I had gotten a pair of Black Cheek Zebras and, after they passed quarantine, I added them to my flight with Societies and one pair of Javas (I think both are female). I wanted to keep the BCs pure as my Zebras are all in a flight and colony breed. The BC went right to nesting and their first clutch was a male and hen. The parent male, however, was very agressive to everyone except his mate and kids, so, after they fledged, I was planning on placing the pair in a breeding cage of their own. Never had a problem with this before in mixed flights, but figured he was an outsider and not from my mixed flights, so was less receptive to other species. Unfortunately, before I can do that, both the male parent and male baby were found dead. It looks like they ran into something as both their necks were broken. The parents and the kids hadn't gone back to the nest after the kids fledged, so I took the hen adult and juvenile and added them to the Zebra flight. Both are doing well.
Before I could remove their old nest, it was taken over by a pair of Societies and their were two eggs. I soon saw two chicks in the former Zebra nest, but boy, they were ugly. Both fawns, the male crested, I thought the Society pair threw chestnuts. The Society pair stayed vigil and I didn't get a look at the chicks till yesterday - did I forget to say that the former Zebra owners hogged the bedding supply and really made a cylindrical, well packed nest (I supply the Societies with large bamboo nest rather than the mediums I use for Zebras due to their tendency to have 'clown' nests - multiple members in one nest, even breeding nests). Well, to my surprise, both chicks are BC Zebras. The Zebras must have started another nest and stayed out of it when I was home. That may be why the male had his accident - chasing the Societies and Javas away, with the baby male possibly 'learning' by following.
The younger looking of the two new chicks has been found out of the nest twice and I placed it back in. It didn't look like it was really ready to fledge and be out, but will leave it out if it does it again. They are bein fed well in the nest, but was unsure if the Societies will do as well with young birds that have come out early as my Zebras do. The latter tend to guard and feed the young on the ground and others help. With the Society and Zebra fledging habits not being quite the same, didn't want to take a chance.
Gotta luv 'em Societies. They saw a nest with eggs and just picked up on the beat.......
, and that's Societies for you.