Hey I am new here and I have a problem with my budgies!! I currently own 27 and they are spread between two big cages which sit outside the back door under the patio. Lately the odd budgie has been getting sick and dying...and I don't know why! I have had about 4 die in the last four or five months. They seem fine and then the next day they aren't looking good (fluffing up, swaying, sneezing, runny nose, bad smelling mucus in and around the mouth, dirty bottoms), I suspect colds so I keep the sick bird in my room with towels over it, sometimes a heater and I syringe feed them water and egg and buscuit, but they always die. All my budgies get wormed and they have calcium bells, cuttlefish, occasional spinage and I have recently started giving them water with condie's crystals in it. They also occasionally get Vitamin powder in their water. I have no idea why they are dying or what to do to stop it? Any advice would really help on how to keep my birds healthy. I have tried to feed them a few other vege's and fruit but theyre all fussy. I also want them to start breeding but I don't know if now is a good time. Please can someone help, I hate losing my beautiful little birds!!

Hi

 

A few questions until we know more.

 

1. any draughts or sudden temperature drops where you are ?

 

2. Mice accessing cages and contaminating food ?

 

3. Damp and water introducing coccidiosis ?

 

4. Overcrowding meaning stress related illnesses ?

 

5. Nestboxes in there or not ?

 

6. Any new budgies added to the others with no seperate quarantine at all ?

 

7. any predators accessing the cages at night causing stress ?

 

Not saying this is it or not casting aspersions .............

 

just if we have more info we can help you work it out.

 

Any thoughts about taking any sick ones to the vet ??

 

Can you please post pictures of your setup to help us help you problem solve ?

Edited June 21, 201014 yr by KAZ

Just a quick note. Commercial egg and biscuit mix has next to no nutritional value. I suggest you would be better to make a nutritious mix yourself or to use chick raising formula.

I would be very inclined to take the next sick bird to the vet and find out if there is an infection which is being passed among your birds.

Hi A few questions until we know more.1. any draughts or sudden temperature drops where you are ?2. Mice accessing cages and contaminating food ?3. Damp and water introducing coccidiosis ? 4. Overcrowding meaning stress related illnesses ?5. Nestboxes in there or not ? 6. Any new budgies added to the others with no seperate quarantine at all ? 7. any predators accessing the cages at night causing stress ? Not saying this is it or not casting aspersions .............just if we have more info we can help you work it out.Any thoughts about taking any sick ones to the vet ??Can you please post pictures of your setup to help us help you problem solve ?

Hey, thankyou for the help! I live in Queensland and it's gotten colder beginning of June (winter), the cages are outside but they have a sheet over each then another over both. Um I'm not sure about the mice, sometimes I do leave their seed bag open, so I will now make sure its closed. One of the cages sits ontop of our closed sewage system, I have had the birds there numerous times, maybe that's the problem? Omg, I never even thought about that!! . One cage (I'm guessing 1.5 metres tall, and .5 metres wide) has 19 birds in it, my other cage (wider but shorter) has 7 in it, younger birds are in this cage (one of these has a pooie bottom). My cage with 19 has a nestbox in it, some birds have been mucking around in it. I am thinking of taking it out, it was brought from the markets. I have never quarantined my birds, whenever I get new ones I put them in. I've brought birds from about 4 different pet shops and two different breeders, but the birds aren't dying just from a particular shop or breeder, it's mixed. There aren't any predators that I know of, my dog sits under one of the cages but he is scared of them and my cat sits around the cages sometimes but she isnt interested in getting them, she just watches them, I have put birds on her and she does nothing. I haven't had a lot of money lately so I've been looking after them myself, but if another one gets sick I am definatly getting him/her to the vet. It's worrying me a lot, I don't know what it could be

Just a quick note. Commercial egg and biscuit mix has next to no nutritional value. I suggest you would be better to make a nutritious mix yourself or to use chick raising formula. I would be very inclined to take the next sick bird to the vet and find out if there is an infection which is being passed among your birds.

Hi, thankyou for that, I didn't know this. How do I go about making one myself, and what do I use? And where is chick raising formula found? Thankyou for your help

Hi A few questions until we know more.1. any draughts or sudden temperature drops where you are ?2. Mice accessing cages and contaminating food ?3. Damp and water introducing coccidiosis ? 4. Overcrowding meaning stress related illnesses ?5. Nestboxes in there or not ? 6. Any new budgies added to the others with no seperate quarantine at all ? 7. any predators accessing the cages at night causing stress ? Not saying this is it or not casting aspersions .............just if we have more info we can help you work it out.Any thoughts about taking any sick ones to the vet ??Can you please post pictures of your setup to help us help you problem solve ?

