pmking66

I've a hen penguin, she was named by a friend as Empress as she has similar markings to an Emperor Penguin. I have a few pics of her somewhere, I'll put them up when I find them.

Hi Trevor,Thanks I'll check it out,Pete

Hi PaulI found a bengalese forum in the states. As an update the Zebra hen is doing really well, she's even flying a bit. She very ungainly but she keeps trying. I believe the root cause of her problems comes down to eyesight. Having spent a lot of time with her I've noticed she seems to see things a a distance but close to loses sight of whatever, mostly noted whilst she attempted to reach a perch toward the top of the cage.I thank you for your advice along the way.RegardsPete

Apparently you put a normal pinch to one kilo of bird in their food, as you can imagine the amount involved is quite small. Trying to get her to take the baytrill was an experience in itself, done with a syringe in the end.Thought you might like to know she's really fiesty this morning, I've not seen her this busy since we got her so something is working somewhere.I've put a couple of wider perches (mini planks) at either end of the cage in the hope this will encourage her to fly a bit, giving her something to more or less crash land on in need be.I've only got nine birds total, one being the 3 week old bengalese, by the way would you happen to know if there is a forum over here in the UK for them??I thank you for your help.Cheers Pete

Hi PaulThank you. I ought to add I've been given Avimix for her to try and help mixed with her food. Is it safe to add probiotic on top??CheersPete

Hi Paul, I'm always cautious dealing with unknowns but you did mention probiotics. Do you have a preference???

Hi Mark Thanks, that's a lot of interesting reading on the site to get round to. Which would you suggest liquid or powder??Pete.

Thanks Paul much appreciated. I guess she's as good as she'll get. Can I ask where do I get probiotic for her, presumably the vet, sorry about being a bit dumb!!!I think if I give her wider area to land on she can just about get about flying.CheersPete

Hi paulI had a look in the members gallery. Nolfolk Flyer has a crested grey that looks the spitting image of mine, so much so I had to do a double take. She does seem to have responded to Baytrill, I'm told to dose her for a week which she's had. Don't know whether to continue with for a bit longer and hope. I figure it might be worth talking ot the supplier see if I can find out a bit about the breeder.Can I ask what you mean by bred to close???She does seem a bit right sided.

Thanks all, I'll try and answer all points sorry if I miss one.First symptoms, she just stayed on the bottom of the cage in the classic puffed up, wings drooped pose normally seen in ill birds. She could not fly or didn't attempt to for a while and was not standing on her feet, she was hunched over. Although she did get around the bottom by literally walking rather than hopping. Beyond that she seemed to eat quite a lot certainly more than any other of the birds.We had a faecal test done, it revealed nothing untoward. The vet thought that she exhibited some odd twitching of the head to the right. The hen does seem to be lopsided to the right as she stands. The vet prescribed Baytrill Oral 2.5% for her to be diluted 0.1ml to 25ml water. She does seem to have responded very well to this and is a lot more perky than she was.I have handled her quite a lot during this, she is a little thin according to the vet, not overly so though.The vet's colleague had a look at her, she appears to be fine structurally as he put it. She does have all her feathers and holds her wings normally. The vet cannot see evidence of a break anywhere.The hen was 10 weeks when we got her according to the supplier. She was in a small cage when we got her along with the cock and two of the Bengalese (Society). A they were clearly a four we got all four together, they resided initially in a Ferplast 21 cage. I don't where she was kept prior to her arrival a couple of days allegedly before I got them, it is supposedly a breeder so I would hope that she was properly kept.I have noticed since joining the forum that if she goes straight up she is able to reach the top perch in her cage some 2 feet from the base. It's when she goes across her problem recur. Also noticed a tendancy to peck at everything, I'm wondering if the root cause is in fact eyesight issues. As I said she is quite perky considering, she even gives quite a nip if you try handling her when she doesn't want to be.Any thoughts, ThanksPete

Hi all,I'm Peter from Poole Dorset UK.I've a pair a Zebra Finches and seven Bengalese (Society) Finches across 3 cages. The Zebra's a cock and a hen are in one of their own, they were with a pair of Bengalese (Society). The hen got ill so we separated her and it quickly became apparent that she needed the company of the cock. Since then they've been kept apart in the same cage while she was on medication, since reunited them.The problem started off by she did not fly particularly well, she landed badly and got to the point of just sitting in the bottom of the cage. After a lot of TLC and antibiotics prescribed after the local vet felt she may have a bug of some sort noticing some strange behaviours. She responded very well and is now quite perky. However she still cannot fly very well or across the cage, when she tries she ends up going backwards and often crash lands.Has anyone had experience of this phenomenon or does anyone have some idea how I can best help the dear thing to live a full contented life however long that may be, I'm told by the vet not to be too hopeful. She is such a sweet little thing, I just want to give the best chance I can.Thanks all.Pete