Just my observations....

[dfcauley]

I wondered about those who kept finches in cages how their activity was.

I have noticed that if I move a bird from my aviary to a cage they just sit on the perches and are not active.
I had to remove three female gouldians and my male shaftail to a cage. I want to keep them there until we finish our aviary. They have been in a cage for about three weeks now. It is in my computer room where my husband or I are there quite often in the evening. We have been watching them and they don't take a bath.... they don't eat all the things they used to eat in the aviary....
So this morning I decided to move the cage into the aviary so they could hear and see the other birds. I am not sure this was a good idea as I have heard not to let them see or hear their mates. They just seem so sad and inactive.

The minute I did this they began hopping around in the cage and flying. What a difference.....
Is it okay to leave them there? I want to keep them seperate so Sugar (who had lost all her head feathers, but have now grown back) can rest and take a break. I also have two more hens in there and my male shaftail. He isn't happy at all..... but I don't care about him. I am still mad at him.... (just kidding)

I guess I am just curious and asking if your birds in cages are active. Especially the gouldians.

[cindy]

Donna, when I first bought my owls home I had them in a cage per pair on a stacker. They sat there all puffed on the perch. After a week I decided that since they were used to being in a flock to move the cages back to back.

You would have thought they were different birds, hopping around singing. I firmly believe they need their flock and they need to see each other. I found that if the finches can't see each other they get depressed, like people. Pairs seeing other pairs breed, try new foods encourage others to do the same.

[GOULDYGIRL]

In your case Donna which is different then most. It's hard to say. Your moving your birds from a mansion to a studio, that's an adjustment in itself, also they have a lot of friends they are leaving and all the activity.

I do know that when I first got my pair of Gouldians. It was a spur of the moment, not thought out. I put them in the only cage I had, a very small one. They were pretty lazy and didn't do much, but then again, they really couldn't do too much. I eventually moved them to a 30x18, and they were a little more active. When I put them in my 4ft and 5ft flights, things really changed. They could do laps, and really fly. It will never be what you have of course but the activity level went up so much. It just makes me want to give them bigger and bigger.

I think it's good that you put the cage in the aviary, hopefully the other birds won't bother them, but sounds like they are happy to hear and see all their friends. Just think, it's only temporary till your other flight is built. They'll be fine

Renee

[dfcauley]

Great to hear some confirmation that I did the right thing.
The birds are also giving me their approval. Here they are visiting those in jail.

[CandoAviary]

Many times when I move my gouldians from the aviary to the breeding cages they become a little thrown off... a few times even stargazing. Takes them any where from 2 days to 2 weeks to adjudst...depending on how close they are to breeding condition. Then the nest go on and the birds are more active than ever... if you know what I mean. The birds use up there normal flying around ,playing energy by mating, building nest, laying eggs, and feeding hungry mouths. I don't think they miss the aviary at all.
When I have housed females together to give them a break from breeding they are usually pretty inactive. But normally they are recouperating and/or moulting. so this is to be expected. My males tend to stay more active. Though I have several males that are mature and not slated to be breed. They are in holding cages waiting to be sold at the bird fair... those are very inactive and getting fat. Seems like the only thing that gets them excited is a fat millet spray
I once put some weaned birds inside the aviary in a flight cage thinking that being around adults would make them feel more comfortable but the birds messed there feathers up too much trying to get out...jumping on the sides of the cage that I removed the flight cage.
Hopefully the site of the males will not induce the hens to lay eggs.
I think if they are happy and you are happy then you must do what you are comfortable with and what you think is best for your birds
I personally have no problem putting a bird in a cage or seperating the flock. Just like I don't feel bad for spaying my little dog. Sometimes animals don't know what is best for themselves....

Where I keep my birds...which is several different areas they can always hear and see others of their own kind. Seems they still have the flock mentality even though they are seperated by bars.


In that picture it looks like that hens beak is very dark. She is definatelly wanting to breed... she's got those boys attention too

[dfcauley]

In that picture it looks like that hens beak is very dark. She is definatelly wanting to breed... she's got those boys attention too

Yes, that is Lucy, my blue gouldian. She has been in breeding condition for a while. She has had two clutches of eggs and both were infertile. She had been napping some in the aviary and I was concerned for her. Laraine suggested I seperate her from the male and give her some NV which made her 100 per cent better!

I was hoping she would go ahead and molt, but she hasn't yet.

[CandoAviary]

That's too bad that the eggs weren't fertile. She is a pretty bird. I have decided my next purchase will be a white breast gouldian. I don't have a single white breast I need to correct that. I am looking for an OH WB YB hen or a RH WB YB hen I may have an extra BH PB BB female to swap Still waiting for my blues to color out so I can sex them all.

I noticed one of the young gouldian fledglings has a purple band...
Did you do that Not so nerve racking after you have done it a bunch of times. I think birds can sense our nervousness and tend to get nervous themselves. I find now that I am not nervouss those little babies lay so still and just look at me with those sweet little eyes.

[L in Ontario]

I have to agree with the other posts. I don't have any inactive birds. Some are in breeding cages, some in flights and others in a double flight. They can all see and hear each other (except those in quarantine upstairs). They are all pretty active all day long flying, hopping, playing with the toys and swings, etcetera. Finches seem to need the company of more finches!

[dfcauley]

Candace,

I only use open bands. That is nerve racking enough for me. I won't do closed bands because I am sure I would hurt one so I have to use the split bands.

Yes, I did that......

I am sure I will have a white breast red head if your interested in a swap.........
My two oh/wb/yb have not decided to mate yet. I am waiting......

[CandoAviary]

I only use opened plastic bands too... only way I can keep things straight. I am thinking of ordering closed bands from NFSS for 2010... I think I will try them. I am sure I will be a nervous wreck...not so much in the banding process but messing with the parents nest when the chicks are still small. I always worry that the parents will quit feeding.

I will keep you posted on my blue chicks. Some are being slow to color out. But I am interested in your whitebreast. Maybe your chicks will color out around the same time as mine.

[dfcauley]

Sounds good..... ohhh I love the white breast!!!!

[Ursula]

Donna, I think it's a good idea that you moved them in the aviary.

I have my parrotlet cage in the aviary too because I think they like the company of the other birds. I noticed that the more birds you have the more active they all seem to be. I think it's also the silence in other rooms that they don't like. When I still had only my 5 budgies in a cage in the livingroom I noticed that they were always very quiet and passive when it was quiet in the house. As soon as the radio or TV was on or we were talking, they started chatting too. So I used to always keep the radio on for them during the day. Now, with all my birds in the aviary together they don't need the radio anymore. Somebody's always starting a chat...

[dfcauley]

Thanks all for sharing your thoughts and ideas. I have been watching them today and they have been flying around and preening. They still haven't taken a bath, so I am spraying them daily . Not sure they like that too much, but ....

Since they are not sick I know it's not a problem to have them in there. I just didn't want the boys to get the girls to laying eggs again.