I forgot to mention that another one of my birds died tonight and the one that died before that was only last week...

Not quarantining will be the source of your problem. This is exactly why we quarantine. Other members will have more to add on the subject of quarantine I'd imagine.

You can buy chick raising formula at pet shops. Make sure you get one suitable for budgies. You could make something suitable for your adult birds by preparing a puree finer than you would give a baby. In it, you could include cooked polenta, cooked cous cous, cooked egg, cooked carrot and cooked zucchini. You need to cook the vegetables for the moisture they will provide for the puree.

 

I am very sorry to hear of the loss of another of your birds. You really need to see a vet urgently before you lose them all.

Edited June 21, 201014 yr by Catherine

Chances are real high you have some real problems.

 

Mice.......... not just to do with open bag of seed but maybe going through the food in the cages making them sick.....mice can get through 10mm holes and cage bars.

Introducing new birds to others with no quarantine you will have brought in diseases.

Over crowding ...the tall and not very wide cage has too many in. Overcrowding also leads to stress and illness.

Nestbox ..........MUST GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW !!!

Edited June 21, 201014 yr by KAZ

Agreed. The nest box is totally unecessary and dangerous. Hens will fight over the box and you will have underaged budgies in there as well, leading to health complications.

Chances are real high you have some real problems.

 

Mice.......... not just to do with open bag of seed but maybe going through the food in the cages making them sick.....mice can get through 10mm holes and cage bars.

Introducing new birds to others with no quarantine you will have brought in diseases.

Over crowding ...the tall and not very wide cage has too many in. Overcrowding also leads to stress and illness.

Nestbox ..........MUST GO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW !!!

 

 

Thankyou all sooo much for your help...it is greatly appreciated!!! I am at my wits end! I have a day off work tomorrow so can I please have some guidelines about what to do with my birds. I'll take the nest box out, and move some birds around, but apart from that what else? Should I go to the vet and tell them what's been happening? My cage with 19 are all mature birds and the cage with 7 are young, so how do I go about moving some of the older birds in with the younger birds? Is there something I can give the birds now that will improve their health or kill diseases? I've had budgies along time and this has never happened before, so I am really unsure about things. I try my best to keep them healthy, but to no avail.

You will need to clean and scrub the cage and food bowls etc in case mice have been through. You will need to mouseproof the area. Mice can get through 10mm gaps and can run up brick walls. They can jump a couple of feet.

The cage you have 19 in should only have around 9....so you need another cage.....not add them to the other cage as it has enough in too. Overcrowding as stated means stress and illness. There should never ever be one nestbox in a cage with 19 budgies....best no nestboxes at all in a community cage. Forget about the breeding plans till the birds are healthy again.

You really need to know what you are dealing with as the adding of birds with no quarantine may have introduced psittacosis or coccidiosis to the flock. Both requiring differing treatments.

Any sick with pooey bottoms need to be put in a cage with a heat source...warm lamp and medication appropriate to whatever ails them. Not a product a petshop tells you you need either. They know nothing. You need exact symptoms and diagnosis.

Edited June 21, 201014 yr by KAZ

hello

i was reading

and i think the first thing you need to do is work out whats dieing most babys or adults ??

if its both then i say you need to keep birds where they are and get another cage to move birds into for extra space and if only the adults are being efected you dont want to get the babys sick so just get more cages

 

going to the vetis best and the only real way to work out whats going on

make sure they are avian though or you may come home with no awnsers

 

dont just take sick ones take as many as vet will let you for one consaltation and get them crop and poo cheaked for cocci and canker and megga

ask him to cheak them for feather might and if he could please tell you if they have any respertory probs

 

if you tell him you want to know a good plan for illness prevention he will or she will give you all advice needed

mabe get some probiotics into them to help pick them up a bit

but dont medicate before you see vet as will possably hide any illness they may be harborring

 

 

oh just saw kaz post what she said also

 

 

good luck

Edited June 21, 201014 yr by GenericBlue

GenericBlue is right, Kristy 123. Your nearest avian vet is in Chermside.

