For those that have multiples, how do you handle your birds when they begin fighting/pecking one another? For me, it seems since all of them decided to start molting together and one was already a grouch, they are even more nippy with one another. For instance, i could have 4 bowls of food (same items)for 3 birds and they still want the same bowl. Poor Arsues could be eating from one bowl and if the other birds come around, he kindly hops down and moves away until they are done. (What a gentleman!) Until the other day, he was fighting for his bowl-i guess he was tired of the abuse. Whenever i catch them pecking at one another I would mist the trouble-starting bird. Now they know when I raised the spray bottle they stop and move away. Lovie will actually go hide behind the curtains when she sees me coming thinking i can't get to her--she's wrong! Charlie hates the misting and immediately looks for ways to escape. Arseus doesn't get sprayed too often unless he's caught in the crossfire and he doesn't mind the water at all. When Lovie gets very aggressive with the keets, i will remove her and put her in her cage as timeout and tell her sternly "NO-we don't do that". Another example is when it is time for bed and the keets are in their own cage. Charlie will screech and even peck at Arseus for no reason or if he isn't paying her attention. Again we have food issues in the cage with the multiple eating areas-she does not like to share the food but she also wants Arseus to feed her! I will say one good thing about Charlie, she will preen Arseus every once in awhile-I guess as a reward for being her servant! lol!

Are the birds fighting to establish the pecking order? If it has already been established, are they fighting to take over the top bird position or still show who's the boss? Or do they just fight just to fight? Any suggestions are appreciated.

PS: Even though birds are fighting, its not an all day event and they can coexist--i just wanted to put that out there.

Mostly its to establish a pecking order. And other times its just to be nasty. Mine fight all the time and their pecking order has changed each time I brought a new bird home.
It used to be that Peeps was the top bird and Louie was the bottom. Then I got Basil and he became top bird, then Peeps and last Louie. Over a few months Louie got a bit bolder and when I got Edgar she found her voice. Now Peeps shares the bottom with Edgar and Louie and Basil are the top birds! Very much like a soap opera!

As for fighting. I think the misting thing is a great idea but be careful that they dont develop a fear of water. If Louie is tormenting Peeps (or vice versa) I put the bad bird in a time out. I have a small travel cage that serves as a time out cage too. I usually put them in there for about 15-30min and then they can join the rest of the flock. So far it has worked well with Louie. Peeps is a whole different story and not much works on her right now except Mom scooping her up and giving her a swift "NO bad Peeps".
Basil and Edgar are pretty good but once and a while they get a bit silly. I hope this helps!

In the beginning it was always between my ladies and then I brought the boys home. Now if they're really misbehaving, they go into the time out cage.

Though lately, they've been behaving and I'm wondering why.

They are busy plotting when you aren't looking!! LOL

My boys don't get into squabbles too much. I probably can't help too much. If they do fight for more than 15 seconds I normally just stand up and go over to the cage and start talking to them. It distracts them enough that they forget what they were fighting about.

I kind of have the same problem with my keets, I think sometimes they are just grouchy and it's not like they can really have their own space so they take it out on each other. I have two keets that live in a cage together, these guys are more or less bonded and never fight. My third keet, who has her own cage, is the cause of fights as they are still working on a pecking order and getting comfortable with her.

They still are protective of their food, it's been about a month and things have gotten a lot better but frankly, I think food will always be a source of fighting. I try to let them know the food isn't going to run out, but they aren't getting it! :P

To break things up though I start out with a stern 'NO', which through a lot of repetition they have learned means look at mom, if it still doesn't stop I stick my head into the cage (or wherever they are at) and talk to them for a while (get's their mind off whatever it was they were fighting about), lastly I separate them for a few minutes. Usually I just let one hang out with me (usually whoever is being picked on). It seems to work well with my flock but my fighting has really died down to a minimum.

Squabbling is normal, as are all out brawls. Lily is my dominant female, and she lets everyone know every now and then. If she starts a fight, she's usually the instigator, I'll go over to the cage and distract them. Other times, if I am busy, say in the kitchen, and can't immediately go over, I'll clap my hands a few times and say firmly 'Hey! Hey!' which distracts them, too, and they stop. I've only had one really serious fight, which was between Lily and Nero. They were rolling around on the bottom of the cage and screaming early one morning, it's the first time I've had to seperate them for a timeout, but it was effective. Nero is on the bottom rung of the pecking order and gets a lot of grief from everyone sometimes.

its good to hear that it isn't just my bunch that have their sqaubbles and that it's normal (for the most part) I, too, clap my hands or say "Stop" but sometimes, that's not enough and i have to go up to them. Show them a bigger person who's really in control!!

Dont worry it isnt just yours. I have had problems with mine for months. So now i have 2 in one cage and 1 in her own cage. I feel really bad for having done this, but i cant let anyone get hurt. They are right next to each other and they both feed her and try and get to her but when i put them together they start up again.

good advice, the clapping works good for my birds but sometimes i also have to stand up and stick my face in their and say NO then they all scatter LMAO

just keep in mind that lovie is a different species of bird, and wont always get along with keets, and thats normal.

pecking order disputes and arguements should be left alone and let teh birds work it out so long as no one is getting hurt or being prevented from eating or drinking.