Managing multiple flighted birds

[dmiller91]

Kind of along a similar vein to "how many are out and flighted at a time", I'm interesting in hearing more about how people in multiple bird homes manage our flighted friends. What works, what doesn't?

Something like this:

We have two conures that I let out separately from everyone else. They would get eaten if i didn't do this. However, I wonder if it would be easier if I increased the number of stations they have available.

I have two pionus that are out together, but we have to cage them when the other two big birds come out, the cape and the timneh, because there is some fighting. Breeders have told me to let the bigger birds battle it out, but I've got two that just won't back down, leaving that a tenuous option for me.

This works for me, but we have jealousy issues, birds that scream when others are out and they aren't, or are just generally miserable about it

Anyone else? Are your birds caged in the same room, separate rooms? How do you manage the "out" time??

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

I have to cage Sunshine when I have cock cockatiels out loose in the room. She hates male cockatiels and does try and injure them. Otherwise, everyone is out with everyone else. I have three permanent perches sever feet long, three boings, a jolly ball, four swings and five foraging stations. Everyone who wishes to avoid anyone else can do so without a problem.

 

[dmiller91]

Have you posted any pictures anywhere of your setup? sounds cool!

 

[Chantilly Lace]

All my birds are very jealous of each other, so it is tough with them all being flighted. Paco is out downstairs, but where I can see him from my bedroom upstairs easily, because the upstairs is open. He stays out all day because he is the only birdie who stays put on his playstand and hanging gym. Then Picaso and Phoenix each get half of the day out, playing in my bedroom with their 3 hanging nets, playgyms, boings, etc. in birdie heaven! Pancho stays out when he wants to, but prefers to be in his cage. He is getting more outgoing though, so hopefully he will soon be put into birdie rotation! LOL

 

[KimKimWilliamson]

I used to have Penny and Pru on seperate floors of my 4 level split home, so they could hear eachother when caged, but not see eachother. However Ive always had thier out of cage time at the same time. In the begining, only Penny was flighted, so the fighting was minimal. But after a moult or two they are both now fully flighted. The tiffs are more frequent, but mostly just a bunch of squacking and open beaked bumping. Of course I never let myself forget that it could quickly become worse so they are always supervised when out together.
Honeslty its been more work having two flighted birds out at the same time.....but its worth it and I simply manage by taking it a step at a time - they both have tons of places to play seperatly, and treat bowls about the place. For now it works.

 

[suileeka]

I have eight small, flighted birds. Five of them (the cockatiels and the linnies) can all be out together without supervision, because they're mostly good about minding their own business and, if there is a conflict, they'll just fly to separate areas instead of fighting. (My linnies can be aggressive, but the cockatiels are non-confrontational and back right off if the linnies want something.) They're out every day from morning to night, with multiple landing stations and gyms where they can stay away from each other if they want to. They co-exist peacefully for the most part with just a few minor squabbles here or there.

I cannot let the budgies out with the others, because they are pests with no sense of self-preservation! If they're chased away, they just keep coming back! And they annoy the linnies so much that they become worked up and more aggressive in general, and will attack anyone who so much as looks at them funny.

My conure is allowed out only under supervision, because his beak is larger and can do a lot more damage. I haven't had any issues while I've been supervising - the linnies and tiels seem to know to leave him alone and the few times that the linnies have landed near him, they've scurried right away when he started towards them to chase them off - but I wouldn't trust them alone together.

 

[dmiller91]

I have eight small, flighted birds. Five of them (the cockatiels and the linnies) can all be out together without supervision, because they're mostly good about minding their own business and, if there is a conflict, they'll just fly to separate areas instead of fighting. (My linnies can be aggressive, but the cockatiels are non-confrontational and back right off if the linnies want something.) They're out every day from morning to night, with multiple landing stations and gyms where they can stay away from each other if they want to. They co-exist peacefully for the most part with just a few minor squabbles here or there.

I cannot let the budgies out with the others, because they are pests with no sense of self-preservation! If they're chased away, they just keep coming back! And they annoy the linnies so much that they become worked up and more aggressive in general, and will attack anyone who so much as looks at them funny.

My conure is allowed out only under supervision, because his beak is larger and can do a lot more damage. I haven't had any issues while I've been supervising - the linnies and tiels seem to know to leave him alone and the few times that the linnies have landed near him, they've scurried right away when he started towards them to chase them off - but I wouldn't trust them alone together.

