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Patch The Abandoned Canary Chick

Emmy

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blog-0604368001428965336.jpgFirst Photo: this is Patch taken today 13th April 2015.

This is a little information about Patch's Siblings.

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This is Storm and Snowflake on March 14th 2015

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This is them today 13th April 2015

I had just finished hand rearing Snowflake and Storm a few days ago (they are Patch's siblings from the parents' previous brood) and was relieved they had survived after mum and dad had stopped feeding them.

They had hatched out on the 24th February and on the 2nd March it became obvious they were not being fed by the parents although 'mum' did sit on the nest from time to time she didn't feed the chicks. Storm, (dark coloured one) was the smallest one and if I had waited any longer before removing them, it would have died. I had meant to remove the nest from their cage but with looking after the chicks a few days had gone by, and when I went to remove the nest- yes you've guessed there were more eggs in the nest.!

She had laid 4 eggs in total but only one egg was fertile: Patch.

My thoughts were if its only one chick that will be OK they'll look after this one.

How wrong could I have been!

Patch hatched out on the 2nd April and things were going OK it was being fed and 'mum' was in the nest keeping Patch warm, because everything was working out this time I wasn't worried about this chick being abandoned.

On the 12th April I noticed 'mum' was off the nest but she was feeding so I thought everything was OK

and I wasn't worried but when I checked again later she was still off the nest so because of what had happened before I thought I'd better check the chick to make sure it was OK.

When I lifted the chick it wasn't moving it was very cold and its crop was empty. My first thoughts were that the chick had died and that I should have checked earlier.

But I was lucky I had found it just in time and the heat from my hand must have helped and I was sure the chick moved a little and fortunately I still had the hospital cage out and I quickly switched it on, meantime I kept the chick in my hands until the hospital cage was ready.

This time I'm using the formula NutriBird A21 by Versele-Laga (green lid) and I'm also using avian electrolyte supplement and following the instructions I'm adding the correct amount of this to the sterile water I use to mix up the formula.

It's early days yet but so far Patch is feeding well and I'll be still feeding it twice during the night for a few more days yet.

Maybe its just my imagination but I feel its easier to hand rear two chicks together rather than one on its own.

Re 'Mum and Dad' they had their chance and abused it!! so now they have been returned to the inside flight with access to the outside flight.

So fingers crossed that Patch will be able to join Snowflake and Storm in a few weeks time.

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15th April

Well that's 2 days Patch has been hand reared and so far he's doing really well.

There are no signs of dehydration and his feathers are coming along nicely .

Only one thing I would say -- and I'm probably wrong, I think he looks small considering he is almost 2 weeks old.

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It looks like he will have a dark head and he has a patch of dark colouring on one of his wings - hence his name -Patch (lol)

He is going longer between his feeds too. Last night he was fed at 11.30 pm and didn't get fed again until 3 am then the next feed was 6.30 am so happy about that.

Will try to get some more photographs soon

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17th April

Very happy to say that Patch is coming along in leaps and bounds. I notice a difference in its growth as well.

Patch is flapping its wings now when getting fed.

This may be wrong what I'm doing but during the day if I notice Patch 'begging' when it sees me passing the hospital cage I do give it a little feed, so during the day this time there is no set pattern to the feeding times. If I have to go out for any reason I always feed Patch immediately before I leave - in other words I'm 'topping up' Patch (lol)

During the night its getting better too - now only feeding Patch once during the night.

I have taken a short video of Patch today but haven't got it downloaded yet so I'll post that tomorrow.

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18th April 2015

Didn't download the video I took yesterday, I decided to take another short video this morning and here is the -- 'growing up fast' :lol: -- Patch-- wings going 'ten to the dozen' to make sure it gets fed.

https://youtu.be/29LqcJDGWtM

There is a difference in Patch's feathers too.

So far I haven't weighed Patch (had problem with the weighing scales) hopefully I'll be able to start weighing Patch soon.

Update: After Patch's last feed he weighed 19g.

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20th April 2015

Patch is still doing OK although I did get a bit of a fright this morning. When I went to feed Patch at 3a.m. it just refused to take any food so I didn't force it and just left Patch in the hospital cage.

Unfortunately I did sleep late and it was almost 7a.m. when I got to feeding Patch.

Once again Patch was refusing food. The crop was definitely empty, so I sat with Patch for quite a while just giving it tiny drops of formula from the end of a cocktail stick. Patch was actually taking the food from the cocktail by itself I didn't have to put the cocktail stick inside its mouth.

After a while,-- I don't know who felt the most tired me or Patch :D --when I saw there was some food in the crop I put Patch back into the hospital cage.

I have noticed too that the nest is quite damp even although I change the 'paper' every feed.

Pleased to say everything so far is back to normal and Patch is feeding from the syringe again.

What I'm doing today is I'm removing Patch from the hospital cage and putting him/her- with the nest - into a very small cage for during the day and I'll put Patch back into the hospital cage at night.

I'll be monitoring this to make sure everything is ok.

This is Patch in the small cage:

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It is now 10pm and so far everything has been OK today. Patch has been out of the hospital cage for most of the day and has been feeding OK too.

I have had Patch out from the cage a few times today trying to get it to perch on my finger and its getting better at doing that. Tomorrow I'm thinking about trying to get it to use a proper perch.

One thing I have noticed today is that Patch's feathers are thicker and more softer than the other chicks I've hand reared I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the fact I'm using the avian electrolyte supplement in the water that I mix the formula with?

