Tricky Kakariki

[Loz]

I was hobbling a little bit with a sore foot just now. Checked inside my slipper - there was a sunflower seed in there.
I don't know whether Chocobo is inhabited by the ghost of a prankster or a malevolent spirit.
I prefer to think it's the former!

[Loz]

Chocobo is in her cage now and will remain there anytime she isn't being supervised, until further notice. I have to go out in a bit so she'll remain isolated for a while today.

Big falling out with Squeak earlier, I caught the tail-end of it with Squeak actually launching herself at Chocobo (if you can believe that). Squeak was favouring her right foot afterwards but seems now to be using it OK. She looked quite distressed for a time but is now foraging normally and stalking Eeyore as usual.

I hope this is a one-off and is due to both hens currently being nutty with hormones. It may also be due to there being more budgies than Chocobo can cope with. I have some worries going forward. Normally Squeak can be relied upon to give Chocobo all the space she wants but Squeak has been acting somewhat erratically for the past week.

[Marianne Marlow]

Oh dear. Did Chocobo go near Eeyore or something? Just wondering why Squeak would try and attack her.

[Loz]

From what I can tell it was Chocobo who attacked first - as evidenced by Squeak's hurty-foot. I think Squeak decided that the best defence is a good offence in this particular instance. Squeak has been a bit jealous of anyone getting close to Eeyore, that said. There could have been so sort of interplay you suggest that I was not witness to.

I cannot wait for the current breeding season to be over. I think I will limit the amount of electric light in use and see if that calms things down.

(Chocobo is not a happy chocobo at the moment and has been a bit shouty - jail-time is getting pretty old.)

[tweetiepiesmom]

Oh dear, I guess the boys are all standing by and staying out of whatever is going on with the hens.

[Loz]

Dec 20, 2022 14:29:22 GMT tweetiepiesmom said:

Oh dear, I guess the boys are all standing by and staying out of whatever is going on with the hens.

Generally speaking yes, but I have seen Eeyore occasionally step in and be a wall that the hens need to get past in order to squabble properly.

Trouble is, both hens now have Eeyore as their primary male focus.

Edit: I meant to add, everyone has been on best behaviour since I got back from my errands and let the chocobo out of her cage.

[willowsmum]

Eek! I hope things settle down soon. Fingers crossed it's only temporary squabbles due to the changes in your flock. I'm sure Chocobo will tell you if she's still unhappy about something

[Loz]

Today, Chocobo & Squeak have been on best behaviour with respect to each other, and have been giving each other space. If they end up close together, they've ignored each other. I will continue to observe to ensure that this is the new pattern of behaviour.

I've examined some of my procedures. I will try opening up Chocobo's cage first in the morning, if she's not to be isolated. Her first instinct is to fly into the budgie's cage and cause mayhem. With the budgie cage doors closed, she's forced to exert the first energies of the day elsewhere. Later, the budgies are let out, when they are properly awake and alert. The invasion by Chocobo will then coincide with the budgies' instinctive exodus out of their own cage and all should be well. It worked very well this morning!

[Marianne Marlow]

I'm glad they are behaving themselves.

Love the Christmas Chocobo..

[Loz]

So for, so good. Chocobo chased Squeak away from the Forage Gym but it looked purely to get her out of the way so that Chocobo can forage (rather than vindictive chasing for the sake of it).

Still, I have been busy this morning, to the delight of the chocobo and the puzzlement of the budgies - redesigning the living accommodation. The result is that it now looks like I have a seating area next to my aviary, rather than a couple of bird cages in my living room. If you see what I mean.
I feel that there is a shortage of "safe space" for any birds that want to sit away from the general melee that is an average day in the life of The Flock so I am trying to organise that.



Ooh! I just remembered, I have another sky snake. Time to install that I think

[willowsmum]

That's some set-up loz ! Nothing like a roost ruled by the birbs

[Loz]

I am entirely owned, willowsmum

[ffiscool]

great set up... and how dare you want to sit in the bird room anyway, lol

[Marianne Marlow]

Ha ha.. I thought my living space was odd.

[Loz]

Just an update on Chocobo.
She seems to be back to her normal "geddaway, budgie" mode now, here she is merely demanding her own space rather than terrorising the rest of the flock. A couple of times I thought she was becoming out of order but merely showing her "the squirter" seems enough to calm her down. For now.

Weight wise, she's put on enough for me to know that eggs are imminent. She seems to be ignoring the flower pot I have set up for her but I think she'll use it once she's determined for herself that there's nowhere better to lay her clutch. (She has been doing *a lot* of exploring!).

Today's misdemeanours:

Needing rescuing from the bag of paper pellets when I left off, for a couple of minutes, the clip I use to seal off the bag.

Accusatory looks at me because I have put my CDs back in one of the bookcases (all bookcases belong to Chocobo).

A "present" on the arm of my chair for me to collect with my hand (chair is kept covered with a washable blanket).

Attempted robbery:



She is not afraid of me in the slightest.

I'm just off to put a block of wood in a hole underneath the fireplace hearthstone - she's been very, very busy.