Post by Nani on Nov 21, 2012 9:22:53 GMT
Hi everyone,
Sorry I keep meaning to get on more frequently, but I've just been so busy with the budgies, my art portfolio, looking for work etc that I just couldn't...
Anyways...I am so unbelievably frustrated with the hens..I really am at my wits end. Since the clocks were set back they have been worse but basically they have been screeching, and aaahing AT me. They are in mad breeding mode right now and I only have one pair almost done raising a clutch-so cute must upload pics for you guys.
But I have 4 hens right now who keep laying eggs. I have changed the cage setup, changed routines, removed paper floor, put in grate flooring, reduced food, changed light/dark longer. The problem is--they can't even SEE or HEAR any male because they immediately become 'hypnotized' and bend their backs in acceptance of the males. (And they aren't even in the same cage as them or anything)
I moved the 4 individual cages around the house yesterday and that seemed to do the trick-for now. But it seriously has been driving me bonkers. I wasn't able to step in AT ALL in the bird room because I'd uncover the hens and they would start aaacking at me immediately. And that riled up the males who would start courting calling them and then it's just loud jungle noises of hens and males who have hyper active hormones.
The thing is...I have 28 males and females total-not including the 2 recent clutches. Out of those 28, I have 9 hens-not including the one rasing a clutch. Out of the 9, 4 are the crazy ones. 2 were from previous owners, and 2 I raised myself last year. I have noticed though that the other hens (the ones who came from an aviary last year) are NOT doing this at all. They have been accepting food from their partner male but have not exhibited any signs of mating, breeding, shredding etc.
Why do only some of them do it, and why do they keep doing it?
I feel so so so so sooooooo bad for the hens because it's an automatic thing (there's a male, quick-accept courtship!) I know having so many eggs is not good at all and I am going through calcium and cuttlebone and vitamin rocks like crazy.
I'd like it to stop-as I literally am just getting beyond stressed out from the constant aaacking from the females. I love budgie noise-all of the flock noises-heck I enjoy reading a good book curled up in the sofa in the bird room. But this behaviour is not happy chirpy budgie noise-it's just annoying aaacking, screeching screaming, calling out to one another. And the females get 'hypnotized' and the males who once were buddies start fighting over the females.
My poor Angel had his back end feather ripped out, same with Piccolo and I can only imagine it was over a hen.
None of the other 'original aviary kept birds' do any sort of courting-which I am thankful for. I could not deal with 28 budgies going hormone crazy. It's bad enough with 4 hens and a few males doing it.
Ugh. I simply dont know what to do. I am having difficulty coping with this as it is an added stress since I am not working-(still!!!) and I am just worried about them. It's gotten so bad for me that I must work in the dark in the bird room b/c then they don't see me, and since they are wary, they go all quiet. I can't handle the aaacking and Jim has had to step in to care for them. I get headaches and my stress level is just shooting through the roof and I literally break down because I can't seem to help them.
There has been talk of rehoming the hens as I am so visibly shaken everyday I see them. But I don't want to.
I really don't want to. I keep fighting this option, as I want to keep them. I love my babies, they are just crazy right now. And in turn, have made momma crazy too. And besides, I promised them and myself I'd keep them forever, and dammit that's my intention but gosh I need help, advice, suggestions......I need........a drink, haha.
I hope everyone is doing well, I am getting caught up in all the threads.
Sorry I keep meaning to get on more frequently, but I've just been so busy with the budgies, my art portfolio, looking for work etc that I just couldn't...
Anyways...I am so unbelievably frustrated with the hens..I really am at my wits end. Since the clocks were set back they have been worse but basically they have been screeching, and aaahing AT me. They are in mad breeding mode right now and I only have one pair almost done raising a clutch-so cute must upload pics for you guys.
But I have 4 hens right now who keep laying eggs. I have changed the cage setup, changed routines, removed paper floor, put in grate flooring, reduced food, changed light/dark longer. The problem is--they can't even SEE or HEAR any male because they immediately become 'hypnotized' and bend their backs in acceptance of the males. (And they aren't even in the same cage as them or anything)
I moved the 4 individual cages around the house yesterday and that seemed to do the trick-for now. But it seriously has been driving me bonkers. I wasn't able to step in AT ALL in the bird room because I'd uncover the hens and they would start aaacking at me immediately. And that riled up the males who would start courting calling them and then it's just loud jungle noises of hens and males who have hyper active hormones.
The thing is...I have 28 males and females total-not including the 2 recent clutches. Out of those 28, I have 9 hens-not including the one rasing a clutch. Out of the 9, 4 are the crazy ones. 2 were from previous owners, and 2 I raised myself last year. I have noticed though that the other hens (the ones who came from an aviary last year) are NOT doing this at all. They have been accepting food from their partner male but have not exhibited any signs of mating, breeding, shredding etc.
Why do only some of them do it, and why do they keep doing it?
I feel so so so so sooooooo bad for the hens because it's an automatic thing (there's a male, quick-accept courtship!) I know having so many eggs is not good at all and I am going through calcium and cuttlebone and vitamin rocks like crazy.
I'd like it to stop-as I literally am just getting beyond stressed out from the constant aaacking from the females. I love budgie noise-all of the flock noises-heck I enjoy reading a good book curled up in the sofa in the bird room. But this behaviour is not happy chirpy budgie noise-it's just annoying aaacking, screeching screaming, calling out to one another. And the females get 'hypnotized' and the males who once were buddies start fighting over the females.
My poor Angel had his back end feather ripped out, same with Piccolo and I can only imagine it was over a hen.
None of the other 'original aviary kept birds' do any sort of courting-which I am thankful for. I could not deal with 28 budgies going hormone crazy. It's bad enough with 4 hens and a few males doing it.
Ugh. I simply dont know what to do. I am having difficulty coping with this as it is an added stress since I am not working-(still!!!) and I am just worried about them. It's gotten so bad for me that I must work in the dark in the bird room b/c then they don't see me, and since they are wary, they go all quiet. I can't handle the aaacking and Jim has had to step in to care for them. I get headaches and my stress level is just shooting through the roof and I literally break down because I can't seem to help them.
There has been talk of rehoming the hens as I am so visibly shaken everyday I see them. But I don't want to.
I really don't want to. I keep fighting this option, as I want to keep them. I love my babies, they are just crazy right now. And in turn, have made momma crazy too. And besides, I promised them and myself I'd keep them forever, and dammit that's my intention but gosh I need help, advice, suggestions......I need........a drink, haha.
I hope everyone is doing well, I am getting caught up in all the threads.
