Hi - I just joined and thank you all for your very informative posts.
I am not raising any fowl, but was interested in the feeding of milk kefir to my pet birds (lovebirds and finches). I have read not to give them dairy, but what I then read on your forum here made me think that I can... I have one that is sickly - due to malnutrition and oversight on my part as a new owner - so have already begun the remedy.
I suppose my question is: how can I tell if the swollen vent is due to egg binding or something else? The two finches I have laid several infertile clutches over the past year. I know they must be calcium depleted even though they have had cuttlebone which they make frequent use of. I also put in gravel/grit a couple of months ago and now have read that it can build up in their bodies, causing impaction? The vent is round and seems to be large for a finch, but it is a healthy pink and I do not see any signs of an egg. I also gently massaged with some vegetable oil and am keeping it warm with a humidifier. I did not feel any eggs when I massaged it (mind you, I did not squeeze so not even sure what that would feel like). Are there other causes besides egg binding that would cause the vent area/abdomen to be large and bulbous?
I cannot find any photos of egg binding in finches, or any photos that look similar to my birds' vent at the moment. Also, her breathing was laboured, but she is still eating and jumping around...
Any advice or opinions you can provide are greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Dawn
