Spike is dangerous with a boyfriend

[LauraO]

Well now that we've separated Sage. Spike now has Bocephus' full attention. They are now living together and Spike is one BITEY girl :eek: :eek:. Yesterday she made me bleed twice and the second time I couldn't get her beak detached from my finger. The second time was my fault but I was so mad I removed the cozie I just put in and made her wait another hour for it. She didn't suffer but I was mad and it made me feel better.

I know this all has to do with nestiness and her being a grown up girl with a mate. The last two days she's been spending a lot of time in her cage, with the door open, and yesterday she bit me the first time when I put my finger in there to have her step-up. I learn quick though, after the second bite and before bed I took her out of her cage with a stick and held her away from the cage as I put her cozy back in. I laugh to my self because just the day before I was thinking, all proud, about how none of my females bite when I put their cozies in at night :rolleyes:.

Anyway, I'm glad Spike is stick trained and it helps because she is not bitey away from her cage and I'll just have to protect my fingers when near her cage for now. Hopefully, this is just another phase and nothing long term.

[bellarains]

Laura,

I'm right there with ya on laughing at yourself. I have bragged and bragged on how Lacey does not know how to bite, and how good she is when she is sitting on eggs. She lets me clean the cage, put cozies in and out, but...... since she is now sitting on 5 eggs(don't have a clue if they are fertile), she has been a bit more protective than usual. I was changing out a food dish last night, thought nothing of it as I've never had a problem, and that little hussy ran out of her box and bit me!!!! :eek:. It scared the ya know what out of me, as I just was not prepared, or took any precuations. She then turned around, went back in her box, poked out her little head as if to say, "SO THERE!!!!" I believe I will be a bit more respectful from now on :(

Cappie, my GCC on the other hand is going through a bit of a hormonal stage, and I am sporting a bright blue smurf colored band-aid on my finger today :(

TTYL,

Lori

[Mummieeva]

Lori Maybe that means Miss Lacy is laying on babies. baggy never nipped me til she was on eggs.


Steph

[butterfly1061]

Daisy is starting to bite - A LOT lately. She's only 4 months old and I think those ole hormones are starting to kick in. She will bite me mostly when she's on top of her cage and I put my hand near her to step up. If I have my hand inside the cage she's fine most of the time. I've never had to deal with this before cause Molly will let me do anything to her & her cage. Daisy is still a sweet baby and she's molting with her new adult colors. Growing up is so hard and fast for them, huh? :eek:

[BarbieH]

I love the cozies for little ones and the boys, but if I had a nesty hen, I would leave the cozy out permanently. It's too much like a nest, and you don't want her laying in there. No, save the cozy for the lovely babies she and Bocephus make, and give that lady a nestbox. ;)

[LauraO]

Barb: Bocephus is only 3 1/2 months old so I don't think he's anywhere near knowing what to do at that end.

I do take away the cozies, from the nesty hens, every morning and then I return them at night when it's bedtime. I don't have the heart to make my lovies sleep on a perch. It seems so cold and not comfortable. I haven't had any hens, not even Babygirl, lay an egg in them so I'm hoping the instability of not having the cozy during the day will help with them not laying.

What do you think?

[BarbieH]

You know, if it were me I think I would try taking it away for one or two nights. They are used to perching all night in the wild, and the two birds will have each other to snuggle up with. In addition, if the cozy is adding to her nestiness at this time, it could make her aggressive towards Bocephus, who isn't old enough to give her what she needs right now. That's just my two cents. :)

[LauraO]

Barb: Well I not only took your advise but went a little extreme with it. Spike has been a crazy nesting maniac today and she wouldn't even leave her cage, or let Bocephus in the cage, and ended up having a HUGE fight with CuddleBunny. Of course, Cuddles kicked some birdy butt :eek:, but I ended up taking Spike's cozy away, letting Bocephus sleep with Sage, and I put her cage in our room for the night. She's totally freaking out, but she needs a little shocker. She shouldn't have to be in the room for more than a day or two. Of course, I'll let her out and be with the other birds but her cage won't be in the same spot so she won't have anything to guard.

