Nest box danger

[gracebowen]

Yesterday morning I found the pied baby with a blood all over it. I immediately pulled both babies. The lutino was on top of the pied.

I put lutino on bed and took pied to bathroom. I gently cleaned the blood and found the source. A strange wound on the wing. I cleaned and treated it. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Went back to my room and lutino was gone. I bet at least one of you saw that coming. It fell off the bed. Thankfully it had an empty crop. I didn't know they could move that much this early.

NEVER LEAVE A BABY ON A BED, COUNTER ETC UNATTENDED. Bad mistake that could have ended bad.

With the injury I put a Reptile heater under the nest box. An hour later I removed it. They were getting too hot.

I spent all day watching the parents and babies trying to figure out what parent did it.

Then it clicked that the internal perch attached to the nest box had been chewed to a sharp knife like edge. I covered it with a thick layer of paper towel for now. I will saw and sand it in a few days.

I got up every 2 hours last night to check on them. Parents were never in nest box. Took temp of pied chick. 102 and still rising but I stopped because it was unhappy.

This am they all had empty crops. At noon I went to Petco to buy formula. Came home and they all had full crops.

All is back to normal and chicks are doing well

 

[Flboy]

Wow, very close call!

 

[MonicaMc]

Hopefully it was the perch and not a parent! Hope you get that taken care of asap!


May have been a good idea to have supplies on hand prior to allowing your pair to reproduce! It's great the parents are still taking care of them, but sounds like you may need to get some additional supplies in case you need to pull the chicks?

 

[Mango7218]

Poor babies

 

[gracebowen]

Yes I admit they had a rough day. They are doing great now though.

Monica I already have my brooder set up and on standby.

 

[Scott]

Great save, Grace! We live and learn, and hopefully pass on the lessons to others!

 

[gracebowen]

Scott that is exactly why I posted all the details despite being worried about how people would react. I didnt make sure the lutino was safe. I should have known better. I didnt recognize the perch danger soon enough.


In the moment I was so concerned about the pied I totally forgot to make sure the lutino was safe before I walked away.

I only meant to be gone for a few seconds but I was away for minutes instead.

I definitely learned from my mistake.

I also had done my research so I was quickly able to tell the babies were too hot. I did know how to treat the wound.

Some things you learn from reading and some from experience.

 

[MonicaMc]

That's good you're ready if need be! Hopefully, the chicks continue to grow without further issues!

 

[gracebowen]

Forgot to update sooner. The built in prech just twisted right out. No sawing or sanding. It took like 2 seconds to remove.