Yesturday I got a beautiful yellow faced blue hen from a pet store in Slacks Creek. She is about 6-7 weeks old. When i first saw her I new i had to take her home. Her cage was dark and had three plastic perches which she couldn't get to because they had cut both of her wings not just 1 wing both of them really really short that she couldn't even reach them if she tried. There were no toys just a gruby water bowl and seed bowl. She was sitting on the floor of the cage in the corner. (She wasn't fluffed up just sitting there by herself in the dark corner) So i asked the lady to get her out for me and she said she couldn't because she bites so I said i would buy her. The lady put two thick gardening gloves on and caught the baby with a fish net and shoved her hard into a small box.

 

When i brought her home I put her in a seperate cage in quaranteen from my other bird. What a change! She loves the sun shine she gets when shes in the cage, shes chirping to Blue from the other end of the house, shes chewing and pulling the natural berches apart, loves the millet spray. I had to design her cage so that she had ladders going from the bottom to the top perch. BUT..... today i noticed her feet are slightly slanted inwards, i thinking its from sitting on the floor of her cage and not being able to sit of a perch, will this have an effect in her health will her feet evantully wright them selves??? Oh and guess what, she doesn't bite at all I have handled her a couple of times and she doesn't bite.

Edited May 4, 200817 yr by Cara

Sounds to me like she also has rickets Cara.....a lack of calcium as she grew. The feet pointing inwards may never get better and is due to being bred by parents who lacked calcium in their diet.

Good to hear she is happier in your care. Is she a SHE and is she really a baby ? Look forward to photos

:angel1: Thank you for rescuing her but it sounds like she needs to get checked out, bless you and let us know what happens.

A few members including myself have 'special needs' birds. I have a girl with splayed legs and funny toes who gets around the aviary really well. I also have a little girl who was attacked in the nest as a baby who has a twisted foot (it's twisted at the ankle and she has no use of her toes either) she will actually sit on that foot while she grooms with the other foot! I think they just get on with it, so if they are only a a little twisted then it shouldn't bother her too much.

Sounds to me like she also has rickets Cara.....a lack of calcium as she grew. The feet pointing inwards may never get better and is due to being bred by parents who lacked calcium in their diet.

Good to hear she is happier in your care. Is she a SHE and is she really a baby ? Look forward to photos

 

 

Well i read a heap of info about ideantifying male and female budgies. So im hoping she is a female. She has all her black bars write down to her cere with no iris and she has white rings around her nostrils so i am asuming she is female but its wierd that she doesn't bite cause hens normally bite the hardest. Has anyone got any ideas about how to give her extra calcium, she has a cuttle fish bone and at the moment im crushing up some eggs shells to mix into her seed. How fine does the egg shells have to be??? im was thinking she had rickets too, with the added calcium will the rickets eventually go or will that be an ongoing health prob? Will she if a she be suitable for breeding when shes older???

Edited May 4, 200817 yr by Cara

Well i read a heap of info about ideantifying male and female budgies. So im hoping she is a female. She has all her black bars write down to her cere with no iris and she has white rings around her nostrils so i am asuming she is female but its wierd that she doesn't bite cause hens normally bite the hardest. Has anyone got any ideas about how to give her extra calcium, she has a cuttle fish bone and at the moment im crushing up some eggs shells to mix into her seed. How fine does the egg shells have to be??? im was thinking she had rickets too, with the added calcium will the rickets eventually go or will that be an ongoing health prob? Will she if a she be suitable for breeding when shes older???

 

Eggshells is one of the better ways to give calcium....in the form of fine powder is better......and eggshells are better than cuttlebone. But also calcivet is good too. Once the legs go like that they hardly ever get better...its to do with the early forming of strong bones in the chicks.

I have some in my aviary like that and they manage just the same.

I cannot say how she would do in the future as a breeder, as they have to be able to grip a perch with a male atop...so maybe NOT. But time will tell how she grows and develops.

The biting usually refers to a slightly older less handled chick and not all hens are biters. Fear in the nest and lack of human contact can make them bite, but you have all the time in the world now with her to tame her and make her feel special

Edited May 4, 200817 yr by KAZ

Of the last lot of three babies I sent to new homes the female had the nicest temperament!

My friendliest budgie is a hen and she never bites.

How much are her feet turned in? My Arkady has his toes slightly slanted so he sort of walks on the side of his toes a bit, like some people do. He only does this when on a flat surface and I think it is because his claws get in the way. But he is fine.

My friendliest budgie is a hen and she never bites.

How much are her feet turned in? My Arkady has his toes slightly slanted so he sort of walks on the side of his toes a bit, like some people do. He only does this when on a flat surface and I think it is because his claws get in the way. But he is fine.

 

 

I would think that too except she seems to do that while sitting on perches, but then again ive only seen her sitting on a thick perch so its maybe just what your bird has.

Thanks for taking her in

Just saw this post after I responded to the other one not realizing #2 bird hasn't met her yet but that is okay . Congrats on your newest addition...I can't wait to see pics.

Can't wait to see some pictures .

You are a wonderful person for saving her. I despise pet stores that mutilate birds' wings! totally unnecessary.

I'm a bit of an agro person in pet stores - I probably would have told the shop person I was going to report them!

It's wonderful that she is now well looked after and happy. I have a hen and she does not bite either. I hope everything goes well with the little one. Look forward to seeing some pics.