Canary Breeding
WE will start by reading the way a lot of people think Canaries should be bred! Then further down the chapter you will see the difference that years of experience make when breeding good quality birds. Don't forget the CLUB IS HERE TO HELP YOU.
The breeding season normally starts towards the end of March. By this time I ensure the birds have at least 14 hours of light(the light is extended by about 20 minutes per week from the beginning of January) with a minimum temperature of 10C (50F). I use a double breeding cage per pair with the cock and hen initially separated with a slide in the middle of the cage. I like to have the pairs next to each other for at least a fortnight before pairing together to finally assess that the pairing is correct. Once I am happy I pull the slide away from the back of the cage by about 1 cm so that the birds can see each other. I also put a little nesting material in the bars of the cage of the hen bird and watch her reaction. If she starts carrying it in the back of her beak she is heading towards being in breeding condition. The cock bird at this point should be singing strongly. Providing the birds are in breeding condition by about the last week in March I will put in the nest pan in the cage. If they do not look to be in the correct condition I wait until the signs are there to be seen.
Removal and 'setting' of eggs
Once the hen has built her nest and the cock bird introduced she should lay the first egg within about 7 to 10 days. I remove the egg and place it in my egg drawer . It is put in the section corresponding to the pair number. A dummy egg is placed in the nest box. This is done for each egg. On the 4th day at about 6 pm in the evening, the eggs are returned to the nest along with a dusting of an anti mite powder. The card on the cage is marked up to show the day the eggs were set and also the expected hatching day of 14 days later.
Weaning
Chicks will leave the nest at about 18 days old and start to pick at the food. When they are about 21 days old they may be ready to be moved from their parents. This should only be done if they are eating and beginning to look independent. Normally by about 24 days they are ready to be moved. Do not rush this process as taking an extra day or two is better than losing a ‘slow’ chick.
The youngsters are kept as a family and put in a single cage with perches set as low as possible. I always put seed on the cage even though I know they will not be eating it until they are about 5 weeks old. I do this as putting it on later becomes a point of curiosity and may cause them to eat before they are ready. The youngsters are given fed on the soft food mix plus soak seed as their main diet until about 6/7 weeks old. Once they are seen to be eating hard seed the soft food and soak seed is reduced until they will be just having a small amount of soft food each day through the moult which starts at about 10/12 weeks old.
Feeding for breeding condition
Staple Diet
The staple diet of my birds is a good mixed canary seed, I feed Haiths as I have found this to be very clean and made up of good sized seeds - this is fed all year round. I know a lot of canary keepers change the feed to a very basic mixture of plain canary and rape seed during the winter months. I wouldn't want to be put on bread and water during the winter months so I don't do it to my birds.
Soft Food
The soft food that I prefer to use is Sluis but there are many other manufacturers including CeDe, EMP, and Haiths. I mix mine with some couscous that I soak overnight and I also grate cuttlefish bone into the final preparation Some people also add hard boiled egg to their mixture but I am always worried about the mix going off in the very warm weather.
Other foodstuff
Other foods given consist of condition seed, wild seeds, green foods such as broccoli and dandelion and soaked seed which is allowed to sprout before feeding
Conditioning for breeding season
if I have extra soft food from one day I will put it in the fridge and feed the next day. It may appear that you could be giving your birds too much food if you include the staple diet of mixed canary seed. However, the birds will only eat so much so you need to balance the amounts given.
N:B This is a very simple view of how to breed canaries, short on detail and experience. A novice who followed bad advice like this could possibly ruin their chance of rearing healthy birds!!
NOW WE LOOK AT BREEDING QUAILTY and SUCCESS PROVEN OVER MANY MANY YEARS
Picture of young factors belonging to-
PAUL EVANS 2010
Photographed by Paul Evans
Canary breeding is not a science and if you follow a few simple rules there is no reason why you can't have some healthy chicks to admire. Remember though 4 eggs will not always mean 4 chicks!
