Sunny pulling feathers from others

texsize · Apr 2, 2017

Sunny my cinnamon Cockatiel is causing problems.

While feeding my birds this morning I watched her pull feathers from Pinky (an unrelated female lutino) and Angel (a female lutino from her first clutch of babies). :yellow1:

Because I did not want any more babies my cages are set up as follows.

Boy’s cage #1 has Cheeky and Popeye.

Boy’s cage #2 has Lucky and baby.

Girl’s cage has Mango, and Angel (Sunny’s offspring) Pinky, and Sunny.

For the moment I have moved Sunny in with Lucky and baby. I don’t have to worry about more babies with this setup and she won’t be pulling feathers. The flip side of this is that Lucky can sometimes become aggressive.

Only thing I can think as to a reason is frustration in not being allowed to stay with her partner Cheeky.

I don’t wish to put her in a cage by herself that would be cruel.

Only 1 other thing I can think of would be to sell her with Cheeky as a breeding pair of Cockatiels.

Cheeky is a stunningly beautiful whiteface and I don’t want to lose him. :white1:

Sunny is the friendliest cuddliest Cockatiel I have and is deeply bonded with my Son.

If there is something I am missing please let me know.

SailBoat · Apr 2, 2017

My experience with Tiels is so limited as to be near nothing. But, in reading your Thread, Bulling came to mind. Yes, clearly separation plays a role. But like I said, its what came to mind

SilverSage · Apr 2, 2017

My suggestion is to place the pair in a cage together, read the following article about hormone control and follow it, and if (most likely when, once or twice a year) they lay eggs, throw them out immediately and move the cage.

One of my pairs desperately wants to breed all year. That's not going to happen because it would be too hard on their systems so I don't allow them to raise more than 2 clutches a year (one clutch if it's really big).

Anyway they waste away like love sick teens when forced to be apart. So I let them live together in the community cockatiel cage. Every now and then she lays an egg or two, I throw them out and move the cage, and life goes on. I would prefer her not to, but this seems to be the best option for them.

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AmyMyBlueFront · Apr 2, 2017

Wish I could advice Wes..

.. BB being my only tiel experience and all..and knowing squat about breeding..

Jim

itzjbean · Apr 3, 2017

I second Silversage's advice on keeping the pair together, and simply throwing the eggs if they are laid. My pair have been mating but no eggs yet, and as I have no desire to have babies this year I am simply throwing out any eggs I see

texsize · Apr 3, 2017

itzjbean said:
I second Silversage's advice on keeping the pair together, and simply throwing the eggs if they are laid. My pair have been mating but no eggs yet, and as I have no desire to have babies this year I am simply throwing out any eggs I see

Thanks for the suggestion.
Would this not be hard on the hen, laying all these eggs?
And egg bind would be a potential problem also.

SilverSage · Apr 3, 2017

It should only be a few eggs a year, and I trust you have your cockatiels on a good healthy diet.

It also shouldn't be "all those eggs" it should only be a few a year.

As for egg binding there are two key things you can do to protect her.

-lots of leafy greens and cuttle bone in the diet all year to keep any eggs (and all her bones!) nice and strong.

-full flight of possible, and lots of exercise whether it is or not.

These two things will help prevent the two CAUSES of egg binding; soft eggs and weak muscles.

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itzjbean · Apr 3, 2017

Yes egg binding could be a potential problem. I give my cockatiel's cuttle bone for calcium, this helps. I also have a light on their cage, you can manipulate the amount of light they receive -- with less light, the less inclined they will feel to lay eggs. So around this time I am doing 8-10 hours of light right now a day, this has kept them from laying so far this year.

Sunny pulling feathers from others

texsize

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