Questions on Owls

[MeaganPreston]

I have 2 owl finches, which are completely new to me. I presume it's a male and female based on behavior. Female is in fact slightly disabled. She is missing a foot. An injury that occurred when the shop owner had her. However, she gets along just fine and can perch and balance with it. I have made the accommodation of a "porch" for her and I lay paper towel on the floor of the cage so she doesn't have issues with the wire. She does very well. I was wondering what thoughts were on allowing them to breed?
They have a box, I put felt in the bottom and then lined it with a natural super soft plant fiber so her little leg wouldn't bother her. She is in there much of the day and always at night. He sings to her when she comes out, but he himself never goes in it.
They are also housed with a pair of society finches which are nesting in a basket. Well, the male owl has been getting into fights with the society finches and he seems to want the basket even though his lady fair prefers the patio and box.

[Gracie85]

If you are letting them nest and breed, you will have big problems having the two pair in the same cage. Each will want to take over the other's nest. Societies are notorious for invading nests and insisting on helping sit on the eggs, and feed the babies. Sounds great, except that the owls will not want invaders messing with their nest. And the same goes for the owls deciding that they want the societies' nest and eggs and babies.
I would really suggest separate cages for the two pair if you are giving them nests and allowing them to breed.

As for allowing the little disabled owl lady to breed, raising young is very hard work, all the feeding involved once the eggs hatch. If you do, be sure to offer them a very very good diet, and plenty of food, and easily accessible, to help her since she already has to work a bit harder than usual to do everything.

[Fraza]

MeaganPreston I agree with Gracie85 however you can take the bar out of the bottom of the cage and stick paper to this and then dangle it in the middle of the nests so they have a divider but the cage isn’t completely closed off this way they stil kept here flying space but half the cage is considered the owls and half is considered the society’s

The only time there might be a problem is when owl finches chicks squeal the society’s will want to feed them as gracie85 said

[MeaganPreston]

Gracie, I'm in agreement. I think I've decided to remove the societies.
As far as their diet is concerned, they have an over abundance of food and water bowls/dispensers. They get chopped carrot/broccoli/cauliflower and a slice of apple daily along with their seed. They also receive egg food and have cuttlebone and charcoal at their disposal.

[Fraza]

MeaganPreston hi you mentioned u had a cuttlebone if they aren’t eating it because my society’s dont either but my other society’s do you can grate it or crumble it into the seed mix

[MeaganPreston]

Fraza, this is the second one they've started on. They decimate the cuttle bones

[MeaganPreston]

Would it possibly work out to keep ONE of the society finches in there? Or is that still asking for trouble? I know it wasn't an issue a few years back when I had African Silverbills. The societies were strictly females and would occasionally pop in to feed the silverbill babies, but it never bothered the parents much.

[Sally]

MeaganPreston I think leaving one Society in with the Owls would just bring on more problems. Trios often don't work, as the pair may pick on her, and they will still resent intrusion into their nest. I don't think you'd have any problem letting the handicapped hen have babies. Incubation is not hard, and the male will probably be in the nest a lot too. Owls also share feeding the babies. As long as they have plenty of food, especially egg food, she should be OK. I've had handicapped birds before, and they adapt quite well.

Welcome to the forum!

[Fraza]

MeaganPreston really no way mine don’t eat it I have to crumble it into seeds

Would it possibly work out to keep ONE of the society finches in there? Or is that still asking for trouble? I know it wasn't an issue a few years back when I had African Silverbills. The societies were strictly females and would occasionally pop in to feed the silverbill babies, but it never bothered the parents much.

And I’ve had society’s in with zebras and there the worst to house another species at breeding and I’ve had no major issues I just had to have that bar in between the nests so they had a half each like I stated above I think this will work for you to be honest

Like this https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/or ... 07431b.jpg but only half way down