Hey guys, I have a rather unusual problem. I have noticed that my juveniles and even my breeders (now that breeding season is over) do not seem to be vibrant and energetic when I put them in the flight cage.
They seem to do just fine at the beginning but within a couple of weeks they dont look to good. I then put them back in the breeder cages and they immediately perc up. My flight cage is 4' long x 3' wide x 3' tall. My breeding cages are 30x18x18. I can even have 6 birds in the breeding cage and they seem to do better than in the flight with 15 birds. Seems very strange. Any thoughts?
Goulds not doing well in Flight Cage
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brandon_cindy6
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Sally
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Re: Goulds not doing well in Flight Cage
That is hard to understand. Fifteen birds in a flight that size may be overcrowding, so that could be a factor. Could they be going into a molt, and so don't look so good?
I'm going to move this topic to Housing.
I'm going to move this topic to Housing.
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atarasi
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brandon_cindy6
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Re: Goulds not doing well in Flight Cage
Hey guys, they are in molt, it has been breeding hens and juveniles. Now that I think about it though they all have been hens?? Most are juveniles. I thought about over crowding too, but they do better in much smaller cage even with 6 birds.. Technically, that is over crowded..It almos seems like they have to much room so they get kind of fluffed up. Again within a couple hours of putting them into a breeding cage they are better. Very Odd. Please let me know any thoughts or advise..
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Sally
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Re: Goulds not doing well in Flight Cage
If they are mostly juvies, going from a 30x18x18 breeding cage to a much bigger flight is a big change for them. Sometimes it takes a while for them to get comfortable with the larger size. Then they are going thru their juvie molt at the same time--lots of stress. Make sure they get lots of protein (eggfood) to help them thru the molt.
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fabulousfinch
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Re: Goulds not doing well in Flight Cage
Hi Cindy,
15 Gouldians is too many for a 4' x 3' x 3' cage. Depending on individual personalities, 6 to 8 would be the max. Also, when moved to a flight cage, you are introducing strangers to each other, so they have to re-establish the pecking order = stress. That is why they are doing better at 6 to a breeding cage - fewer personalities to contend with.
As your juveniles start to color out, separate them into same sex cages as soon as possible also.
Good luck!
Bill Van Patten
http://www.FabulousFinch.com
15 Gouldians is too many for a 4' x 3' x 3' cage. Depending on individual personalities, 6 to 8 would be the max. Also, when moved to a flight cage, you are introducing strangers to each other, so they have to re-establish the pecking order = stress. That is why they are doing better at 6 to a breeding cage - fewer personalities to contend with.
As your juveniles start to color out, separate them into same sex cages as soon as possible also.
Good luck!
Bill Van Patten
http://www.FabulousFinch.com