Warm weather and near fourteen hours of daylight your birds if fit should be keen to breed. Cocks if fit should be singing with luster loud and bold, and very active. You will see them feeding their toes (practice for feeding chicks).
In The south of England the canaries breeding cycle begins around the second week of March. We will cover breeding early with added artificial light and heat later on.
Now let's start to prepare our birds for breeding. We have found that preparing to breed canaries is the same for all canaries throughout the year. We need to know our birds are being provided with the best nutritious diet we can give. Because the birds are in captivity and can not forage for their own needs we offer along with seed, fresh veggies and fruits, cuttle bone, oyster shell grit and vitamins, clean drinking and bath water, clean cages.
The diet changes for the rearing of young which includes an egg food formula.
You can of course buy soft and hard egg food for rearing chicks from your local pet supplier retailer or supermarkets these days,
but this is the recipe we use and it's easy to make.
Hard boil an egg or eggs for 15 to 20 mins.
Cool and shell the eggs. NB; you can bake the egg shells in the oven crush and feed for a good source of calcium.
Mash or grate the white and yolk into a container (we use plastic container with a sealable lid).
Add a little finely grated fresh carrot.
Next add some chopped or grated broccoli.
Take a cuttle fish bone and with a back of a blunt knife scrape the cuttle bone into a powder. (This supplies good calcium intake).
Add a small amount Maw Seed and or gold of pleasure to suit.
Mix together and offer to your birds once a day, 2 or 3 days before hatching. Then as needed 3 times a day after the eggs are hatched. Any surplus you make can keep fresh in the fridge for a couple of days. Do not forget to continue feeding seed to the parents.
long toe nails cause problems.
Don't forget to clip toe nails if needed before the pair is moved to the breeding cage. Nails can get caught in nesting material may bind around the toes and feet causing damage, keep a close eye on this.
Which nests work well and are there any cautions about nesting material?
There are many good and varied nesting materials to choose from today. have a look on the internet, or see your local pet supplier
If your choice of nest is wood and wicker it is good sense to only use once and burn after use. This saves any hygine problems (bacteria/Mites) etc. Plastic nests can be washed, sterilized and can be used again and again.
Which birds should be chosen for breeding?
Too young or too old is not a good idea and the male and female should be chosen to breed only if they are in top condition. Having said that, I have an eight year old red factor cock that has filled two clutches already this year 2012. Also hens of just over eight months who have reared very good chicks. So this tells us that fitness and good feeding and managment count more than age.
If you have a young canary what should you do for success?
Young canaries sometimes have infertile eggs, or do a poor job of feeding the young, or they may abandon the nestlings entirely. it can be of help to them if possible to mate a young male with a mature hen or a young hen with a mature male.
What signals do the canaries give you to know that they are getting ready for the breeding cycle?
Male canaries will sing vigorously and females will chirp slightly as she begs for him to feed her. The hen will carry nest material or paper in the very back of the beak. They may also sit in the food dish and shuffle the food around trying to get it just right. The best way to learn this is to sit quietly and take time to watch/study and get to know your birds. each bird is an individual and will go about things in their way. By watching and being attentive you will after a while forsee what your birds needs may be.
Are canaries monogamous or polygamous?
Canaries by nature are polygamous.
When should the male join the female?
The female may not mate until she is building her nest. If she is ready there should be no fierce fighting. A little bickering can be expected but if she is not ready it is important for her safety to remove the male and try again until she does accept him. If it ends up that he does not suit her try another male. Typically though if she has begged for food from him she will usually accept him.
How many eggs per day will the hen lay?
On the average a canary hen will lay a total of Four or five eggs. She will lay her eggs once each day in the morning hours usually between 7am and 8am.
Do the eggs have to be removed and returned to the nest?
Removing eggs and returning them all at once is sometimes done to have the babies hatch the same day. This is not necessary and most of the time more babies is lost due to improper handling or broken eggs or improper temperature, or insufficient turning. The hen usually does not get serious about incubating the eggs until the 2nd or 3rd egg is laid.
Does the male canary share with incubation?
