FLOCK STRATEGIES
DIET, NOISE LEVELS, ENTERTAINMENT
DIET
I use the Tropicana Mix in the mornings, as it is widely available and gives the birds a choice. Unfortunately, none of my birds will eat the pellets and all are left in the bottom of the bowl untouched. Because I am home all day they also receive a few snacks and treats, every 2 to 3 hours. Dinner is usually a cooked meal, pot luck style...with everything thrown in, in different combinations. I have personally found the rice cooker an invaluable tool and it has become theirs. I don't freeze their meals, instead, I cook 2 to 3 days worth of dinners and then redo in a different combination or differing ingredients.
Parrots take great pleasure in food and their tastes vary. Favourites go in and out of fashion with them regularly. They enjoy variety. Mine, however, disagree often and what they should be fed and we have to make compromises. Jack and Harry could care less about brown rice, while the rest devour it. 5 love poultry...but the Grey won't touch it. 4 like bananas. I'm sure you see the trend. gggrrrr......
Their tastes can be broadened with repetition. I try not to cater to individual tastes. If I offer a treat and it isn't one that you want to eat, better luck next time baby.
There are often cautions on feeding too many greens to birds. Greens as snacks occupy their time. While celery has no nutritional value it is a treat they enjoy. A lettuce leaf has
CONTROLLING THE NOISE LEVEL
Controlling the noise level with 5 parrots in one room can be a challenge. I do cover my birds for yelling. A 15 minute time out can work wonders. This works for all but Boo and his yelling issues are for different reasons. It took a full 9 months for Jazz to learn that yelling was not acceptable behaviour, but once she learned I have only to remind her by covering her once or twice a year. Jazz does have a frustration noise but it is at an acceptable level.
Ignoring the issue does not work in this house. It gets the other birds to yelling. Miss Harry will start with the "SHUTTT UP". My spouse works 12 hour shifts and our master bedroom is just above the dining room!
A minimum of 3 hours per day there is some kind of music or sound CD playing. I have 4 of the Wordy Birdy CD's...but none have picked up any new words from them, though it may work for Jada in the future. I do not recommend buying the Down Under Edition. It is very short and not worth the cash being asked for it.
I have an abundance of nature CD's, Morning song Birds, the Bayou, Jungle Talk, etc. These work very well for the birds. Talking with the CD's but never at full volume. We also use the music/nature combinations.
For rowdy time I play Delerium, Janet Jackson, Michael Bolton. These types of music at a mid volume will induce quite a bit of noise and dancing. Works well for built up energy. They will all participate in their own ways for a half hour or more. Jack has a tendancy to overdo the volume. Great technique for the hour before bedtime.
I also have some CD's from the dollar store with children's songs and stories. These are also favoured listening.
TOYS
These days I am not much into purchasing many of the toys for parrots. Unless I can find them at a good sale. I think that change of direction came after I spent $45.00 on a toy for Jack that he ripped apart in a week. We go much simpler these days. Lots of hand made toys. Newspaper, paper towel rolls, plastic containers with little rattly things inside. Or childrens toys at the second hand store....plastic blocks, tinker toys if you can find them, sometimes they will take a liking to a wooden block, a stuffed animal...etc.
AFTERNOON NAPS ARE A SANITY STABILIZER
I cover the birds both at night and we take afternoon naps. This gives everyone some time to wind down. Take a chill pill.....me included. A couple of hours of down time are a necessity for all.....the lizards, the dog, the parrots have respite from each other. Helps maintain our equilibrium.
CHAMOMILE TEA
When we go through a rough patch here and relationships between the flock are strained or when bringing a new friend home, I give them Chamomile Tea in their water. I use one tea bag in a 2 quart container for the 6 of them, stretching it over 2 days, with extra water added in. Chamomile Tea is well known for its soothing properties. It's lesser known properties include: antibacterial, soothing itching, digestive and pain relieving properties. For a bird like Jada, who is very intimidated by life, I have belief that it has had a positive effect in reducing the number of panic attacks.
http://hubpages.com/hub/The-Healing-Properties-Of-Chamomile-Tea