hello i was reading and i think the first thing you need to do is work out whats dieing most babys or adults ??if its both then i say you need to keep birds where they are and get another cage to move birds into for extra space and if only the adults are being efected you dont want to get the babys sick so just get more cages going to the vetis best and the only real way to work out whats going on make sure they are avian though or you may come home with no awnsers dont just take sick ones take as many as vet will let you for one consaltation and get them crop and poo cheaked for cocci and canker and megga ask him to cheak them for feather might and if he could please tell you if they have any respertory probs if you tell him you want to know a good plan for illness prevention he will or she will give you all advice needed mabe get some probiotics into them to help pick them up a bit but dont medicate before you see vet as will possably hide any illness they may be harborring oh just saw kaz post what she said alsogood luck

Adults and Babies are dying. The one that died tonight showed no cold symptoms like the others showed. She was swaying a lot and very fluffed up, very weak, slight bad breath. By The Way I say cold symptoms just bcuz they look like they have colds, they might not. I will take a couple to the vet asap. I think I'll take the one with the pooie bum and I had one given to me awhile ago from a friend with really bad scaly face all over her. She is a lot better now, but the last time I checked her she had these funny clear like bubbles on her neck. I will take a few photos of her and put them here. But these two I will take, and maybe a healthier bird?

hello i was reading and i think the first thing you need to do is work out whats dieing most babys or adults ??if its both then i say you need to keep birds where they are and get another cage to move birds into for extra space and if only the adults are being efected you dont want to get the babys sick so just get more cages going to the vetis best and the only real way to work out whats going on make sure they are avian though or you may come home with no awnsers dont just take sick ones take as many as vet will let you for one consaltation and get them crop and poo cheaked for cocci and canker and megga ask him to cheak them for feather might and if he could please tell you if they have any respertory probs if you tell him you want to know a good plan for illness prevention he will or she will give you all advice needed mabe get some probiotics into them to help pick them up a bit but dont medicate before you see vet as will possably hide any illness they may be harborring oh just saw kaz post what she said alsogood luck

Adults and Babies are dying. The one that died tonight showed no cold symptoms like the others showed. She was swaying a lot and very fluffed up, very weak, slight bad breath. By The Way I say cold symptoms just bcuz they look like they have colds, they might not. I will take a couple to the vet asap. I think I'll take the one with the pooie bum and I had one given to me awhile ago from a friend with really bad scaly face all over her. She is a lot better now, but the last time I checked her she had these funny clear like bubbles on her neck. I will take a few photos of her and put them here. But these two I will take, and maybe a healthier bird?

Also what are some foods, powders, treatments etc I can give them starting tomorrow that will help strengthen them and make them healthier. I really don't want to lose anymore of my babies

I suggest taking any who don't look well or you are concerned about, along with one or two who are healthy.

 

As others have mentioned, quarantine is mandatory if you want to prevent introducing new illnesses to your flock. I got 4 new additions which were quarantined and during their quarantine period (6 weeks) two got sick. The vet put this down to 'new bird syndrome' where they were probably a bit stressed with their move to a new home which made them more susceptible to getting ill. All 4 were treated and they are now all better. I'd hate to think what would have happened if I didn't quarantine them.

 

Also, your vet should be able to advise on what extra nutritional needs they should get once they've had a look at them. There appears to be quite a range on the market, so it'd be best to get expert advice first.

Also what are some foods, powders, treatments etc I can give them starting tomorrow that will help strengthen them and make them healthier. I really don't want to lose anymore of my babies

No point medicating when you havent a diagnosis yet.

Any sick with pooey bottoms need to be put in a cage with a heat source...warm lamp and medication appropriate to whatever ails them. Not a product a petshop tells you you need either. They know nothing. You need exact symptoms and diagnosis.

Edited June 22, 201014 yr by KAZ

as kaz said you have a probblem

this probblem needs a vet

we can not avise you anymore in my opinion as we could just advice you to treat something its not

i would be taking at least half your birds

out of both cages and takeing them for tests

the money will be worth it

you will continue to lose them all if you do not

and if you just randomly medicate them before you visit vet you will chance covering up what they may have

it will cost you just as much if not more to replace your birds as it will to get tested and savethe ones you have