The hen always incubates the eggs alone. However some males will hop into the nest and cover the nest when the hen takes her daily exercise. The male also provides supplemental feeding for both her and the chics when hatched.
Can canary hen bathe during the breeding cycle?
Yes, bathing during the breeding cycle is actually beneficial to the embryo. It aids in providing higher humidity keeping the eggs more supple instead of a dry condition. This aids the embryo’s development and assists in hatching.
What is candling?
Candling uses an intense light and is a process that is done to examine the nesting eggs for fertility.
When should the eggs be checked for fertility?
Candling should only be done once as the light is strong and it is not good for the embryo. It is typically checked between the 5th and 8th day of incubation.
If candling is not really good for the embryo what other method can a person use to check for fertility?
An infertile egg will be clear as light shines through it and it will look the same as one that is freshly laid. With a fertile egg, holding it up to a natural light source will display the embryo with an adjoining network of veins. If it is hard to see with natural light then after the 8th day of incubation an infertile egg will look pale red in color and the fertile egg will have a shiny tint and look purplish brown.
Does the new born hatchling need nourishment the first day?
No, the baby canary does not need to be fed the first day after hatching as the baby has a yolk sac that feeds the baby while it is still in the egg. This yolk sac is drawn into the abdominal cavity during the last day before the baby hatches which provides nourishment for the first day of life.
Is it good for the nestlings when they fledge to provide soaked bread with milk?
Milk or cream products can cause digestion problems in canaries and soaking bread in milk is not a useful method of feeding young canaries. There is much more balanced type of soft foods available that make it easy to feed the fledglings.
Does the nestling behavior change before they fledge the nest?
The baby canary does go through a behavior change when they reach 12 to 14 days old. They become wary of movements and noise in their surroundings. The flight instinct takes over when they feel threatened and will feel the need to escape to safety. A thorough cleaning of the cage when the babies reach 12 days old will prevent you from disturbing them when this behavior is reached. This will help them to fledge naturally.
At what age will the nestlings fledge?
The nestlings typically fledge the nest between 15 and 17 days old. This of course can sometimes be up to 21 days, and there is no need to worry about this.
At what age can the canaries become independent?
The age that a baby canary can survive without its parents is typically 31 days.
Will the baby fledglings be able to learn to eat from the normal food dishes?
The fledglings need low profile small food dishes to learn how to eat on their own at the bottom of the cage. If you can find a small ½ inch tall soap dish or something similar it will work quite well. The important point here is it needs to be available at the bottom of the cage. The babies have soft beaks and cannot crack hard seeds so nestling food is important. It is good to continue to offer egg mixture and gradually lessen the amount of egg while increasing the amount of nestling food.
What is the point of egg food for the young?
Egg food plays a very important role in the rearing of canary babies. It is a supplemental food for fledglings. It is one of the foods that is given to the parents to help them with rearing the young. It can even be home made, although there is a variety of mixtures readily available. Home made mixtures are basically made of whole eggs, Rusk flour and poppy seeds. They sift it until it is finely mashed into a consistency of fine crumbs. Commercial egg muss is made from whole eggs, wheat meal, white millet, niger thistle among other ingredients.
Will new canary youngsters molt earlier than the adult canaries?
Yes, the youngsters will molt earlier than adult canaries. During the time they are learning to eat they have basically all of their feathers. At that stage they will have a little down left on their heads and short tail feathers. The molt is a partial molt and can begin as early as six weeks from birth through their first fall season. The flight feathers and tail feathers are not replaced until the following fall.
When do the fledglings need to be separated?
It is best around weaning time 21 days+ and very simple if you use double breeders. Put the chicks one side use a wire partition. The hen may well be going back to nest for a second time,and the Cock can still feed the chicks through the partition. Be sure to keep an eye on the hen, some like to pluck the young when going back to nest.
In an aviary breeding setup November is the end of the young moult and young are now completely independent. This is the time when the youngsters must if overcrowded or fighting be separated.
