"Finch Fighting" going on

[JerseyGuy]

My 2 Male Gouldians are jabbing and pecking at one another! Are their hormones out of whack or what? All of a sudden they are just not getting along - they get impatient with one another - they both want to eat out of the same seed cup when there are other seed cups in the cage. So they squabble and peck at one another. I have never seen them behave like this before. I don't know what is going on.

[Stuart whiting]

Hi Patrick,

Yep it sounds like there both probably coming into breeding condition,

It's never wise to keep two cocks together during the breeding season as fighting will consistently occur and can damage one another or could even be more fatal,

I strongly advise to separate them before any casualties occur,

However if you ever have hens anytime you'll normally find that hens are nowhere near as bad and a lot of the time can be kept together but cock birds a definite no.

The only cock birds that I've ever known to get on ok and even sit in the same nest together are society finches

[debbie276]

I've never had gouldian males not get along. You mentioned in another post that they were molting so they are not going into breeding mode.
Of course I would keep an eye on them for stronger aggression. Bickering and an occasional peck is perfectly normal, feather pulling is too much.
good luck

[Sheather]

I have had spice finches, zebras, waxbills, and Javas get along in male/male pairs and from my experience have to disagree with Stuart.

Bickering occurs with any two birds kept together at least occasionally, but I have never once heard of Lady Gouldians causing eachother actual harm.

The only finches that you cannot keep multiple males together of in a small cage are the British finches, canaries included, which are naturally territorial. It's not normally a problem with the estrildid finches, except for certain members of the cordon bleu family.

[Stuart whiting]

I have had spice finches, zebras, waxbills, and Javas get along in male/male pairs and from my experience have to disagree with Stuart.

Bickering occurs with any two birds kept together at least occasionally, but I have never once heard of Lady Gouldians causing eachother actual harm.

The only finches that you cannot keep multiple males together of in a small cage are the British finches, canaries included, which are naturally territorial. It's not normally a problem with the estrildid finches, except for certain members of the cordon bleu family.

Yea some manakins, zebras and waxbills are ok if you keep a few cock birds together but and its a big but youl find that most species of birds of a world wide basis as regards to keeping cock birds together is definitely not exactly advisable,

I've seen far to many casualties

I've kept a vast variety of birds including breeding and exhibiting British and canaries over the last 36 years and certainly wouldn't wanna take any chances of leaving cock birds together especially if they are highly prized birds,

Baring in mind this info is put towards many novices out there who aren't to sure about mixing certain birds together, so to me makes absolute perfect sence to separate them,

Saves all of the hassle and heart ache

Cock birds at the best of times are just simply to unpredictable,

I should think that it would be better to play safe than sorry

[haroun]

i put back a turtorial juvenile zebra male with other juvenile males next day i found it died with lotof injuries in the top of his head he was a very beautifull BCCFW with a whole white laceing , he was in perfect cohabitation with mature males we can say as he was the lonely was making troubles

[debbie276]

I think it all depends on the species you are talking about.
Gouldians in my experience are the most laid back species of bird. I find the hens to be ones to rule the nests and be more aggressive, if you can even call these birds aggressive at all. Whether you put all males or all females together they should all get along just fine.
Having a gouldian that is so aggressive it will harm another is extremely rare and not the norm.

If they are molting they are not breeding. If they are going into breeding mode and you think that their hormones are too high lower the protein in their diet. By lowering the protein they will come out of breeding mode and their reproductive organs will shrink and rest.

Having said all that I would still keep an eye out to be sure the bickering does not escalate.

[JerseyGuy]

The squabbling and bickering occurs when they are both on the perch and one wants a dab at the seed cup and the other one is eating. Now mind you, there are 3 seed cups in the cage, so there is
certainly no shortage of available food. I have 3 perches and 3 seed cups. So I don't get it. During the day, they both stay on separate perches, but at night, they Sleep together, side-by-side up against one another. So, go figure! There is certainly no War going on, and no injuries have occurred.

[JerseyGuy]

Update::: Here I thought everything was ok between my 2 Males -
but this morning they are at it again ! My Purple-breasted male is taking jabs at my White-breasted male. I'm going to have to watch this carefully. It appears they like Broccoli - so they jab at one another to get the spot on the perch closest to the Broccoli. It also looks like they like to jab at one anothers feet. They've been together a Month, so I'm surprised to see this.

[debbie276]

Maybe you can put the broccoli in multiple spots.

[Stuart whiting]

Update::: Here I thought everything was ok between my 2 Males -
but this morning they are at it again ! My Purple-breasted male is taking jabs at my White-breasted male. I'm going to have to watch this carefully. It appears they like Broccoli - so they jab at one another to get the spot on the perch closest to the Broccoli. It also looks like they like to jab at one anothers feet. They've been together a Month, so I'm surprised to see this.

