day she is fine with them. she even sleeps with them till morning till she gets bored or whatever. what is wrong?

[Lori~D]

Nothing is "wrong". Its just in her genetics and she "or they" are not good parents at the moment. It nature and that is what happens sometimes. Like humans not all animals get it right.

[rainefeather19128]

i'm begining to think there is something wrong with at least 3 out of the 4 babies.
the one that died was one 1 day difference between his next in line brother or sister. he looked like a big baby huey....way to big for his age.
the other two have fluid in their crops and one is breathing heavy...he or she has since birth.the last is somewhat fine and recovering from minor tail pulling and feather pulling.if she feeds the one or possibly two that are fine, they should be ok.(i have a feeling i will lose more than 1.)

once they get out of the nestling stage and into the fledgie stage i may have them learn from their sisters(who are usually butter mellowed in tempers.)

questions-

-
is it good for them to have liquid in their crops.the crops are balloon like with a few seeds in them.the last is thin with a few seeds in it.
-
one chick is breathing through his mouth.is this fine?he is breathing heavy and scratching at his throat or head.sometimes shaking his head.
-
when mom or dad spits up food to them, what are they spitting up? full seeds and saliva?

[rainefeather19128]

another thought just occured to me.could they be stressed by the color red? red blanket cover or red shirt? the color is bright red like the reply button color.

i just put boiled egg in their cage and an hr later i see yellow stuff in the chicks croups along with a few seeds.someone must be feeding them a little bit through this. (i think it is the hen.)