Zebra male getting aggressive to hen around eggs?

ShannTmw · Post by **ShannTmw** » Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:18 pm

My zebra male, Ambrose is randomly hissing at my hen, Kiwi, just after she has an egg. This is their first clutch and the birds are only around 8 months old now, Kiwi is just a couple weeks older then Am. I know they shouldn’t be breeding yet but Am keeps knocking kiwi off her perch at night cause he’s sooooo afraid of the dark (I did get them a night light but he still knocks her over) so I put a nest in there. I can take it out but I’m afraid that Kiwi is going to get hurt, she already has a bum wing that’s not healing and I don’t want it to get worse.
She had one egg yesterday morning and another this morning. She seems healthy and active. But for some reason Ambrose chases her and hisses at her now. He never did before and it only seems to happen when they have an egg in their nest. I haven’t noticed certain times he does it, she was just sitting on the perch and he went for her. He hissed a few times and she hid at the bottom of the cage. I put my separater in and about a half hour later let him back in with her and they seem okay now.
But also yesterday I’m not sure which one did it but they threw the egg out of the nest, I heard from the other room Am freaking and came in to see him chasing her and the egg on the bottom broken. He was pecking at it a few minutes later. So I don’t know if it’s something I’m doing or their age or what. If I have to I will take the nest out.
They always get along, sleep together, eat together and they preen each other. It’s just random and seems a bit too aggressive to me.
Also on a random side note, is it normal for my society males to mount each other? My java always dances for Nike, and Nike always dances and sings for Jave but java always jumps on him after. LOL. Not sure if societies do that or he’s just kinda dumb...
They also have a nest in there that keeps them busy with their hay.

Post by **lovezebs** » Wed Dec 27, 2017 3:34 pm

ShannTmw

I Shann,

Yes, Societies will mount each other, it's normal.

Your Zebra pair might be too young to breed, especially Am (who sounds very insecure and immature at this stage). He probably wants to breed, but gets insecure and jealous when your girly is sitting on the egg.

Instead of a nest, I would try putting in a flat platform or little shelf where they can sit and cuddle, with your girl not getting knocked off (like the perch thing).

Good luck.

ShannTmw · Post by **ShannTmw** » Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:22 pm

THats one of the thoughts I had. But I wasn’t sure being jealous could be a thing. Lol. I have a shelf in with my societies but they have a nest so I’ll take that out of there and switch.
Do I wait for her to finish laying eggs or do I just take it out now? She’s had two so far

Fraza · Post by **Fraza** » Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:53 pm

ShannTmw hi it depends society’s are usually great and mine don’t care at all I can move there cage there nest and everything and they don’t bother and still sit but it was a risk me trying this but they have always stayed comited so it’s up to you is there always one on the eggs

ShannTmw · Post by **ShannTmw** » Thu Dec 28, 2017 7:07 pm

Should I take the nestout now tho or wait for her to finish having eggs? He’s worse now that there are two eggs in the nest...

ShannTmw · Post by **ShannTmw** » Thu Dec 28, 2017 8:15 pm

Am (zebra male) is def a lot worse since the third egg, can I take the eggs out and leave the nest till she’s finished laying eggs? Or will she stop laying eggs if I take the nest out now?
I’m unsure if she’ll keep laying eggs until all 5-8 of the clutch are laid with the nest in the cage or not, I just want her to be comfortable. I’m just trying to be as legible as possible lol.
Will anything happen if I just remove the eggs? They both seem stressed out. So I feel super bad.

Fraza · Post by **Fraza** » Thu Dec 28, 2017 8:34 pm

ShannTmw right just seperate then and hope Mum just keeps doing the buissness without the dad

Icearstorm · Post by **Icearstorm** » Thu Dec 28, 2017 9:02 pm

ShannTmw

It should be fine to take the nest and eggs out; they may freak out for a few minutes, but should calm down quickly. She will likely lay one more the next day, but should stop soon after that.

I've seen two panicked females lay eggs prematurely that were damaged, putting them at risk of internal damage from being scratched by broken eggshell. This leads me to think that egg-laying birds are more likely to have acute health problems due to stress.

Fraza · Post by **Fraza** » Thu Dec 28, 2017 9:32 pm

Icearstorm unless if the eggs have already started developing and are fertile

Icearstorm · Post by **Icearstorm** » Thu Dec 28, 2017 11:57 pm

Fraza

The eggs shouldn't have had enough time to develop at this point. If she's too young, caring for offspring could exhaust her, leading to potential issues.

Fraza · Post by **Fraza** » Fri Dec 29, 2017 8:14 am

Oh yeh stupid me I forgot it’s omce they are 5 days you can check isn’t it and it’s only been 2 haha don’t u agree it’s very strange of society’s to act like this aswell ice storm

And hope u get better look next time shantmw

ShannTmw · Post by **ShannTmw** » Fri Dec 29, 2017 3:34 pm

I had to take the nest out. She doesn’t sit on the eggs very often and they’re very small. Two of them. Ambrose was worse this morning, when ever they were together he’s attacking her.
She didn’t have any more eggs this morning either. I know they’re way too young to have a clutch right now. I put in the flat platform so Am doesn’t push her off the perch anymore.
My couple are zebras tho, I have two other society boys in another cage that like to mount each other haha. But they love each other.
The eggs are tiny and completely clear inside when I shine the light on them.
Is it possible they wouldn’t be fertile because both birds are so young? It’ll make me feel better about taking the nest out.
Ambrose attacked one of the eggs and it was clear on the inside when I took it out.
Since I took out the nest he hasn’t went after her once, he started singing to her and then snuggled up to her and went to sleep. She’s sitting there puffed a bit but she seems normal

Fraza · Post by **Fraza** » Fri Dec 29, 2017 3:52 pm

ShannTmw sorry but young society’s can produce fertile eggs it doesn’t make a difference once a little mistake happened and my 3 month old society laid 5 eggs and 4 hatched

But when u are saying they are tiny are u talking like smaller than the society’s beaks if so then yeh I very doubt that they are infertile

Fraza · Post by **Fraza** » Fri Dec 29, 2017 3:53 pm

And with the pair take them out and rearrange the cage and put them back in and they might be abit better

ShannTmw · Post by **ShannTmw** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 2:19 pm

Not sure if this is true but someone just told me if I remove the nest the eggs will get stuck inside her and she’ll die!

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Zebra male getting aggressive to hen around eggs?

Zebra male getting aggressive to hen around eggs?

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