Advice Please! Frisky budgies trying to mate

[missmadison]

Our flock has, until now, lived in perfect harmony. The first two boys (Winnie and Bertie) share a cage and the two new birds that I originally thought were two girls but are a girl and a boy (Ivy and Phoebe), share a cage. They all have supervised out of cage time together normally.

Well, Bertie is in a special hospital cage because of a wing issue - and is pretty much out of the mix for now.

Winnie is in the cage alone and is REALLY frisky. Every time I put my hand in to play he gets crazy eyes and starts to show all the courting signs. I've tried giving them longer nights and rearranging things, but his cere is super blue and he is really frisky.

Phoebe and Ive normally gently play and preen eachother but now Phoebe (the boy) has started to behave frisky and actually got on top if Ivy yesteday! I am prepared to follow through if they have bred...but would rather avoid it right now - so have seperated Ivy and Phoebe. Yesterday,during out of cage time, Winnie and Phoebe started to actually fight (presumably over Ivy)l Later I tried to put them together in Winnie's cage (since there is a vacancy from Bertie) but they fought and I had to remove Pheobe. I had hoped I could put all the boys together and then let Ivy have her own space for now...

So now I have 4 birds, each in an individual cage and am not entirely sure what the best thing to do is? Wait it out? Do something to put a damper on their hormonal behavior? I've run out of cages and really don't want to buy yet another small one, but Phoebe is in a very little temporary cage today and if I need to actually keep each bird apart, I will need to go cage shopping after all.

My flock has been so manageable up until now...so I would appreciate any guidance from those on here who are used to dealing with this kind of thing!

[enicol6]

I am having a similar problem over here. I freaked right out when I saw Tommy and Cindy Loo. Especially since I have Lila and her eggs. To date, Cindy has not laid an egg. They don't always, it can be for recreation although it is playing with fire. I thought of separation but my girls don't get along and I would have single lonely budgies everywhere as they are not tame.

But, maybe if you separate them just during this time and return her when she is out of season that would work. If she never lays an egg in the first place maybe it won't become an issue. Then there is of course the standby's of at least 12 hours of darkness, changing up the cage, no nesting areas including cups etc.

Sorry, I really was not much help.

[Sweety&Tweety]

My little egg layer Twinkie is in a separate cage right now. I put one of her female cage mates with her to keep from being lonely. I'm doing the more lights out time and rearranging the cage more for mine.

[pal0m1n0]

You should be able to at least put two of the boys together as long as they are at least a few feet from the girl. Boys won't usually fight over a girl unless she is right there and available. You should be able to experiment to get the right distance and you could also just put a visual block between the two cages.

[missmadison]

Thank you for that suggestion! I have put Ivy around the corner (It is an L shaped room) and Winnie and Phoebe are new cage mates...so far so good. Ivy seems a little edgy and lonely being on her own, but this is far better than having budgies getting busy or fighting! I would love to hear what people with huge flocks do when this sort of thing happens!?....? (or maybe nothing and that is why people have big flocks, haha) :)

[ronsig]

My birds "do it"...but there is no nest, and there have not been any eggs. :)

Sigrid

[missmadison]

Maybe I am too worried... :) I should read up on eggs and breeding. My little birdies are all growing up! :eek:

[Sweety&Tweety]

I have ten budgies and Twinkie became a chronic egg layer and had a prolapsed uterus. She is the one I posted earlier about that's in a separate cage with another girl Cookie. I feel so bad because during out of cage time her mate Buddy Bird comes and spends time on her cage and doesn't want to leave her when he has to go up.

Tonight was the first night I let Twinkie have out of cage time since she's been home from the vet's. She kept flying to the door of the big cage when I'd tell her it was time to go up. She was trying to be with her b/f. It was so sad, but I don't want her to prolapse again.