Hmmm, might still be worth visiting. Curious, what about ekkies specifically draws you to them? Not to discourage you, I adore them myself, but just wondering if you're set on them, or would be open to other species? An ekkie was never on my radar, in fact I had never heard of them when I met my first one. He was also a plucker, which I also knew nothing about, but I met him, and he quickly became my best friend. I had to do a ton of research about them before I was comfortable with bringing him home.
So I'm just saying that an open mind brings possibilities that you might not have considered. I'd also be less concerned about the age. 8-15 in the land of medium to larger parrots is still quite young. My latest addition to the family is a CAG who's somewhere between 30 and 50, and he's just an amazing little guy. Fit right in to my home with an ekkie, a YNA, 3 dogs, and young grandkids on the weekends. If it's the right one, they'll very likely adapt to a new home and life with people who love them. Anything is possible.
Oh, what are you looking for in terms of kid and dog friendly? My flock is fine with the dogs, but I don't allow direct interaction. It's just not safe. The best mannered dog that gets a little curious can still quickly kill a bird. As for the kids, the birds are not in reach when my grandkids are over. They're kids, so it's a matter of teaching them how best to behave around the birds, like, don't agitate them, stick your fingers in their face, etc. Everyone gets bitten once in a while, we just try to make sure it's not a little one with delicate fingers and feelings, you know?
