My zebra finches laid eggs and they hatched on September 11th. There we three in total, two eggs did not hatch and one had been thrown from the nest. This past weekend, my mother sent me a message while I was out. Two of the babies were laying dead on the cage floor. She removed them and said there were no visible injuries on them. I kept a very close eye on the third baby and he seemed very cautious of his mother, always hopping around after the father and squawking when she came near. Then when I came home from school today the baby was in the nest hiding. Something was obviously wrong. I soon realized he was quite injured on his breast, a huge chunk of feathers missing and it looked like he was all scabbed up, but he wouldn't let me get a good look at the wound. When the mother came near the nest he would hop out and hide behind his father. I immediately removed the female and put her in the spare cage. He is now with the father. So far he seems scared of everything and doesn't seem to be too scared of the father, but I'm not sure if I should take the risk in leaving him. I don't want him to end up like his two siblings.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Now I'm wondering what to do next. The baby is only 3 weeks and two days old. I'm not able to hand feed him because I'm in school now. Should I leave him with his father, who seems to be feeding him perfectly fine, but I'm not sure if he's hurting him like the mother? Should I remove him and hand-feed him, leaving his to feed himself when I'm at school? Is it bad that the mother and father are now separated? I could really use some advice, I'm very nervous to leave him tomorrow, because last time I left, I found the poor thing attacked by his mother, and the time before that, his sisters were dead. Thanks!
I would leave the bird with the father bird. It could be there is something you do not see wrong with this clutch of birds and the mother senses it and therefore is killing them. This happens often in nature especially with birds. Cruel I know but true. Watch how the father interacts with the baby and if notice any more wounds will have to hand feed but keep in mind the bird may not make it if there is a underlying illness of some type. Good luck and sorry for the loss of the babies.
