FINCHforum

I have only had two female societies before, I got four new ones a month ago, one of them being a male. As I have mentioned in another post, I have ten babies in one nest with two females sitting and feeding them. I am presuming that he has mated with both females at roughly the same time as all ten eggs seemed to hatch within a few of days of each other.

This morning I saw him popping in and out of another box with another female and when I looked they have started another nest. I took the two eggs away as I think that ten babies is enough to be getting on with at the moment!

What I would like to know is, is this normal male society behaviour as he seems to be working his way through all my females! I take it they dont pair up for life then?

Hi Ruth,

Societies and Zebras are the rabbits of the finch world. If they have a nest (or anything resembling a nest) they will lay eggs in it. If you don't want more babies remove the nests (though then you risk all the adults piling in with the ten chicks so it may be best to wait until the ten fledge and just keep removing the eggs as you find them until then).

Good luck with the chicks!
-Julie

Thank you. I know what you mean when you say about the adults piling in with the babies. Before I had all these babies there was a diamond dove using that nesting box. She gave up as the societies would all jam themselves in with her. It looked so funny, 6 little society heads all in a row and my poor dove wedged in a tiny gap at the back!

Too funny! Poor little dove. I think you're doing the right thing by taking out the new eggs - you're going to have a LOT of related birds, and probably don't really need additional siblings! I agree with Julie - if they have a nest they'll breed, and they certainly do NOT mate for life.

Hilary I beg to disagree , they do mate for life. given a chance with any and every other bird that lets them get close enough

Unfortunately one got buried in the pile and died but the other nine are going strong!

Sorry for the loss, but for every society loss there are many more to come, lol. They breed like crazy.

Awww sorry to hear about the little one not making it . Hopefully all 9 remaining grow to be happy healthy pet birdies. How old are they now?

They hatched on the 27th of August which makes them a week old this Wednesday. It was nice because it was also my birthday so that was very good timing!

Here they are! Doesn't make a very pleasant picture does it?

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Latest update:

Why isn't anything ever easy? I had to move the nine babies into a bigger nesting box yesterday as they were all piling on top of each other and hovering horribly near the front and I was frightened they were going to fall out, they have got so big.

Now my stupid male diamond dove has decided to sit on them, stopping the mother bird from feeding them. Ive had to take him and his mate out, I kept shooing him off but everytime I took one step outside the aviary he was straight back on them.

Mum has just gone back in and started feeding them again, just hope not too much damage has been done.

Good to hear Mum hasn't abandoned them with the move. Silly D. Doves!

I ummed and aahed over whether or not to move them and read a post where someone else had moved them and the mother continued to feed them so I thought I would risk it. grrrr

I moved a cage, last year, with a pair of LG's that were sitting on eggs - the move took less then 5 minutes total - they abandoned the nest immediately. Hard lesson but I learned it well.