Hi Patrick,

After everyone's comments about how Gouldians can be such docile little birds don't you believe it ,

I did onestly have your birds interest at heart and did strongly state to separate them,

Yep I know that Gouldians are generally quite sociable but no two birds are the same and is the whole reason why I never keep cock birds together,
As I've already mentioned before that cocks and even in some cases hens can be very unpredictable,

To be onest the sooner others realise this the better as why would anyone wanna have there birds stressed out

As I'm an exhibitor of foreign finches I couldn't possibly run the risk of having any of me birds stressed or worse still damaged,
Birds that constantly bicker and cause stress to others certainly should be removed and kept on there own,

If the situation really does esculate I wouldn't hesitate to separate them as I don't think it would be fair to keep em in the same cage

[debbie276]

Just curious Stuart whiting have you ever had gouldians??

I've raised gouldians now for well over 15 years and this statement kind of annoys me. "To be onest the sooner others realise this the better as why would anyone wanna have there birds stressed out " I can assure you my birds are not stressed out otherwise they wouldn't be breeding. Gouldians do not do well healthwise when stressed and again mine are strong and healthy. Actually gouldians stress more when kept alone, go figure.

There can always be that odd exceptional bird but to keep gouldians separate in my opinion would not be something I'd do. Gouldians are social birds and need to be with others. You can not tell me your birds never jab here and there and have an occasional harmless squabble.

Patrick said, "During the day, they both stay on separate perches, but at night, they Sleep together, side-by-side up against one another. So, go figure! There is certainly no War going on, and no injuries have occurred."

Patrick, if you feel they need to be separated because it's too stressful or they will hurt each other then by all means do so. Do not separate them simply because they are both male.

[Stuart whiting]

Just curious Stuart whiting have you ever had gouldians??

I've raised gouldians now for well over 15 years and this statement kind of annoys me. "To be onest the sooner others realise this the better as why would anyone wanna have there birds stressed out " I can assure you my birds are not stressed out otherwise they wouldn't be breeding. Gouldians do not do well healthwise when stressed and again mine are strong and healthy. Actually gouldians stress more when kept alone, go figure.

There can always be that odd exceptional bird but to keep gouldians separate in my opinion would not be something I'd do. Gouldians are social birds and need to be with others. You can not tell me your birds never jab here and there and have an occasional harmless squabble.

Patrick said, "During the day, they both stay on separate perches, but at night, they Sleep together, side-by-side up against one another. So, go figure! There is certainly no War going on, and no injuries have occurred."

Patrick, if you feel they need to be separated because it's too stressful or they will hurt each other then by all means do so. Do not separate them simply because they are both male.

To be onest that is a bit of a silly question Debbie as I certainly wouldn't ever put any information up on a worldwide forum without having the knowledge and experience first,

And if I don't personally have the experience I know of plenty of experienced fanciers around the uk and Europe that do have the necessary first hand experience

I've had Gouldians on and off for over 25 years so I onestly feel qualified enough to know when something ain't quite right

Yea I quite agree that Gouldians don't necessarily like being on their own and is perhaps better to house a few together in a large cage rather than house just two cock birds together in a smaller cage,

Doesn't take a lot of working out as most of it is down to individual birds and your own personal judgment,

Yea all birds squabble but if you think it is perhaps starting to get out of hand then something obviously needs to be done about it, not just left for the birds to sought out

so do not need to go and figure

Silly statements also Anoy me aswell , especially when one tries to help but then eaither get criticised or just simply don't wanna listen,

Eaither way it doesn't bother me but but ignore at ones peril

And to top it all your very last statement is ......separate them by all means if they are becoming stressed

Exactly what I mentioned at the very start of the thread regardless to wheather they are cock birds or not

[Sally]

Please keep in mind that everyone's experience is different, and members posting here are only expressing their own opinions. It will be up to the member asking the questions to decide which program he/she wants to follow. In the U.S., Gouldians are known to be laid-back, passive birds, and many people keep male only flights.

[Stuart whiting]

Please keep in mind that everyone's experience is different, and members posting here are only expressing their own opinions. It will be up to the member asking the questions to decide which program he/she wants to follow. In the U.S., Gouldians are known to be laid-back, passive birds, and many people keep male only flights.

Quite agree Sally,

I just get peed when I get silly comments about " have I ever actually kept Gouldians before " .....lols

I've had birds for over 36 years and Gouldians were one of me first birds I've ever had

But hey ho life's full of funny characters.....and wonderful birds