Building a cohesive flock

[Dot]

A long time ago a friend told me to read to my birds. I was amazed. They sit like first graders and stare at me. The RFM bobs her head and utters non-sense syllables, trying to tell the story with me. I also tell them stories: How Blusher Came to Live in Louisiana, The Scarlet Macaw That Discovered Night, How Tommie Came to Live With Mama, The Scarlet Macaw That Called Ducks. I also do a form of "The Three Little Pigs." Tommie builds her house of peanuts, Fergie builds her house of bananas, Blusher uses toys, and Leroy who is a YNA and full of mischief decides to pretend to be the Evil Bird and scare her sisters (the mama told them that they must eat their veggies and beware the Evil Bird). My friend told me about that one too, along with Four little parrots jumping on the bed, Tommie fell off and bumped her head, mama called the doctor and the doctor said, No more parrots on the bed.

They seem to enjoy these stories. Blusher has learned several words in each of the stories and says them in the correct place. They all seem to listen for their names. Blusher says her name in the correct place.

This is fun but I think it serves to bond the flock. Remember that in the wild, they would be with their own species. Here four different species are thrown together. When I read, I am the flock leader and they each have a part in the story. Either they listen for the part about them, or in Leroy's case, she says, "Evil Bird" for me.

Am I crazy or can this really give them some form of bonding with the flock?

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Wow - I want to hear more... I really do.

[Dot]

Wow - I want to hear more... I really do.

I'm sure you mean from other people, but I will take this opportunity to tell a Blusher story. One night I didn't have anything in the Habitat to read to them, so I picked up the Bible. I read one of the Psalms. In it, the people were rising up against Yahweh. When I read that part, this high pitched voice said, "Oh, crap." You know it was an accident, but what a cute one.

[iti hoa's mom]

Dot,
I don't know about flock bonding but they all are learning, involved in a creative endeavor and have time with the momma. Also, parrots learn from each other...since you are the head one (shame you have no feathers) they are learning. Flock bonding...if they are all exposed to the same thing I think they are more comfortable if others are around.

Whatcha think?

Peggy and the flock

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Maybe it was not an accident---hmmm?

Dot, I want to hear more from you. Do you have childeren's books that you read to them and change the words around to fit your birds. Or do you just make up stories for them.

I firmly believe that these little ones do have the intelligence of a 5 year old human with the emotions of a 2 year old.

Please tell me more of what you do.

[bonnie]

I want to hear more about this too. I'm a reader, but I never thought about reading to Chicken! Do you repeat the same set of stories or do you just read whatever you want? This is SO interesting!!!

[Dot]

Dot,
I don't know about flock bonding but they all are learning, involved in a creative endeavor and have time with the momma. Also, parrots learn from each other...since you are the head one (shame you have no feathers) they are learning. Flock bonding...if they are all exposed to the same thing I think they are more comfortable if others are around.

Whatcha think?

Peggy and the flock

Flock bonding...if they are all exposed to the same thing I think they are more comfortable if others are around.

Other people or other birds?

[iti hoa's mom]

Flock bonding...if they are all exposed to the same thing I think they are more comfortable if others are around.

Other people or other birds?



LOL. I was thinking birds but I guess people would work also.

In the book department, I gave up on the paper ones...too much tasting going on. I go to Barnes and Noble and get the cloth ones. The birds really like helping turn the pages. When the grandkids were younger and visiting...I had them read the stories. The birds were fascinated with the kids reading. Good for the kids to practice reading. It's kind of like a hallmark moment. Now Dot, yours have a few choice words...maybe not a hallmark moment. Blusher sure does say the darnest things.

Just like you, I replace the name in the book with one of the birds names. They really look forward to when their name is mentioned. I did a bit of spoiling...went to the mall where you can have a book made with a childs name in it. I had bird names put in. Jane is a good name as is Marie but Maybe had them scratching their heads. Then there is the princess dog with her crystal and gold collar...but I digress.

Larry, doesn't baby sit on your chair or knee as you read her a story?

then there iss........... well will save that for another time.

Peggy

[Birdlover]

The Scarlet Macaw That Discovered Night

I want to hear this one again :)

I think that is so wonderful Dot. Your flock is truly a flock.

[bonnie]

wow.... i'm gonna go dig out a book of nursery rhymes and try this out.... i always sing to him and replace words in songs, but i never thought about books.... wow

i sing to him Jesus Loves the Little birdies.... and I sing him old songs I remember singing since FOREVER....

[Dot]

Maybe it was not an accident---hmmm?

Dot, I want to hear more from you. Do you have childeren's books that you read to them and change the words around to fit your birds. Or do you just make up stories for them.

I firmly believe that these little ones do have the intelligence of a 5 year old human with the emotions of a 2 year old.

Please tell me more of what you do.

Again, the books I read are Cara's suggestions. I have checked out others from the library. I recently had one about a monster. It was cute and repetitive, so it makes it easy to follow.

We do Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You by Dr. Seuss. Blusher is now trying to make the sound of the rooster. She made it when she came because her breeder's neighbor had a rooster, but she has not heard it since.

I also read Fireman Small, which I adore. Blusher has learned to say "Fire."

Below is my rewrite of Four Little Parrots Jumping on the Bed:


Four little parrots jumping on the bed
Tommie fell off and bumped her head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more parrots on the bed!”

Three little parrots jumping on the bed
Fergie fell off and bumped her head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more parrots on the bed!”

Two little parrots jumping on the bed
Blusher fell off and bumped her head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more parrots on the bed!”

One little parrot jumping on the bed
Leroy fell off and bumped her head
Mama called the doctor and the doctor said,
“No more parrots on the bed!”


