Does a GROUP of Societies hinder breeding?
Posted: Mon Jan 04, 2010 11:35 am
I was not sure whether I should put this under Species, Housing, or Breeding! 
Now, in addition to the three eggs the Green Singer hen is sitting on, there is ONE in the next box in the Community/Society cage! It is a larger cage, could certainly house a small parrot, in fact it is larger than the cage my Quaker lives in... There are six birds total in the cage, four Societies, one Indian Silverbill, and one Spice.
I am fairly certain I know to whom the egg belongs, and I have narrowed the papa down to two Societies, although there is not a male in that cage who is not randy!
I read an article (and I don't recall where - maybe here on the FIC?) this weekend that said that a community cage for Societies who share the same community nest hinders breeding. And true enough, every night all six birds cram into the SAME nest box to sleep!
Now, I do not really care if the Societies breed or not, so if this is the one and only clutch we ever get it is fine with me...but, I do not want to throw away a fertile egg...
I am wondering IF this egg is fertile, and Mama Bambi lays more, should I remove her and Papa Starburst from the large cage and give them a cage of their own so they have the nest to themselves? There is also another nest box in the large cage, but no one uses it at all - no nesting material has been added to it - it just sits there empty and ignored while all six birds cram into one. On the other hand, I know that these birds are called SOCIETIES because they are so social, and I understand that the non-parents in the cage may very well help Mama and Papa feed and raise the chicks, so it may not be wise to move the parents and the nest box to another cage. But, I don't want the eggs to get crushed or the babies "smushed" if/when they hatch.
How do you all handle this situation?
Thank you in advance, AGAIN, for your suggestions and advice!
Now, in addition to the three eggs the Green Singer hen is sitting on, there is ONE in the next box in the Community/Society cage! It is a larger cage, could certainly house a small parrot, in fact it is larger than the cage my Quaker lives in... There are six birds total in the cage, four Societies, one Indian Silverbill, and one Spice.
I am fairly certain I know to whom the egg belongs, and I have narrowed the papa down to two Societies, although there is not a male in that cage who is not randy!
I read an article (and I don't recall where - maybe here on the FIC?) this weekend that said that a community cage for Societies who share the same community nest hinders breeding. And true enough, every night all six birds cram into the SAME nest box to sleep!
Now, I do not really care if the Societies breed or not, so if this is the one and only clutch we ever get it is fine with me...but, I do not want to throw away a fertile egg...
I am wondering IF this egg is fertile, and Mama Bambi lays more, should I remove her and Papa Starburst from the large cage and give them a cage of their own so they have the nest to themselves? There is also another nest box in the large cage, but no one uses it at all - no nesting material has been added to it - it just sits there empty and ignored while all six birds cram into one. On the other hand, I know that these birds are called SOCIETIES because they are so social, and I understand that the non-parents in the cage may very well help Mama and Papa feed and raise the chicks, so it may not be wise to move the parents and the nest box to another cage. But, I don't want the eggs to get crushed or the babies "smushed" if/when they hatch.
How do you all handle this situation?
Thank you in advance, AGAIN, for your suggestions and advice!