#spread wings

How do you work on wing and body handling and keep a bird comfortable with being touched all over without setting off hormonal behaviors? My green cheek is still young, but I want to make sure I stay ahead of it so she doesn't have a hard time next spring.

Thanks!

In terms of setting off hormones you really play it by ear and season.

If you are working on body handling training and happen to see the bird thin out, eye pin, squish down on the perch, raise their rump, squint their eyes, sudden aggression or present other hormonal behaviours// atypical behaviours to see in a standard training session then that's enough of a cue to tell you to pause the training. Same goes for if I were to see heightened hormonal behaviours outside of training sessions.

For some birds you can continue the training but just make sessions shorter or work on specific areas of the body (some may not be comfortable with restraint/ back handling but will be comfortable with wing handling for example). For other birds you cease the training altogether and resume after their season has passed.

When they're young this is less of a concern as they haven't sexually matured yet. As your bird develops you usually get a good idea of their seasonal changes and can begin to predict when it's best to avoid this training, doing the bulk of the practice over winter and autumn.

Here's some of my existing resources on training body handling

Restraint:

Wing handling:

Hands free wing spread (great to work on during hormone season as it requires never touching the bird):

Narrated by no one.

Narrator: The night of the performance.

Narrator: The children's fairy tale play is ending. Next up on the program is Ashley's performance of the prayer song.

Narrator: Taking a deep breath, Ashley carefully lifts her skirt and walks up the stage as the curtain opens. She is immediately met with welcoming applause.

Narrator: Though already mentally prepared, she is still surprised by the full auditorium. She can't help but wonder how she looks to the audience members.

Narrator: "You're beautiful."

Narrator: It's Cersei's voice. She places a headband on Ashley's hair, letting her long tresses tumble over the pure white mesh dress.

Narrator: In the distance, her friends at Strange are waving at her.

Narrator: "Ugly monster!"

Narrator: It's the voice from her nightmares, the one that has tortured her through countless days. Every time she tried to flee the darkness, it slammed the door in her face.

Narrator: She sees Paisley and the others pointing at her, mocking and cursing.

Narrator: "Why me?"

Narrator: Whose voice is that?

Narrator: Not far away stands a girl whose messy hair cannot cover the horrible scars on her face.

Ashley: Is that... me?

"Ashley": Why was I born in Starheaven? Why do I have to have scars on my face? Why did I meet those people? Why me?

"Ashley": Why? Why can't you just become a demon?

Narrator: The girl's desperate screams echo in the hall. All the resentment from the past assaults Ashley's mind.

Narrator: Am I the only one who's considered a monster? Am I the only one who's always abandoned by others?

Narrator: Chirps...

Narrator: Mellow birdsong breaks through the noise like a loud whistle, awakening Ashley from her chaotic illusions.

Narrator: She sees the children from the chapel sitting in the front row, blinking up at her, like stars in the night sky.

Narrator: The boy is also there. His legs don't even reach the floor. If he remains seated, people can't even notice anything different.

Narrator: And at this very moment, under the spotlight, the smile in his eyes is pure and gentle, like silent moonlight.

Narrator: Every person sitting here once thought that they were alone in this world, with no choice but to hide their scars.

Narrator: Ashley's world was once colorless. She thought she was just an ugly little bird with gray feathers and countless scars.

Little Bird: Chirps...

Narrator: The bird alights from the boy's hand and flutters toward the light of the stage. The feathers on its body are dull, yet reflect brilliant colors.

Narrator: Ashley stretches out her hand, and the bird lands on her palm again.

Narrator: The little bird may look different, but it never tries to hide its scars. Under the light, its feathers are just as stunning as even those of the prettiest birds.

Narrator: Ashley is the same. Imperfect, perhaps, but certainly not colorless.

Narrator: Someone once told Ashley that when she sings, the world becomes a better place.

Narrator: Deep down in everyone's heart, light and shadows are always fighting for dominance. All of us have the potential to fly high.

Old Hendrill: Ashley, sing it again, won't you?

Blind Girl: Ashley, sing it again, won't you?

Narrator: The warm memory gives her a sense of encouragement.

Friends: Ashley sings the best!

Kid: We're cheering you on!

Narrator: Both sympathetic and anxious, the audience cheers as loudly as they can.

Narrator: Tears run down Ashley's face as she smiles. She closes her eyes and produces a celestial melody that carries everyone away.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2