Baby Owls Now In With Adult Owls....*UPDATE*

[FeatherHarp]

I just moved my 3 baby owls in with the adult owl pair. They seem to be completely weaned but I will be watching to see that eat and drink well in their new environment. I notice when the babies try sit next to one of the adults they peck at them a little bit. I just hope they all get along.

I had read in the Finch Info link that the fosters should not be within earshot of the babies they raised. Is this real important? If it is critical to the owls learning to 'speak' owl rather than society I will move them. Right now I have the societies in a nearby room out of sight but I can hear them very faintly.

Thank you for any advice.

[lovemyfinch]

I have never been able to place my fosters out of ear shot of the young they raised, and everyone sings the way they were meant to

[CandoAviary]

Being adopted is okay
I think if they can hear the fosters it is fine as long as they have owls to live with. I think the problem with their identity comes from being left with societies (of whoever the foster species was)and not being around their own kind. Then they grow up thinking they are societies. Pictures please

[GOULDYGIRL]

Deborah, do you happen to have a spare cage just incase to remove the babies by themselves if need be?

I don't know what your plans are with your pair. Just thinking if you have another cage you could keep the babies next to the pair but this way you don't have to worry about them getting hurt. Sometimes adding babies to a pair especially if they're in breeding mode might cause trouble. On the other hand, you might not want another cage. In any case I'd keep a close eye on those babies and if it was me, I'd rather have them with the societies if your owl pair don't except them. JMO!

Good luck and love to see pics!
Renee

[BillD]

I'd really like to know what happens. I plan to have some Owls join my family in the future.

[ac12]

I have done similar with zebras and gouldians. As long as you get the chicks to their kind SOON after weaning, they will be OK.

The problem is when you leave them with the society too long. I had a zebra that sounded like a society, its call and song was that of a society. So none of the other zebras would answer his call, cuz it wasn't a zebra's call. Unfortunately the way my cages are arranged, he could see his foster parents from the zebra cage, and wanted to "go home." And for more than a month he was trying to get out of the zebras cage and back to the societies cage.

What I do is as soon as I see that the chick is DRINKING (not sipping) on its own (by then it is eating on its own), then I move it out of the foster cage and into the adult/feather out cage where they can be with an adult male of their species and learn to sing like their species and associate with them.

[FeatherHarp]

Well....the baby owls weren't able to stay in the cage with the 2 adult owls. The male was too aggressive towards them. He kept chasing them around the cage. And they were HIS kids!

So early this morning still in my jammies I quickly moved the 3 baby owls into their own cage and put the society guys back in with the adult owls.

Then I got the 22lb (frozen bird) out to start thawing.

So it has bee a busy bird morning but now there is peace and harmony in the household again.

I will try to post some baby owl photos later.

Hmmmm....I was just thinking....maybe I should have put the 22 lb frozen turkey in with the adult owls......let them try to terrorize THAT bird!

Thanks for all your advice everybody....I am so glad I have you for support and guidance.

[dfcauley]

My society finches have just fledged one baby owl along with the cream shaftail. The parents of this baby are not being nice to it. They do not want it anywhere near them on a perch. Fortunately the aviary is large and it can get away.

But one thing I have noticed is that it calls EXACTUALLY like an owl.
I really don't think that birds that are fostered grow up singing like their fosters. Just my opinion.....

But it does love the society finches and goes back into the nest with them at night. But I dont' care about that. I think it is adorable!!!

[GOULDYGIRL]

I had a feeling You have to be prepared for anything with these birds. I know even if chicks have been beautifully raised and cared for by the parents, if the pair is bonded or ready to breed again, they don't wanted to be bothered with the older babies and will chase and peck at them with no care..

I had a surprising thing happen to me yesterday. I have a bonded pair that I kept together after their last clutch was unsuccessful. I just removed the nest and let them stay together. I had set up 2 clutches at once for the first time and for lack of space, just decided to keep the pair together for now. Yesterday the hens head looked odd and looking more closely, she had a lot of missing feathers around her head. Looking back, I do remember seeing my male bickering with her every once in a while but didn't serious. I didn't put two and two together until I saw how plucked she was. Then I actually saw him do it to her. I had to do some rearranging but I separated them. I'm really surprised that he would do that, and they seemed so bonded. Anyway, I always separate my hens/cocks after they finish breeding so better off anyway. Never know with these birds