URGENT ADVICE NEEDED: What is wrong with this Society?

[Musetta]

Hi everyone,

I went on a journey in search of Societies this am, and I came home with three (it was my intention just to get two, but I found three that are really pretty). However, once I got them home, I noticed something I hadn't seen before on the face/cheek of this Society hen. I have no idea what it is. It looks/feels like a small bump, and as you can see in the photo, her feathers over that area are missing. Should I be concerned? Any ideas? I have her in a separate cage in a separate room at the moment (the other two Socs I just bought are in their own quarantine cage), because if she is ill I want to minimize exposure to the other finches. Can anyone help? I couldn't resist getting her because she is all white!

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[finchmix22]

She is dark eyed white Society. It looks like she's been pecked at or is young and still getting the feathers around the ear (the location of the bump in photo). My juveniles look like that until they finish their first molt. However, I had an adult who was plucked by the ear and that's how it looked too.

[Musetta]

finchmix22 That is a relief! I mean, not that she was possibly getting plucked, but I don't want her to have some sort of disease or tumor or...I don't know what. I know it is hard to tell for certain and I am going to quarantine her regardless, but is it your opinion that she looks healthy? Is the bump her ear?

I would at least like to put her with the other two new Socs. She's currently all alone, wondering what the heck just happened to her.

She has apparently laid eggs before. Is it possible for young Socs who haven't gotten in all of their feathers to lay eggs?

[chirpy]

Can't help, but wanted to drop by and say congrats on the newbies!I hope it is nothing serious!

[finchmix22]

If she's laid eggs she is not that young, at least 6 months old, so I'd suspect plucking. If you put her back with the others, make sure they have enough room, perches etc. Do you know the sex of the other two?

[DanteD716]

I agree.. Looks like new feathers are starting near the ear. And I believe societies can start laying as early as 5 months

[Musetta]

finchmix22, one of them is definitely male, as he has been singing nonstop since I put them in their cage. The other one I am unsure about...I thought I heard him/her sing earlier, but it could have been the one that is for sure a male. Currently these two are in a Petco flight (30 x 18 x 18). (I will post pics of them shortly.) My husband agreed to buy me a Prevue F040 for my birthday, and it will be here tomorrow. My plan, once quarantine is over, is to house my five (total, including these three) societies in the F040 and keep the other six (2 Goulds, 2 OCWBs, and 2RCCBs) in the F030.

[finchmix22]

Wow, that sounds great! Super birthday present! Remember, if you put all five Society's together, they'll want to breed. That could be the problem with the white one being pecked. Either because she is white or there is fighting about who is with the male. Chocolates tend to pick on fawns or whites at times. Nothing serious, but some plucking. Again, multiple perches and multiple food and water stations helps.

[Musetta]

finchmix22, thank you for the heads up. I will keep a close eye on them. There will be two males, two females, and one undetermined in the cage once it is set up the way I want it. They will definitely have an abundance of perches and food/water stations. And NO NESTS.

[finchmix22]

Sounds great. Can't wait to see pics of the new cage with all of them together (after quarantine, of course )

[chirpy]

"No Nest!"

them soc's! My plan exactly!

Congrats on the f040! Haha lots of people part of the f040 family

[Ginene]

Chocolates tend to pick on fawns or whites at times.

That's so interesting...my sweet Fawn Cocoa was always the 5th wheel among the 5 societies (all males). He was the only one that wasn't allowed in the nest when they had fosters too. They must have been jealous, because Cocoa was the most handsome, best singer and most talented puffy-dancer of the bunch!

[Musetta]

Ginene yeah I didn't know this about fawns or whites! Obviously I can't tell for sure about mine yet, as only three of them (the ones I got today) are together, but Caramel (fawn) seems like the alpha of the bunch. Not sure what will happen when he meets Cranberry (the Soc alpha of my current flight)...

Hopefully Calla won't be picked on. Based on what I know of them so far, she seems the meekest! But who knows.

Ok NO MORE FINCHES, RACHEL!!! NO MORE!

[Ginene]

Musetta
Lol!!! Unfortunately, I have been there..."ok, Ginene...that's it!!! no more finches!!!" But maybe canaries!!" Lol!!! Wound up with 24 finches, 2 canaries and then 9 fledglings. Next time we draw the line @ 6 pairs total and any babies that may come from 2 of the m/f pairs (society and penguin zebra).

[Musetta]

Ginene so I am still below YOUR limit, even if I exceeded mine! That somehow makes me feel better .