LOL your linnies sound like my conures. They are too big for their britches and I have to cage them for their preservation. I'm interested in your linnies though, I have two that are mated and not very tame. I've been hesitant to let them out for fear of being unable to catch them. Are yours tame?

 

[SandraK]

Of the 15, only 2 can't fly - Marco, the lovie, because his wings were clipped when I got him and Daisy, the green Quaker girl, because she suffered a broken wing as a feral fledgeling which was never set. The other 13 can fly though some not as well as others. The heavies, my 2 Quaker boys JJ & Baby, fly to get somewhere in the room but don't really do laps.The 7 tiels are all pretty strong flyers as are 3 of the 4 gccs; the fourth had his wings trimmed because he was getting to big for his britches. They are all allowed out at the same time and though there is some bickering it is usually beaking (conures vs Quakers) or crest/tailfeather pulling (Quakers/conures vs tiels). Marco, who can't fly, gets even by chasing the tiels or trying to chew on the toes of anyone foolish enough to climb on the outside of whatever section of cage he is in.

Five cages and 4 playstands in a 22' x 32' room with an "open layout" to the kitchen which allows extra lap space when the tiels really get going.

 

[suileeka]

I'm interested in your linnies though, I have two that are mated and not very tame. I've been hesitant to let them out for fear of being unable to catch them. Are yours tame?

Yes, they're tame. They don't like to do anything that isn't THEIR idea, though! They used to like being carried around and escorted to their destinations, but now that they're 'big boys', they insist on flying everywhere themselves. I find that the linnies are very much creatures of habit and I don't think it would be that difficult to lure an untame pair back to their cage, as long as it was somewhere they enjoyed being. My boys are very food motivated and will go anywhere for one of their favorites. They also put themselves to bed every night in their sleep cage, which I have to uncover and open for them by a certain hour or boy do I get scolded. I think the main thing to watch out for with untame linnies is their tendency to run underneath furniture or hide behind things... it's probably pretty difficult to get them if they crawl into your couch from the underside!

 

[dmiller91]

. I think the main thing to watch out for with untame linnies is their tendency to run underneath furniture or hide behind things... it's probably pretty difficult to get them if they crawl into your couch from the underside!

sounds like limiting the space at first might work best!

 

[dmiller91]

Marco, who can't fly, gets even by chasing the tiels or trying to chew on the toes of anyone foolish enough to climb on the outside of whatever section of cage he is in.

This is why I have to be careful. Marco likely can't do a lot of damage, but my cape has drawn blood from my male pionus toes when he plasters himself to the side of her cage. We have to be very careful... and so far, we've been lucky. It would've been easier if they had just battled it out and one was accepted as dominant. The Cape is dominant, the Pionus just doesn't know it!!

 

[Shade]

I can have all my guys (all flighted) out at the same time. If one starts looking for trouble and we are in living room, I'll put the trouble maker in the bird room alone for a bit. If two of them are looking for trouble, then they'll go in their cages for a bit to calm down and I'll get them back out.

 

[love4birds]

My four are all flighted and often out at the same time. The lovies are always flying. Chewy will fly to get where she wants to go, but she doesn't fly just for pleasure yet. Really the only "managing" I have to do is if one of the lovies gets close to Chewy and won't back off. That's usually Leyla! She is fearless and bossy, always wants her way. Nin and Rigby retreat if Chewy goes within a foot or so of them. I also taught the lovies the "off there" command in case there's a situation in which they need to flee fast. Chewy isn't aggressive towards them, but I think it's a good idea just in case

 

[Saemma]

I can have all my guys (all flighted) out at the same time. If one starts looking for trouble and we are in living room, I'll put the trouble maker in the bird room alone for a bit. If two of them are looking for trouble, then they'll go in their cages for a bit to calm down and I'll get them back out.

Ditto!

 

[Welshanne]

Chaz our largest bird a hybrid macaw is out most of the time he is indoors. He is allowed out with the Greys and separately with our blue fronted Amazon Jay. He comes out with Chaz but never the same time as the Greys as there would be a lot of infighting. Been there and done that. This set up suits everyone down to the ground and peace reigns.
Would never have a smaller bird out with the larger ones anyway as a fight could injure or even kill in no time at all. They can get on famously and then in a split second something makes one kick off and before you could do anything the damage would be done. Seen it happen with others and not nice.