Lovebirds trio

[Selva]

Hello friends
I am new here and am very happy to stumble on this and understand more about birds.
My issue is i have had a pair of lovebirds for over a year and they never mate but are bonded. The place i live doesn’t have any facilities to chk gender though the shopkeeper told me they are male and female.
The male is obvious as it rubs its butt against soft things but the female doesn’t bother
So i got another female . The new female is very much interested in my male but the other lady wouldn’t allow them to bond. She bites the new one
My question is should I separate the female and but the new instead. How does it actually work?

 

[Shezbug]

If the first/original pair are bonded you need to remove the third bird before someone gets seriously hurt.

@Zara

 

[Feathery]

Hi and welcome!


DNA testing can be done via mailing samples.

However, if you have no access to proper veterinary care for your birds (I'm assuming this based on your statement that you have no facilities where you live) you should SERIOUSLY reconsider encouraging your birds to mate. Complications can arise (such as egg binding) that require medical care. It would be irresponsible to do so without resources available IMHO.

And as suggested above, remove the new bird from the mix. If your original two birds were happy and content with each, leave them be. There's no reason to change their situation.

 

[Zara]

Welcome to the Avenue

I kind of agree with the above, except I would word it as ;

if you have no access to proper veterinary care for your birds (I'm assuming this based on your statement that you have no facilities where you live) you should SERIOUSLY reconsider encouraging your birds to mate breed. Complications can arise (such as egg binding) that require medical care. It would be irresponsible to do so without resources available IMHO.

As an additional to this, egg binding can occur in lone hens, so having some sort of vet, even if just a normal vet with some bird experience is very important.

Mating birds are fine. As long as eggs are being dealt with (boiled and put back, or switched for dummy eggs).

The male is obvious as it rubs its butt against soft things

Females do that too.

but the female doesn’t bother

They could still be too young to want to mate, or there are some conditions not being met. Which isn´t always a bad thing.

My question is should I separate the female and but the new instead. How does it actually work?

What you will need to do is house each bird in a cage by themselves. Then allow shared flight time which is under strict supervision, and allow them to spend time flying and interactin with each other. Monitor and watch for any strong bonds forming. Only once you see a bond has formed can you cage those birds together. This means they are together almost all of the time, preening each other, feeding each other, sleeping next to each other, and so on.

You cannot just take a bird out, and move it and put a new bird in it´s place. Lovebirds especially are prone to feather picking behaviours and it can be set off with the slightest thing. Something as stressful as this could easily cause some FDBs.

Personally I think you should have brought home two birds so you have an even number and to allow all the birds to mix and select their own mate. What you have created now with 3 birds is a third wheel situation, where two birds may want the same bird as there´s no other birds to choose from. And don´t be fooled by the cuteness, lovebirds will fight to the death not only for their eggs and offspring but for their mate too.

 

[Selva]

Hi and welcome!


DNA testing can be done via mailing samples.

However, if you have no access to proper veterinary care for your birds (I'm assuming this based on your statement that you have no facilities where you live) you should SERIOUSLY reconsider encouraging your birds to mate. Complications can arise (such as egg binding) that require medical care. It would be irresponsible to do so without resources available IMHO.

And as suggested above, remove the new bird from the mix. If your original two birds were happy and content with each, leave them be. There's no reason to change their situation.

 

[Selva]

I do have vet for birds but there is no facility of dna testing is what i meant
Well i think the prior lady is sad without her partner and it breaks my heart to see that. Might consider putting them back