Odd Number of Societies?

[flyover]

After about three months alone, my lonely society may be about to get a friend. Or friends.

I have found a guy on Craigslist who is downsizing his aviary of societies. I need to decide how many societies I want to add to my own.

I was thinking I would get two so that in case my existing one should die (I don't know his age, but he is at least 2 1/2), I wouldn't have a solo society again.

But I am concerned about the odd number rule for birds. I know that socieities tend to be pacific birds, and the two males that I had before were best friends, as were the two females that I had together many years ago. But three? Will there be an odd man out?

NB: I have two zebras in the same space, but they prefer the company of other species to each other's. One zebra sleeps with my two Gouldians, and the other zebra sleeps alone, though he slept with the two male societies when they were both living. Not sure how this may affect the dynamic!

Hope to get some advice! TIA!

[Babs _Owner]

flyover

Your two new societies will pal together and most likely leave your existing society out. The new societies already know each other and will be in a whole new place. That will make the pair bond closer between them. I'd just get one of the opposite sex and let them have a clutch eventually so you can have more.

[flyover]

I don't know what I would do with all those babies!

What if I got a trio of males? Would my solo guy still be solo once they left quarantine?

I hate this part of having birds. I have a solo diamond dove and a solo Bourke's parakeet as well now. Never sure what to do, but their widowhood makes me sad.

[Babs _Owner]

flyover

Getting 3 would fine. Or just get one. Good luck!

[flyover]

Thanks, Babs! I ended up getting three. Two are banded as males and the other the owner was "sure" was male. We'll see.

[slwatson]

flyover

I hope they get along well! I had two bonded society hens, and then introduced a new male, and they all three get along great! They're working on clutch #2. They're babies are beautiful!

[flyover]

What do you all do with the babies, slwatson and Babs?

Do you band them and place them in different cages or do you find homes for them elsewhere?

My hesitation in adding females is that I am not sure what I would do with the new population. I don't have room for additonal cages and my aviary/cage is quite busy at it stands!

[slwatson]

flyover

I will bring most of the babies, once they're weaned and ready, to the next bird mart to get new homes. I have several I'll probably keep because they're so cute I can't part with them. I'm a sucker for crested societies!

I might use open bands on them so I can keep track of which parents they belong to. I have two pairs who are on their second clutch right now. I moved the babies from one pair to another cage because I had room in that cage, and I really need to move the babies in the other cage because they're running out of room. They reproduce so quickly!

[slwatson]

flyover

If you're not sure what to do with the new population, I would definitely wait to introduce females since they're so quick at having babies.

[flyover]

Thanks, slwatson.

In the past, I kept two females. They were tightly bonded and spent a huge amount of their time sitting on their infertile eggs - up to ten at once.

I had a pair of males who were also quite bonded. One died, and the other seems to have bounced back after a couple of months, but I still want him to have some society companionship.

I now have three in quarantine (in a bathroom - the only other cat-free zone of the house), two of which are banded as male. The other is "almost for sure" male, but I have yet to hear any singing that I can pinpoint to any one bird. (They stop singing when I enter the room, at least so far.)

I prefer to keep reproduction to nil if possible, and with societies, I know that is a tall order if there are males and females together. Wish me luck!

[slwatson]

flyover

Good luck! I'll keep my fingers crossed!