With "The Three Little Pigs," I just retell it using the birds names. It was fun choosing what each bird would use to build his house. I tell it so that they round a bend and see a tree made of ____. Like this: The four little birds started out down the road of life. They walked and they walked and they saw many interesting trees, but suddenly they rounded a corner and saw a tree full of peanuts. Tommie shouted, "Peanuts. I love peanuts. I shall build my house of peanuts and I'll eat peanuts all day." Fergie reminded her that mama said to eat your veggies and Tommie said "I don't eat no stinkin' veggies. Blusher reminded her that mama said to beware the Evil Bird, but Tommie said, "I ain't scared of no Evil Bird," and she started to build her house of peanuts. Fergie, Blusher, and Leroy continued down the road of life.



They walked and they walked and they saw many interesting trees, but suddenly they rounded a corner and saw a tree full of bananas and Fergie shouted "Ba ba ba NA na. I love bananas. I shall build my house of bananas and eat bananas all day long."


It continues like that for each bird, so each bird knows what his house is built of and hopefully one of them will say peanut or banana or toy in the right place. Blusher says her name in the right place and says "banana" and "knock knock knock" when the Evil Bird knocks. That is also set up so that it is repeated in the same form at each house. "Tommie was in her house eating peanuts when suddenly she heard a knock at the door. Knock knock knock. Tommie says, 'Who is it' and Leroy says, 'Evil Bird. Let me in let me in' and Tommie says, 'Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin.' So Leroy huffs and she puffs, and she blows that house down. Tommie runs down the road to Fergie's house and says, 'Fergie, the Evil Bird blew down my house. Please help me.' Fergie says, ' Come in. You'll be safe in my house of bananas.' So Tommie went inside and just as she had a bite of banana, they heard a knock at the door." The rest is repeated.


Does that give you an idea?

Also, I have read Make Way for Ducklings. I'll let you know as I remember. I have one book on colors too, but I have only read it once.

[Larry, Baby and Me]

Thanks Dot,

I'm going to the bookstore tomorrow. I will keep you posted. :)

[Dot]

wow.... i'm gonna go dig out a book of nursery rhymes and try this out.... i always sing to him and replace words in songs, but i never thought about books.... wow

i sing to him Jesus Loves the Little birdies.... and I sing him old songs I remember singing since FOREVER....

Just Google it. I did story + the three little pigs to get the opening lines to the three little pigs http://www.shol.com/agita/pigs.htm.

[Dot]

Thanks Dot,

I'm going to the bookstore tomorrow. I will keep you posted. :)

I forgot "The Jabberwocky." You can go to this site and print it out. So far Blusher has said "ban" of "bandersnatch" in the right place. They love it when I go "galumphing back."

http://www.jabberwocky.com/carroll/jabber/jabberwocky.html

[Dot]

I have to tell you that Cara has an alternate ending. Sometimes the birds come home and mom feeds them veggies and manilla ice-cream, but sometimes when the birds get home, the mom has moved to Timbuktu and has not left a forwarding address.

[bonnie]

When I say 'dig' I mean walk over to the bookshelf and get it out. LOL
I'm going to be a grade school teacher. I have TONS of little kid books!

I read him a few fairy tales. I can't tell if he was interested in what I was saying or the scritches he was getting... LOL

[Dot]

When I say 'dig' I mean walk over to the bookshelf and get it out. LOL
I'm going to be a grade school teacher. I have TONS of little kid books!

I read him a few fairy tales. I can't tell if he was interested in what I was saying or the scritches he was getting... LOL

I'm going to be a grade school teacher.

You will go straight to Heaven. There is a special place in Heaven for grade school teachers. I don't see how you guys do it, but all the grade school teachers say they can't imagine how we teach high school. An old friend of mine was fond of saying, "As my old grand pappy used to say to me, 'That's what makes po' land sell and ugly women marry - difference of opinion.'"

[bonnie]

LOL

YOU will go straight to heaven!!! I'd KILL a high school kid with thier smart mouths and know it all attitudes! HA HA!!!

[iti hoa's mom]

Dot, your stories are just wonderful. Working a lot and tired leads to burned out brain syndrome. You just jump started a few brain cells and I just might head out for a few new books. Thanks Dot!

Peggy

[TikiTalks]

How cool! I'm going to teach Grade School as well (2nd grade thank you :) ) Do you think reading would work for the cockatiels?

[michelle]

Dot, I love it!!!

As a librarian, I'm so glad I'm not the only one who reads kids' books to their birds! Inserting their names into the stories is a great idea, too!

Here are some of my guys' favorites:

Farmer Duck by Martin Waddell
any of the Pigeon books by Mo Willems
To Market, To Market by Anne Miranda and Janet Stevens
Charlie Parker Played BeBop by Chris Raschka (Django is a jazz bird)
Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.

[Dot]

How cool! I'm going to teach Grade School as well (2nd grade thank you :) ) Do you think reading would work for the cockatiels?

Certainly wouldn't hurt to try. I usually read to them while they are in their cages, but not always.

Oops, I forgot about their night night book, Good Night Moon.

I also forgot to mention Where the Wild Things Are.

[TikiTalks]

i thinki will try this, generally speaking the birdies together playtime with mom and dad involves a guitar, and lots of dancing and noise!

[bonnie]

I will go into the kitchen to do the dishes or whatever and I'll turn on 'our' favorite cd! He will dance and make noise! We always have fun!


Tiki--I want to teach 3rd... How close are you to student teaching?

[TikiTalks]

I'm about 2 years away I'm on a hiatus til April to get married =X After that I hope to quit working and simply go to school :) I was a preschool teacher for a couple years though so I know I've gotten a crash course :)

[bonnie]

lol. I have 1 year before I'll be done and can student teach. I've done all my observation hours so I've spent A LOT of time in the schools lol.
I actually scheduled our wedding around my school schedule. :rolleyes: