FINCHforum

my zebras hens are ticking me off

I now have 4 hens in 4 separate cages, cuz I can't get them paired together in a combo that won't have serious aggression.

I moved 2 of them together; penguin and white hens. But the penguin hen seemed to want to be with one one of the hens on the other side of a plastic partition, and started being aggressive to her "former" buddy the white. I tried putting the penguin hen w the black face hen, and she chased the BF hen. So the penguin is now in solitary confinement, since she can't get along with anyone else. Too bad cuz she looks good.

The BF being the one that bloodied the gray hen is also in solitary. Interesting that she bloodied the gray, yet could not stand up to the penguin. This is the one that I would breed to an OB, to get an orange zebra, so I will hang on to her...for now.

The innocent white is alone, by no fault of her own.
And the injured gray is still by herself until she regrows her missing feathers.

Gary the problem I had was aggression with the males...Jeez When they were all in the flight together it was horrible so territorial especially my Bad Boy Jack he would not let any other finch sit on any perch he happened to be on. He would drive the Spice finches nuts. I separated all the zebs into separate cages 4 pairs 4 cages and still some of the males were aggressive with the hens. I isolated the aggressive males for a few weeks but it didn't work so I gave all the zebs away.

Now its peaceful in the flight cage no feathers flying, no chasing or plucking feathers. I really like the Zebras but if I ever get more it will be 1 mated pair only in a cage by themselves.

I thought I had my males paired up correctly.
Then the other day, I discovered that the back of one of my penguins was plucked bare.

These zebras need a LARGE cage to get more territory to themselves. The smaller cages don't seem to work even for just 2 birds, when one is more aggressive.

I see the day when like you I will get so fed up with them that I will take the whole lot of zebras to the bird shop.

Sorry to hear that it is so annoying when the zebs get overly aggressive. My 5 males actually work very well together, its my females that have one or two rather agressive, but not so much that there is plucking or injuries. But I have a smaller cage that I tend to move aggressive or if plucked birds in for a little while to give them a little rest, then the other birds seem to lay off him when I move him back.

Strangely enough my zebs are most agressive in the evening when I dim the lights and then later turn them off. I guess they are fighting over a sleeping spot or something...

Gary, I hve had this issue in the past, Ameza is right in regards to the sleeping spots...you need to provide more. Zebras are territorial to the point of fighting and hurting others.

I use plastic black mesh and make long hoops attached to the top, putting these in several spots across from each other. I also find penguins are very much aggressive more so than my other mutations. Giving them more than one spot to roost may help instead of them bickering for one spot. Try adding a few more platforms.