Consolidating Chaos

[Nanajennie]

Please Bear with me, my thoughts are everywhere and I am in need of sound advice.

As many of you may know, I have a small 'flock' and have been trying to figure out how to get 7 birds in less then 4 cages. I am nervous about a couple of things.

Normal grey male and CFW female with normal grey daughter Charlie and Lucy/Lina cannot be in the same flight as they are related

Black cheek zeb pair Shabby and Chic are older (Shabby has a crossed beak) and are a bonded pair.

The OCWB pair, one has a crippled foot.

Yes, this is my motley crew. As of today, I have 4 cages, Charlie is alone, and has been for months (although he has been right next to Shabby and Chic). I think he really needs some bird contact

Yesterday I put my new large fight cage together and put Shabby and Chic in it. I had 4 birds downstairs, and 3 birds upstairs, I moved them all into one room yesterday and it is Chaos!! everyone is screaming and flying like crazy. It is so noisy, I can hear them from outside!! I fed them their favorite foods this AM and no one ate, except the old man and lady.... (It is good to be wise and older ya know?)

I want to put others in the new flight cage, but I don't know which birds to put in. Lucy and Lina would out number the other crossed beak female (Shabby), potentially causing trouble. Charlie would out number Chic (the old man)

I heard that people can put the OCWB in with zebs. I am tempted.

I have one more thought I am chewing on. What If I separated the old bonded pair for a little bit to try and breed Lucy and Chic (the old man)? Yesterday he exhibited some behavior that made me wonder if he has some 'spark' in him still.

I am stuck because of the relation between Charlie/Lucy/Lina.... Maybe I should go buy a male for Lucy and a female for Charlie. I realize I wouldn't be able to let them live in the same flight, but maybe I could put one new pair in with the bonded pair. Honestly, I need some serious advice

[monotwine]

Do you want to breed your birds? If not, I'd be tempted to put all zebra together in flight cage and just remove eggs. If they all get along that is. Then keep OC in separate cage or join two white cages to make one long flight for them. That would still leave you with spare cage 4 hospital-isolation-resting hens from pestering boys.
If you want to breed then I'd select only stock you sure can breed or should be bred, keep them in separate cages and house all non breeding birds in flight.

[Ginene]

Nanajennie
OK Jennie...This is what I was thinking...The BC Zebras and the OC Waxbills in the large flight. As for the 3 related zebbies...I'm at a loss...You could put Lina in the large flight too and then just keep Charlie and Lucy together. I know its taboo to keep related pairs together, but truth is people in breed all the time to secure a trait in their blood line. That would be 5 birds in the large cage, and one breeding cage. PERFECTO!!

[ac12]

Well if you do NOT want them to breed, put the males in one cage and the females in the other cage. That is how I have all my non-breeding birds. I need to prevent unplanned population growth.

BUT, you need to be careful of the number of birds in a cage.
3 is a BAD BAD number. 2 will pair up, and then they will pick on #3. And "pick on" can go all the way to killing, I lost a couple birds this way
The FIC says 2 birds in a cage, then jump all the way up to 6 birds. It explains the problems with 3-5 birds. And I can vouch for the problems, cuz I had them.

[Nanajennie]

Ugh Thanks everyone. Sound like I need to add one more zeb. So I will have three males and three females.

I tried to put them all together and there was so much aggression, I pulled them all out.

This is no fun

[Nerien]

Okay, here's what to do.

Put that big cage on its side, creating a very long flight. Fill it with perches and plants to an insane level. Put all the zebras in it. Kneel down, and start praying. Interrupt prayer only to intervene in fighting with a squirt bottle of water.

Six zebras is no guarantee of peacefulness. Mine drove me nuts, even when I made them the 5' long double-petco cage flight. In frustration and exasperation, I kept shoving plants in one day and it worked. Got lucky. Still have the extra sides of the joined cages attached and just flipped up on top, because I don't trust that as soon as we give in and take them off, all hell will break loose again.

3 male zebras together fought. 3 female zebras together fought. 2 and 1 didn't work. Four and two didn't work. Three pairs didn't work, but maybe because the three cages were next to each other, right next to each other like a sandwich because Hurricane Sandy wiped out our power for a week and we had to cram everyone, birds, mammals, people, into the one room we could keep heated with our little generator.

If you want less room and fewer cages, perhaps split the big flight into three separate levels, and make it a cage full of zebras, one pair per level (just toss Charlie and Lucy's eggs if there are any). Or keep mother and daughter together, and get Charlie a new companion, male or female, whatever you wish to risk. Then your OC's could have a white petco flight, or combine the two cages into one very long flight, and then you could probably add some non-zebra, peaceful birds to it, more OC's, or societies, or the like. Still would have 4 separate cages, but three of them would be in one structure, so it would seem like less. And that big flight would fit up on that windowsill, so all would have light and no one would be down at floor level. Just shade half of it (one side) from the sun so there's a cooler section for them to retreat to if they want.

I love my zebras, but yeesh, they had me pulling out hair.

[wilkifam]

I would never put those sweet little OC's in with Zebras......

[Nanajennie]

wilkifam I wont, dont worry, I saw how aggressive it got when I put all the zeb's together in just the first hour it turned really awful. Charlie was so mean to the old BC man. I guess I just am going to get Charlie and Lucy a mate for now and hope I can combine some bonded pairs in the future. I will always have three cages because I cannot put Charlie and Lucy in the same cage ever. And I cannot bear the thought of ever getting rid of either of them (Lina on the other hand, I would't mind seeing her go)

@monotwine@Ginene@ac12@Nerien thanks so much for the advice. (Nerien, you crack me up!)

[Ginene]

Nanajennie
I know people don't advise putting zebs with waxbills...but your BC's are senior citizens for God's sake and as sweet as sugar!!! I really don't think it would be a problem. Someone (I forget who) on the forum recently put their zebra pair with a gouldian pair (and greenery too), and things are working out fine . And your cage is even larger than theirs. I have a nesting pair of zebs in with 5 male societies (with no greenery) and there are no issues. IMHO...I think you know your birds and have to make your own judgements. xoxo

[EyesofFreedom]

loving the pillow between the two flights on the window sill

[Mae]

I would never put those sweet little OC's in with Zebras......

what?! Zebras being buttheads! Never!

[Nanajennie]

EyesofFreedom hahaha! they were having a time out from each other that day! The pillow has been removed for now!

Mae, Zebs are angels! I was referring to those obnoxious OCWBs LOL NOT!!!!!

[Nanajennie]

So here is what I decided:

Charlie and Lina are together, No nest, and they are getting along just fine

Lucy is in with Chic, in the large flight. So far, OK, not great but not horrible. They have the snuggle sack with nesting material, so if I get babies I will have babies from BC male with CFW female

Shabby (crossed beak normal grey old lady) is in with the OCWBs and so far, It is the quietest it has been in a looonnnngggg time.

so I am down to three cages. And feel like I am on to something. (knock on wood)

I spoke to the woman who gave me the BC pair and the OCWB and she was like "just throw them all in the large flight and let nature take it's course" I am shocked at how some people regard animals. Very sad to think people think it is ok to play God then let the victims duke it out.

What is happening to me? Where is all this humanity coming from? Started with two little juvie Zebra's!

[Ginene]

Glad it seems to be working out for everyone

[Mae]

What is happening to me? Where is all this humanity coming from? Started with two little juvie Zebra's!

Haha is it really a bad thing? We need more people to care!