Quaker parrot attempts murder

[Ms T]

I've got 10 Muscovy eggs that are on day 18 of incubation and all has been going good so far. I've also got a VERY curious Quaker Parrot named Pico that sees me go over to the incubator to turn the eggs, and to check and make sure temps and all are still good.

This morning I had to leave to go run some errands. I always lock Pico in his cage when I leave... and he has NEVER in 5 years ever escaped from his cage. Well...this morning his curiosity must have been to much to handle and he somehow unlocked his cage....walked over to where the incubator was and while trying to get up to the table where the incubator was he grabbed onto the plug for the thermostat and fan. He's lucky that he didn't bite down on the electrical cord and kill himself!!! And THANK GOODNESS I was not gone for very long.....because when I came in the first thing I see is Pico sitting on top of the incubator greeting me with a "Hello".

I was almost in tears though when I looked in and saw the temps had risen to 112

degrees and the humidity was at 75. I immediately got things back to the right temp and humidy and did a quick candling of the eggs. And it looks like I got lucky....cause all were moving ok. I was gone for about 2 hrs total and I'm sure it took Pico some time to get himself out of his cage cause the locks (SO I THOUGHT) are hard to open. I thought for sure they were goners....and hope that spike doesn't effect any of them.

Needless to say.... I put some locks on the side doors that I don't think he can open. If he does we may need to rename him Hoodini. And I've moved the eggs out of his sight. Now just keeping fingers crossed for next 17 days that all goes well and they all survived Pico's attempted murder on their hatch!!!

 

[ssellis]

wait till he gets in brooder with chicks mine did and i dont know who was scared first. he got a hold of a chicks beak and both let out a scream

 

[Ms T]

oh my goodness!!!! lol Definitly going to have to keep and eye on him when he is out of his cage during the day.

 

[quintinp]

Oh, wow, do I have a story about my Quaker parrot Verde. Here's a picture of him on my cooler incubator.

There were no eggs in the incubator, but Verde got a hold of a chick one time. He bit off one of the chick's toes.

Here's the story. . . . .

I was sitting on my bed with my only baby chick that had hatched, and Verde is on top of his cage (I was unaware of this). Verde is an escape artist at it's best. I am about ready to put the chick away when the next thing I know is that Verde is ON MY BED!... So I place the chick suspended above the bed but against my chest, to where I THOUGHT Verde couldn't reach it. (Because I know Verde's intentions toward this chick)
I then start trying to hold off Verde, and when I let my guard down on the chick, Verde bolts toward the single toe that is sticking out of my hands. Verde then proceeds in biting off the toe, and flicking it on the ground. I immediately coated the chick's toe with styptic powder. Verde still has a hatred toward chicks, and other people and birds. But he is fine, and now has a taste for chicken...............

This happened about 8-10 months ago.

This chick grew up, and turned into a fine young (barred rock hen/black sex link rooster mix). I could tell him apart from the other chickens, as he was the only one missing the toe. He was named Fernando.