Bobble scuffing around!

[Gill]

Since losing my job i have seen what my little birdies get up to in the day! I have noticed that Bobble (female) spends a lot of her time in her happy hut, she buries her head in the corner where the wall and the floor attach (its a triangle) and scuffs her feet real fast against the opposite wall of the hut?? Not the floor but the wall. Its like she trying to go through the hut wall! She does this in the food bowl too and sends food flying and today she did it on my jumper, head against the neck of my rollneck jumper scuffing madly on my chest!

What do you think she is doing, is she jusy crazy or is it a hen thing? :confused:

[chromasnake]

She is nesty, I think.

My hen does the same thing. I have taken away her hut, her paper, anything shreddable, and when she is loose I discourage her out of the folded cage blankets and cozy dark corners of the bird room. And now when she gets desperate she tries to make a nest in the seed dishes. I find all the expensive bird seed that I risk my life to get on public transportation and pack home in my backpack all over the poopy bottom of the cage (yes, I am being a wee bit dramatic, but it is true), and find her sitting quite comfortably in the food crock with that sleepy, contented look only hens can get when they are thinking about eggs.

I've switched to smaller dishes which seem to spoil her plans for world domination one clutch at a time, but just last night, after serving up a warm and wet dinner of cooked veggies, damp (no sugar) Cheerio type cereal, brown rice and cooked red wheat, she planted herself right in the middle of that squishy smorgasbord and started doing the same thing. Poor Little Yellow Bird was so mad when his favorite favorite cereal (also packed home on foot and bus through the wilds of Portland) starting being flung.

I had to take the dish out and put it on top of the cage, where she doesn't try such antics.

Little Yellow Bird has never done this. Apple sticks his head in and flings seeds around, but he doesn't scuffle with his feet either.

[Gill]

Thanks for the reply, I did wonder if it was a nesty thing, shes only 5 months old though, is that too early? How funny to think she can have a nest on my jumper, dont think she'd be too happy when i put it in the wash!

[chromasnake]

Thanks for the reply, I did wonder if it was a nesty thing, shes only 5 months old though, is that too early? How funny to think she can have a nest on my jumper, dont think she'd be too happy when i put it in the wash!

I guess you are never too young to start "playing house". I was shocked to see Tourmaline and Yellow Bird's chicks trying to shred paper just like Mommy before they even staggered out of the nest!

But don't take my word for it...my guess was based on my own observations. I am sure the more experienced breeders and long term owners might have better clues! The seed thing might also been that your bird is just trying to get the bits she prefers and to heck with the other stuff.

I've also seen that young birds also like to cuddle into cozy corners and hidey holes more than adults, so that might be what she is doing, as well. My sparrow Birdie, before he turned eight months, would plant himself right in the palm of my hand by whatever birdie means he could muster, and once there, peck my fingers (in a commanding way, not an injury way) until I closed my hand around his body, and then he would snuggle in with his beak sticking out and go to sleep or just hang out, content, until he wanted to do something else. After he reached sexual maturity he didn't want to do the hand snuggles any more and boy, did I miss it. :(

[Gill]

She has always liked to snuggle into things, she wouldnt ever stay still long enough for cuddles though! My first thought was nestyness, luckily Sticky only has love for his cat balls so i dont think hes paying too much attention to egg making!

[thebubbleking]

Boo does that to rearange her happy hut

[Gill]

I hope she is just rearranging and not nesting! I have two happy huts, a blue one and a purple one which i rotate. I had to throw the blue one away because it was getting a bit scruffy and bought a bright yellow one, maybe she just likes the colour more! :D