It will get its last feed tonight about 11pm and I'm not going to feed it during the night- I'll give it its first feed in the morning at 5am

So fingers crossed this works out.

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21st April 2015

Feel like putting the flags out! Everything went to plan and I didn't need to feed Patch during the night.

It got its first feed at 6am and I put it back into the small cage where it will stay until tonight. After its last feed tonight I'll put it back into the hospital cage overnight ( lowered the temperature in the hospital cage- just a little )

I've had Patch out this morning perching on my finger. Maybe its just my imagination but it looks as though it has an extra claw on one of its feet. Will have a closer look later.

Here's two photos taken this morning with Patch on my finger.

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2pm I have managed to get a photograph of Patch's claw and it looks as though there is an extra claw, reminded me of a dog's dew claw

If I'm correct in thinking this is an extra claw should it be removed or just left alone ?.

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22nd April 2015

Everything is still OK with Patch -another night I didn't have to feed patch during the night :good:

Patch is preening himself now and I've had him onto a perch for a short time. He has also hopped out from the nest, another sign of progress :D -didn't hop back in though :lol:

I'm considering just leaving Patch in his small cage all the time now and not using the hospital cage for during the night.

Next will be to get Patch to start pecking at the millet spray--this is where I really do find that rearing two chicks together helps at this stage - they copy each other and learn faster.

Just hoping that other two pairs of canaries who both have young in their nest in the inside flight of the aviary make a better job of rearing their chicks - if not I can see me having to send a message to 'Mary Poppins' to come and take over :D

Two photographs of Patch's first time on a perch.

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23rd April 2015

Another step in the right direction:

Patch is in the small cage full time now but he's still kept in the house near a radiator. Tomorrow I'm moving him to a normal size cage and hopefully this will encourage him to move about more.

This afternoon I noticed he was attempting to peck at the panicum seed I had put down but he wasn't actually eating it- at least he was showing an interest in it. :good:

I will definitely be taking him to the vet to find out what can be done about the extra claw. It looks as though this extra claw may cause problems with him perching.

I am worried about this because if it has to be removed will the 'shock' getting this done harm him?

Wouldn't want to lose him now he's just a lovely wee thing.

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25th April 2015

Patch is now 3 weeks old and he is really enjoying being in the larger cage and he's going onto the low perch that I fixed for him.

I'm still giving him the hand rearing food but I'm cutting back on the amount I give him.

Patch is definitely pecking at seed so that is a big step forward and he's gaining weight as well.

The only problem to be seen to is the foot with the extra claw -he'll be going to the vet at the beginning of May.

A short video of Patch in his new home.

http://youtu.be/8UjT0H8YHHw

Patch

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1st May 2015

Just a short update on Patch. Its still doing well but for some reason it still wants fed with the formula and is now ignoring the millet spray etc. and when it's hungry ?!? well just let me say there is definitely nothing wrong with its vocal chords :lol: :lol:

So I guess I'm going to have to be cruel to be kind and only feed it early morning, then about 2pm and finally at 10pm. giving less formula each time.

Re the extra claw (vet's appt. isn't until May 18th) Patch has been picking at the extra claw and it did bleed a bit, (I fixed that) but its still perching OK. Be glad when the vet has a look at it.

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2nd May 2015

Because Patch had stopped attempting to eat seed and was back to wanting to be hand fed I decided to bring in Patch's two older siblings ( Storm and Snowflake) and put them into the cage beside Patch.

Initially I was a bit concerned because 'Storm' looked as though it wasn't going to get on with Patch and every now and then it would give Patch a peck.

I kept a watchful eye on them ready to step in and remove Storm if things got out of hand but in the end it all worked out OK.

In fact, if anything, it was much better than OK :good:

It was like watching two young children both wanting the same thing-- and that 'THING' was SEED.

Yes! Patch was back to eating seed so bringing in the other two has worked and meantime it looks like calm has been restored.

Patch, Storm and Snowflake this afternoon:

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8th May 2015

Re Patch's extra claw- The other day I was talking to a person who breeds Fife canaries (he is also a judge at shows) and I was told that the 'extra claw thing' is quite common but it's looked on as a fault when exhibiting. He also said its really quite simple to remove it and explained how - but I'm not saying how to do it here-- I'm taking Patch to the vet ;):lol:

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20th May 2015

At last Patch has been to the vet and the extra claw is actually attached to a bony structure, to remove this Patch would have to undergo an operation which would mean giving it an anesthetic.

The vet didn't advise to do that just now firstly because Patch is very young and secondly because Patch is perching and feeding etc normally and he said it's not in pain it wouldn't be worth the risk just to make it look better but I have to keep checking the leg and later if it starts to create problems for Patch then I've to take it back to the vet then he'll then decide what option would be best for Patch.

Meantime Patch is back in its cage with its two siblings and doing well - its feathers are still very fluffy and soft.

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Again, another interesting Blog Emmy.

 

Was it too cold to put the fed chick back in the nest to try and get parents to take over again?

 

Well done you!!

 

Andy

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Andy once the chick had warmed up, twice I tried putting the chick back into the nest but both parents just kept ignoring it and I decided not to  take any more chances and put it into the hospital cage.

 

I think I'll need to get all those birds together and give them a stern lecture about the 'birds and the bees'  and if they decide to pair up and have their 'fun' then they must be responsible parents. (lol  lol)

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