It's weird because her behavior came out of nowhere. Just two days ago we were still playing this game where I would put her cozy in and she would jump in while I put it up with no bites or nothin'. This is one woman serious about makin' some babies :(.

[BarbieH]

Sounds like her behavior turned on a dime this time, doesn't it. Hopefully this hormonal phase will pass with her change of scenery. I know it's hard to take away something you think they love, but it's often harder on us, I think.

Keep us posted. :)

[LauraO]

Well I've seemed to have gotten Spike to calm down a little over the last two days. I put her back in the birdroom after only one night in our room alone. Since we got the new stand for the cages I moved Spike over which changed her position in the room as well as eliminating the space between the cages her and CuddleBunny were fighting over. I have also been giving her her cozy at night, but I don't let Bocephus sleep with her. This arrangement has been working and she hasn't been bitey not even when I put her cozy in her cage. I think the thing that drove her nuts was having Bocephus living with her. She started counting the babies before the nestbox came :rolleyes:. Bocephus is okay sleeping with Sage at night and Sage loves to have a little cuddle time with the only lovie of 17 that doesn't bully him around.

Of course, knowing my flock this will only be a temporary fix as there is always some kind of birdy drama going on :) .

[BarbieH]

Hey, we all take small victories when we can. LOL I'm glad this arrangement is working out. :)

[sdgilley]

It's all about the drama, isn't it? If their personalities weren't so darn big, they wouldn't need all the drama!

I hope Spike settles down for you. I can't give Peepo a cozy AT ALL. She attackes it and shreds it. I have a coconut (with two holes in it) for Peepo, and that's worked out as a nice toy. No matter what I have in Peepo's cage, I have to be "respectful" of her stuff and not handle too much or I get a reminder BITE.

[Kaye]

I must say, Aleda is exactly the same way now that she's with Dominick. She's a biter.. nesty as heck! BUT! When I get just her out and get her away from him.. take her in another room or something.. she calms right down and is her old cute, snuggly self. :)

[Wheeliegirl]

Question about putting cozies in and out of the cage. Why do you do that? I leave Peachie's in all the time, she naps in it during the day. I never could put my hands inside her cage without her taking out a chunk, so if I removed I'm not sure it would help.

I got the wireless mouse, now she seems even more determined to attack it, and my hand if I'm using it. It's driving me crazy. Yesterday I couldn't put up with it any longer and put her back in her cage until I got my business done and didn't need to use my computer anymore.

[Mummieeva]

I belive most do it here to deter nesting and also so they do not get to worn out. Plus you can check for holes.


Steph

[LauraO]

I only take four cozies out of the eight I use and they are the hens who tend to get nesty. If I leave them in they will start spending more time in it and trying to make it into a nest. They will also get territorial with it. I have one hen, babygirl, who is a chronic layer so I don't want her anywhere near a cozy unless she is sleeping. In fact, it's been about four monts since she last laid eggs and I'm so happy. It's like a record.

Oh! And Spike has been sleeping with Bocephus for about a week and she is adjusting a lot better than the last time. I can move her cozy and get her in and out of the cage without any bites. Now Bocephus has started biting and nibling HARD :eek:

[Buy A Paper Doll]

I never could put my hands inside her cage without her taking out a chunk

I think there's an art to getting the cozy in and out without losing chunks of flesh. I unhook the cozy from the top and let it drop to the bottom of the cage, then pop the door open to get it. Unless, of course, she decides to jump in it while I'm doing this. Then I hold onto it from the bottom and put it on a table, ticked-off bitey hen and all. She pops out of the cozy, I pop her back in the cage.

To get the cozy back in there at night, now, that's another story. I have to do it when she's out of her cage for her playtime with Milo. We have to put Milo in his cage or he'll go straight to Mel's cage - and Mel's cozy. And then there's war. :rolleyes: