Male gouldian attacking the female

[Ricardo Ronsini]

Hello guys.

Well, here we go again, i have this pair of gouldians who are raising 6 healthy and beautiful chicks (about 10 days old), and they are doing an amazing job, perfect parents.

Then, today i went in the bird room to check on them, and i saw some feathers on the floor, bellow their cage (definitely not a good sign, i thought), then as i approached i could see that something was wrong, the male poked his head out of the nest and hissed at the female who was paralysed on the lower perch.

I decided to watch from a distance, and when the male went out, he seemed very nervous and uncertain, i thought then that the female was the agressor, but when she hopped to the floor to join him while he was feeding, all of sudden he violently attacked her with fiercy rage, it was very bad, he seemed to be mad at her, and confused at the same time.

As it happened at 5.00 pm i have decided to wait and see what happens tomorrow, for i really don't want to have to separate them, since both are taking good care of the chicks.

Any ideas why that male just decided to turn against his mate all of sudden?

I really don't understand, everything was perfect until now

I will rise with the sun tomorrow to see how they are doing.

In case there is no improvement, whom do you think it would be better to take out?

I'm sure that if that behavior carries on, she will be dead by the end of the day.

I had seen some zebras doing a similar thing when they wanted their mate to go to the nest and take care of the eggs or chicks, but it was far less intense than what i saw today.

I appreciate the attention.

[lovezebs]

Ricardo Ronsini

Who was it who just recently had a similar situation, darn if I can remember ?

If you're getting savage attacks, the only solution is to seperate this pair.

One parent can raise six chicks if need be, but two parents would be better.

Hopefully things will settle down.

[Icearstorm]

lovezebs
It was Caprice Acres: Gouldian parents fighting

[Ricardo Ronsini]

Yep, i also recalled that same topic, very similar situation, although in her case was the female attacking the male.

[MariusStegmann]

I think that he wants to drive her to breed and she isn't ready. It happened with my pair split for blue. As soon as the chicks leave the nest, the cock drives her back to nest. She started laying again in a different nestbox, one day after the chicks left the nest,

[Ricardo Ronsini]

Out he went.

Pretty sure that the problem here is that he is possessed by the devil.

I hope she will be able to care for the sextuplets by herself.

[lovezebs]

Ricardo Ronsini

How are things going with Mama and the kids?

[a_gouldian]

We had a similar problem. The hen was extremely hormonal and at times would attach the male and chase him around the cage until he went down to the bottom of the cage. When the chicks fledged she started attacking the fledglings so we put in the cage divider and kept her separated from the male and fledglings, but she could see them and interact through the grate divider . The father was doing all of the feeding at this point so it worked out well. In about another week or two we took out the divider and she was fine with everyone.

[Ricardo Ronsini]

lovezebs

Hi Elana and everybody.

I had to take him out because he was attacking her with murder rage, all the time, it was very intense.

So, mom is doing great, i just checked on them and all six have full crops, let's see if she will be able to carry them all the way through.

Thanks for the help.

[Babs _Owner]

Ricardo Ronsini

Glad to see the kids doing well. It's best they don't learn this type of mating behavior. Thats a great hen keeping 6 crops filled all on her own.

I hope she can find a peaceful mate next time.

[Ricardo Ronsini]

Babs

Indeed, she is great

[MariusStegmann]

I wondered, if you could have diverted him by putting in a 2nd nestbox next to the one in use. I have seen crazy cocks build a nest right over living chicks. By putting in a 2nd nestbox in close, the cock then rather build a new nest in the other nestbox.

[Ricardo Ronsini]

MariusStegmann

I don't think he wanted to build a new nest or start a new clutch, he ain't a good builder at all, i had to stuff the nest with coconut fiber because he wouldn't use any nest material.

He just wanted the female to go away, as if she was a trespasser.

[lovezebs]

Ricardo Ronsini

So glad to see those well fed chicklets.
Your Mama bird is doing a wonderful job on her own.

I'm glad you pulled crazy Papa out of there. He might have turned his rage towards the babies as well and maimed ipor killed them.

I guess in the bird world, just like in the human world there are some psychos out there.

[Ricardo Ronsini]

lovezebs

Thanks.

I hope the kids would inherit mom's temperament