HOME
Warm weather and near fourteen hours of daylight your birds if fit should be keen to breed. Cocks if fit should be singing with luster loud and bold, and very active. You will see them feeding their toes (practice for feeding chicks).
In The south of England the canaries breeding cycle begins around the second week of March. We will cover breeding early with added artificial light and heat later on.
Now let's start to prepare our birds for breeding. We have found that preparing to breed canaries is the same for all canaries throughout the year. We need to know our birds are being provided with the best nutritious diet we can give. Because the birds are in captivity and can not forage for their own needs we offer along with seed, fresh veggies and fruits, cuttle bone, oyster shell grit and vitamins, clean drinking and bath water, clean cages.
The diet changes for the rearing of young which includes an egg food formula.
You can of course buy soft and hard egg food for rearing chicks from your local pet supplier retailer or supermarkets these days,
but this is the recipe we use and it's easy to make.
Hard boil an egg or eggs for 15 to 20 mins.
Cool and shell the eggs. NB; you can bake the egg shells in the oven crush and feed for a good source of calcium.
Mash or grate the white and yolk into a container (we use plastic container with a sealable lid).
Add a little finely grated fresh carrot.
Next add some chopped or grated broccoli.
Take a cuttle fish bone and with a back of a blunt knife scrape the cuttle bone into a powder. (This supplies good calcium intake).
Add a small amount Maw Seed and or gold of pleasure to suit.
Mix together and offer to your birds once a day, 2 or 3 days before hatching. Then as needed 3 times a day after the eggs are hatched. Any surplus you make can keep fresh in the fridge for a couple of days. Do not forget to continue feeding seed to the parents.
long toe nails cause problems.
Don't forget to clip toe nails if needed before the pair is moved to the breeding cage. Nails can get caught in nesting material may bind around the toes and feet causing damage, keep a close eye on this.
Which nests work well and are there any cautions about nesting material?
There are many good and varied nesting materials to choose from today. have a look on the internet, or see your local pet supplier
If your choice of nest is wood and wicker it is good sense to only use once and burn after use. This saves any hygine problems (bacteria/Mites) etc. Plastic nests can be washed, sterilized and can be used again and again.
Which birds should be chosen for breeding?
Too young or too old is not a good idea and the male and female should be chosen to breed only if they are in top condition. Having said that, I have an eight year old red factor cock that has filled two clutches already this year 2012. Also hens of just over eight months who have reared very good chicks. So this tells us that fitness and good feeding and managment count more than age.
If you have a young canary what should you do for success?
Young canaries sometimes have infertile eggs, or do a poor job of feeding the young, or they may abandon the nestlings entirely. it can be of help to them if possible to mate a young male with a mature hen or a young hen with a mature male.
What signals do the canaries give you to know that they are getting ready for the breeding cycle?
Male canaries will sing vigorously and females will chirp slightly as she begs for him to feed her. The hen will carry nest material or paper in the very back of the beak. They may also sit in the food dish and shuffle the food around trying to get it just right. The best way to learn this is to sit quietly and take time to watch/study and get to know your birds. each bird is an individual and will go about things in their way. By watching and being attentive you will after a while forsee what your birds needs may be.
Are canaries monogamous or polygamous?
Canaries by nature are polygamous.
When should the male join the female?
The female may not mate until she is building her nest. If she is ready there should be no fierce fighting. A little bickering can be expected but if she is not ready it is important for her safety to remove the male and try again until she does accept him. If it ends up that he does not suit her try another male. Typically though if she has begged for food from him she will usually accept him.
How many eggs per day will the hen lay?
On the average a canary hen will lay a total of Four or five eggs. She will lay her eggs once each day in the morning hours usually between 7am and 8am.
Do the eggs have to be removed and returned to the nest?
Removing eggs and returning them all at once is sometimes done to have the babies hatch the same day. This is not necessary and most of the time more babies is lost due to improper handling or broken eggs or improper temperature, or insufficient turning. The hen usually does not get serious about incubating the eggs until the 2nd or 3rd egg is laid.
