Timid Male Gets Bullied - Treating the Stressed Bird

Leaving around 10 am Saturday, we spent this weekend in Lawrence enjoying a KU Basketball game.

Unfortunately, I got home so late Sunday afternoon that it was off to the Symphony and dinner and I did not get in the aviary till Monday morning.

As I checked out my birds that morning, I came to the cage that housed my best German Roller team. How sad I was to see my best hollow roll young bird was in bad shape. His eyes were squinted and his body all frumpy, his feathers ruffled and his attitude depressed.

Immediately, I moved him to a small travel cage which I had purchased from The Finch Connection, and placed it on the far south wall away from the other birds. The squinted eyes indicated that he was dehydrated and he was very very thin and his feet were even blue.

I had to get water and food in him quickly if he was going to have a chance to live. The small travel cage advantage is that food and water are easily accessible because the cups are at perch level. Since Monday was his day for once weekly ABBA Fertility E in his water, I went ahead and gave it to him.

I added some sunflower chips (pieces) to his seed mix and a treat cup of song food as it has a lot of thistle. Thistle (niger) is the easiest seed to crack and the first seed chicks learn to crack. In addition, I put 1/4 slice soft white bread opposite the treat cup as it too is easy to eat and will provide much needed calories and a dish of BioDecken Novafood on the floor. Even with this effort, sadly I had very little hope for his survival..

Today (Tuesday), he looks great! I can hardly believe my eyes!

Encouraged, I checked my numerous products and changed his water today to BioDecken Mood, which is a treatment for stress. After his bad time while I was gone to the game, I wanted to send him to the Spa but instead he got Mood in his water!