Protecting birds in a bird room

[AzaleaMist]

For those of you that have territorial birds in your flock what precautions do you take to protect all the other birds in the birdroom from bitten toes , etc while in their cage.

As I’ve mentioned before, my youngest daughter was diagnosed with a lung disease last summer and therefore all my birds and rodents had to leave the living area of the house. I have managed to keep them and keep their lives as normal as possible despite the battle it became with my husband who called me selfish for being unwilling to let my birds go when our daughter was deathly sick. They took over our garage for the past year and now are moving into a smaller bird room we just built on our patio.
I used to keep my Quakers separate from the rest of the flock until they moved into the garage because they bite the toes of the other birds when ever they can and would do even more damage if permitted I’m afraid. One cockatiel lost a tip of her toe a few years ago when the first attack happened. They are watched very carefully because of this obviously and not permitted to have out time with the others or allowed to land on other cages. They have been in the same room since last summer and they have not attacked any birdie but I wouldn’t trust them not to either. I would like to permit them more out time and also permit the others more out time without having to babysit so closely.

I have acrylic sheets on top of the Quaker cages and our conures cage to protect toes that way but I need to extend protection to not only the tops of the other cages but the sides as well and that leds me to the reason for my question. Has anyone ever lined/ covered the sides of cages with poly mesh or something similar? I’m considering poly mesh curtains that can roll up and down.

 

[JLcribber]

Barriers. Which creates zones.

Mesh panels. Curtains. Beaded curtains. Netting. Anything that creates it. Temporary, removable, permanent. All depending on species, size, need.

 

[BirdManDan]

Have you considered a small holed wire mesh or panel? You could leave them up 24/7 and the go something removable for the front!

 

[Mizzely]

@webchirp used to create areas with netting

 

[AzaleaMist]

Have you considered a small holed wire mesh or panel? You could leave them up 24/7 and the go something removable for the front!

Yes, this is what I was thinking. I really won’t have the room to make dividers anymore that’s why I want to put something on the cages instead.

 

[webchirp]

Yes, super simple. Pvc flanges, pvc post and just drape a net over. I use chip clips to keep it in place. However, if you have a net climber...it will require something different. Jewel goes back and forth between her boyfriends but doesn’t bother the other birds so it works out. Look up greenhouse panels too.

 

[painesgrey]

Piper is super territorial about her cage and would climb back into her cage to nip at Pippin or Cake if they were unfortunate enough to fly onto it.

Our solution was to put a piece of clear PVC over her cage. Thin enough that it's flexible to mold over the dome top of the cage, thick enough that she can't come close to chewing it. Doesn't block light or interfere with the hanging of toys (for the most part), and prevents toes from being nipped.

Zero problems since.

Think about even the little things that can make differences. For me, allowing Piper to come and go freely in her cage when everyone was out was affording her the opportunity to get defensive, so now I keep her cage closed while she's out.

Also, the order in which I let the birds out made a difference as well. If Pippin or Cake were already out of their cages when I let Piper out, she would come out "guns blazing" as it were. Now that I let her out first, she's perfectly fine and has no issue.

Little things that you might never think of could contribute to a happier, more peaceful environment for everyone.

 

[AzaleaMist]

Thank you! I will have to look up some of these items you both mentioned as I don’t know what they are but I’m
Happy to have the answers.

As far as behavior modification you are right. Piper is doing a lot better if I dote on her and focus on her solely and I don’t talk or look at any other birdy while it’s Piper time and it has helped and she hasn’t made any attempt to lash out unless another bird lands on her cage. Bella is very cage territorial also but less likely to attack another bird out of cage although she did go after Piper the last time they were out together about a year ago. I am afraid to have them out with others though but if I can get them to live peacefully with separate out times would be a dream.