# Pecking order?



## curtmc (Mar 25, 2010)

Over a year ago, a friend who was moving gave me three cockatiels along with the flight cage they were in. Overall the three of them get along. I noticed at the time tho that one of the birds didn't have a lot of feathers on its neck and head. I assumed it was molting. As i got to know the birds, i realized that what was actually going on was that one of the other birds was pecking this one's head feathers and is now keeping it bald most of the time.

My question is: Would Baldy be better off in a separate cage, or would the trauma of separating them do him more harm? I should probably clarify that i have never seen any blood drawn and Baldy has no problem getting his share of the food.

Does anyone have an answer for me? I'd really like to do what is best for the bird.

Thanks,

Curt


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## seaofdreams (Dec 29, 2009)

I have this exact same issue. My boy Paris plucks the occasional feather of his mate of 6 years, Honey. He has only started doing it in the last year or so. 

I had them seperated for a few weeks but they were terribly distressed so I have them housed together again. They have so many toys, a great diet and they get along really well otherwise so I've never known why he does it but Honey seems fine otherwise and she doesn't have any bald patches, just a bit of thinning around her neck. 

I've always been really torn about it, I hate that he does it but the distress caused by splitting them after 6 years is far worse than the occasional plucked feather.

That's my experience but you have to take a look at how it's affecting the plucked bird. If they fight, if skin is broken or the bird seems stressed then it is in the birds best interest to seperate I would think. It's a personal decision, just keep the best interests of your birds at the front of your mind.


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

Since you have three tiels in the cage, I would separate the one that is getting plucked. It sounds like the other two have mated up and the plucked guy is the odd bird out. Do you know if you have males or females? Not that it matters much boys can bond with boys or girls. Any way what Iam trying to say  is that three is an odd number I think it is best to separate the plucked guy  Mabey down the road you can get the plucked guy a mate, that is if all works out and they like each other (after quarantine) not all tiels will like each other as you have found out  Good luck and let us know how everything goes


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Overpreening can be a mating behavior that happens when one of the mates (usually the male) gets overzealous in his attentions. Do any of your birds seem to be especially bonded to each other, or to especially dislike each other?


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