Society Hen Doesn't Want to Breed - Update: Photos Added

[annague]

I recently found and purchased (from PetSmart) what I believe is a dilute choc pied Soc Hen. I will try to get a photo added later...

Normally (as we all know) Soc's can't wait to get a mate and a nest and start hatching babies out. However, this little hen was matched with a nice young (but mature) male (Fawn Self I think) who courted her devotedly for several days-- she refused to encourage him, flew away and avoided all his advances and breeding attempts even after he "built" a nest for them in the basket I supplied.

He then started attacking her angrily.

Since I thought this was strange; I decided to try her with a different male and after a few days experienced exactly the same scenario. She even refused to roost at night with either male in the nest(preferring to roost alone on a perch instead).

WTH??!!!

Anybody have any thoughts on this? I did remove her to an all-female cage since both males were resorting to 'fly by' attacks on her -- I'm assuming because she refused to mate and nest.

Just when you think you have a species figured out...

[ranchnanny]

Anna I am going thru the same problem with a Zebra Hen. She is going on her second cage mate and I am hoping that she takes to him. Her last mate worked so hard to mate with her but she always flew away if he got to close. She also chose to sleep by herself on the opposite site of the cage. When I first got her with what I was told a male they were very close cuddling and preening each other only to find out they were both hens. I wonder if she misses that cage mate. That hen went on to mate with another male I had and had two beautiful babies. I am keeping my fingers crossed.
They are sure strange little birds....

[ranchnanny]

Here is a photo of my little one. She is very sweet.

[nixity]

Anna are you sure the bird you got from PetSmart is a hen?
If you're sure it's a hen, maybe the bird is just old? :/

[CandoAviary]

It very well could be the hen's age, either too young or too old. I would keep her seperated for the time being and maybe try again later.

[annague]

Tiffany and Liz, you both are bringing up what I was wondering about -- namely her age. I am pretty sure she is a female (and so are my Soc males) but I am unsure of her age -- however, she acts VERY young. (And I don't know how to describe why I think she's young -- just a wide-eyed, scared sort of reaction to life in general maybe). I'm betting she is just a young hen that doesn't know what to do so I'll give her a few months and see if she decides she might want to breed.

[L in Ontario]

I'd love to see what a dilute Chocolate Society hen looks like if you get a chance to snap a pic.

[6finchfriends]

Just catching up. I would guess age too. I'll bet she just needs a little time. I'm sure she'll turn into a baby making machine like most Societies once she grows up a little Bet she's beautiful. I'll be looking for a photo.

[annague]

OK, here are the promised photos of Nestle (the subject of this post) and Chip (a Chocolate I think).

Disclaimer: I do NOT know a whole lot about the colors of Society finches which is why I always say "I think" when I refer to their colors -- anyway someone PLEASE tell me what colors they are if I'm wrong because I really do want to know and get my facts straight!

[annague]

Here are some more photos; Nestle is definitely darker than my Chestnut (I think) Selfs but lighter than my Chocolates. Maybe I should have added a photo of her with a Chestnut too...

[L in Ontario]

They are cute! Looks like she is a crested as well since her head feathers are not flat on the back-crown part of her head...?

[nixity]

I think you're right, I think she may be a chocolate dilute
Towards the bottom of this page (I think this is Hilary's website?) there is a picture of a baby chocolate dilute
http://www.ejaviary.com/index.php?page=society-finches

The color looks similar

[annague]

I don't know why her feathers are doing that! I was thinking one of the males I tried to pair her with doing a flyby attack on her made them weird but it does look like she is getting some new feathers there, too. Doesn't look too crest-like to me, though... Tiffany, I'm so excited that you think she's a dilute chocolate! I was hoping so...

I think she may be pretty darn young. When I put her in with the girls she immediately made fast friends with the other recently fledged and weaned girl Society and she huddles with her all the time -- wouldn't get that close to one of the males if you paid her! So, I think she's at the "Boys are gross, Yuck!!" stage....

My Son is just getting out of that with girls... scary...

[nixity]

My Son is just getting out of that with girls... scary...

lol!