hucker Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 I've got 2 males and 2 females in an aviary (got them all last October), all of which have occasionally looked in nest boxes I've provided on the floor. For the last month, one of the males guards all the nest boxes vigilantly, and won't let me or another bird near them. Trouble is this includes the females! I've seen no sign of sex, and although originally there was affection between one male (not the vigilant one) and both females, this stopped a month ago and the females are showing me the affection instead! I cannot persuade a male and a female to get close together. This morning I found a broken egg on the floor, and for the last few days one of the females keeps requesting to be let out of the aviary (which I did to see what happened - the aviary is in my garage, so I let her wander around the garage). She tried to get into all the small places she could find - under the freezer, between the freezer and the filing cabinet, etc. Nesting instincts I assume. As soon as I saw the egg I moved one of the nestboxes from the floor (where I've always successfully bred Greys before) onto the table where the girls hang out. Within 5 minutes, one of them (not the one I've been letting out of the aviary) has gone in and started digging. The other female is watching (and getting covered in sawdust thrown out of the box!) My plan is to get some more tables in there and put more boxes higher up (the females don't like going down to the ground much - maybe because they're scared of the vicious males). And I will also remove close contact between the girls and myself, I'll just give them food in dishes and not by hand, and stop picking them up. Any advice on encouraging breeding would be gratefully appreciated!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hucker Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Hmmm last post failed, I'll try again, this forum is flaky! I've added some old bits of furniture and put the nestboxes up higher where the girls hang out, and they've been scuttling about inside them. This morning I caught one of the boys investigating: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Flaky? I thought it was dandruff!!! I'm sure you know the glue on the laminate is poison.....as is rust...Thanks Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hucker Posted April 11, 2012 Author Share Posted April 11, 2012 I don't think they swallow any of it. Can you still get real wood nowadays?! I'm not so convinced about most of these warnings - I know a grey and a dog that eat loads of chocolate and they've been perfectly healthy all their lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 I don't think they swallow any of it. Can you still get real wood nowadays?! I'm not so convinced about most of these warnings - I know a grey and a dog that eat loads of chocolate and they've been perfectly healthy all their lives. I wish you the best. I can't help you....and much worst, I can't help your birds......Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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