Does the male canary share with incubation?
The hen always incubates the eggs alone. However some males will hop into the nest and cover the nest when the hen takes her daily exercise. The male also provides supplemental feeding for both her and the chics when hatched.
Can canary hen bathe during the breeding cycle?
Yes, bathing during the breeding cycle is actually beneficial to the embryo. It aids in providing higher humidity keeping the eggs more supple instead of a dry condition. This aids the embryo’s development and assists in hatching.
What is candling?
Candling uses an intense light and is a process that is done to examine the nesting eggs for fertility.
When should the eggs be checked for fertility?
Candling should only be done once as the light is strong and it is not good for the embryo. It is typically checked between the 5th and 8th day of incubation.
If candling is not really good for the embryo what other method can a person use to check for fertility?
An infertile egg will be clear as light shines through it and it will look the same as one that is freshly laid. With a fertile egg, holding it up to a natural light source will display the embryo with an adjoining network of veins. If it is hard to see with natural light then after the 8th day of incubation an infertile egg will look pale red in color and the fertile egg will have a shiny tint and look purplish brown.
Does the new born hatchling need nourishment the first day?
No, the baby canary does not need to be fed the first day after hatching as the baby has a yolk sac that feeds the baby while it is still in the egg. This yolk sac is drawn into the abdominal cavity during the last day before the baby hatches which provides nourishment for the first day of life.
Is it good for the nestlings when they fledge to provide soaked bread with milk?
Milk or cream products can cause digestion problems in canaries and soaking bread in milk is not a useful method of feeding young canaries. There is much more balanced type of soft foods available that make it easy to feed the fledglings.
Does the nestling behavior change before they fledge the nest?
The baby canary does go through a behavior change when they reach 12 to 14 days old. They become wary of movements and noise in their surroundings. The flight instinct takes over when they feel threatened and will feel the need to escape to safety. A thorough cleaning of the cage when the babies reach 12 days old will prevent you from disturbing them when this behavior is reached. This will help them to fledge naturally.
At what age will the nestlings fledge?
The nestlings typically fledge the nest between 15 and 17 days old. This of course can sometimes be up to 21 days, and there is no need to worry about this.
At what age can the canaries become independent?
The age that a baby canary can survive without its parents is typically 31 days.
Will the baby fledglings be able to learn to eat from the normal food dishes?
The fledglings need low profile small food dishes to learn how to eat on their own at the bottom of the cage. If you can find a small ½ inch tall soap dish or something similar it will work quite well. The important point here is it needs to be available at the bottom of the cage. The babies have soft beaks and cannot crack hard seeds so nestling food is important. It is good to continue to offer egg mixture and gradually lessen the amount of egg while increasing the amount of nestling food.
What is the point of egg food for the young?
Egg food plays a very important role in the rearing of canary babies. It is a supplemental food for fledglings. It is one of the foods that is given to the parents to help them with rearing the young. It can even be home made, although there is a variety of mixtures readily available. Home made mixtures are basically made of whole eggs, Rusk flour and poppy seeds. They sift it until it is finely mashed into a consistency of fine crumbs. Commercial egg muss is made from whole eggs, wheat meal, white millet, niger thistle among other ingredients.
Will new canary youngsters molt earlier than the adult canaries?
Yes, the youngsters will molt earlier than adult canaries. During the time they are learning to eat they have basically all of their feathers. At that stage they will have a little down left on their heads and short tail feathers. The molt is a partial molt and can begin as early as six weeks from birth through their first fall season. The flight feathers and tail feathers are not replaced until the following fall.
When do the fledglings need to be separated?
It is best around weaning time 21 days+ and very simple if you use double breeders. Put the chicks one side use a wire partition. The hen may well be going back to nest for a second time,and the Cock can still feed the chicks through the partition. Be sure to keep an eye on the hen, some like to pluck the young when going back to nest.
In an aviary breeding setup November is the end of the young moult and young are now completely independent. This is the time when the youngsters must if overcrowded or fighting be separated.
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