but one or two birds wont cut it

you need to take at least 8 to 10

Hi...once again thankyou ALL for your advice, it's greatly needed. When I said if anyone knew any good powders, foods or treatments I was just wanting some ideas of what is good to keep the birds healthy all year round. I understand that trying any treatments now without veterinary help is unwise. I am not trying to treat them myself I am just trying to keep them as healthy as I can until the vet. I have heard off one of my breeders that I can send poo samples to the avain vet at Chermside and they can run tests and send me out medication if anything is wrong so I am going to do this asap. Today I disinfected and cleaned out all my cages, and moved some of the birds from the cage that had 19 to another cage, with one flying away in the process . So my tall cage has 10, the babies cage has 8 and the new cage has 6. I will post photos of my set up. The cages are well away from the sewage system now. I am going to by some big tarps to cover them up at night because the sheets aren't warm enough in winter. And the baby with the pooie bum is in a little cage kept in the house, she has towels over her.

Hi...once again thankyou ALL for your advice, it's greatly needed. When I said if anyone knew any good powders, foods or treatments I was just wanting some ideas of what is good to keep the birds healthy all year round. I understand that trying any treatments now without veterinary help is unwise. I am not trying to treat them myself I am just trying to keep them as healthy as I can until the vet. I have heard off one of my breeders that I can send poo samples to the avain vet at Chermside and they can run tests and send me out medication if anything is wrong so I am going to do this asap. Today I disinfected and cleaned out all my cages, and moved some of the birds from the cage that had 19 to another cage, with one flying away in the process . So my tall cage has 10, the babies cage has 8 and the new cage has 6. I will post photos of my set up. The cages are well away from the sewage system now. I am going to by some big tarps to cover them up at night because the sheets aren't warm enough in winter. And the baby with the pooie bum is in a little cage kept in the house, she has towels over her.

 

as i said you need to take birds in in person

thats all i can say

they need a all over examination my friend sorry to b a stick in the mud but sending samples will not cut that many deaths specially one with smelly breath

Good for you too, to find us, get on here and ask all the questions of people who can advise

Good for you too, to find us, get on here and ask all the questions of people who can advise

yes i wasnt meaning you wont get anymore help

i was just meaning you better taking them in person

and talk and see ask questions

 

to keep them healthy till vet no veggies just freash water and seed

okay most important

Some of the bugs in the poo samples will be dead by the time the sample arrives at the vet, Kristy123 and you won't be able to do a crop wash and send it.

Megabacteria will stay alive but some of the others stuff won't.

Good for you too, to find us, get on here and ask all the questions of people who can advise

yes i wasnt meaning you wont get anymore help

i was just meaning you better taking them in person

and talk and see ask questions

 

to keep them healthy till vet no veggies just freash water and seed

okay most important

 

 

No veges?? Really? I would have thought that would have helped, haha weird I was going 2 give them sum so im glad I didnt, thankyou

Good for you too, to find us, get on here and ask all the questions of people who can advise

yes i wasnt meaning you wont get anymore help

i was just meaning you better taking them in person

and talk and see ask questions

 

to keep them healthy till vet no veggies just freash water and seed

okay most important

 

 

No veges?? Really? I would have thought that would have helped, haha weird I was going 2 give them sum so im glad I didnt, thankyou

 

 

did you get them to a vet ???

Really...mmm I would have thought greens would have helped...I was going 2 give her sum so I'm glad I didn't :bump: Thankyou for that !!!

Good for you too, to find us, get on here and ask all the questions of people who can advise :bump:

yes i wasnt meaning you wont get anymore help

i was just meaning you better taking them in person

and talk and see ask questions

 

to keep them healthy till vet no veggies just freash water and seed

okay most important

 

GB I am going to completely disagree with you on the no veggie thing.

 

Quite often in order to get a bird to eat you have to feed it what ever it will eat. Sick birds can't always digest seed for one reason or another. Key factors to get birds through illness is quite, subdued lighting, warmth and both food and water given at body temperature.

 

I had a hen here that got very sick indeed and almost died. She could not put weight on at all. Suspect was most likely Megabacteria. Now as everybody knows this makes the proventriculous almost useless at absorbing nutrients. To combat this problem I have always feed soaked warm seed (canary, white millet, wheat, oats, buckwheat) or what is on hand, along with copious quantities of Sow Thistle, Silverbeet or other leafy veggies but my favourite is Sow Thistle for its natural healing properties. Dry seed is always available and glucose (Spark if you have it) in the water which is warm. If you have crop feed the bird to get it over the worst with Baby Rice Cerel (easily digested, easy on the birds system). This hen today is fit and healthy and in fact raised chicks.