Moving my Canaries

[Canary]

I wouldn't be rushing things yet.

It sounds like the Cock may be ready to breed, but the hen is not ready just yet. I have found over many years that if you rush things, as I did for many years, all you get is clear eggs, and by the time you give them a break and start over again, it would have been better to wait.

When the hen is ready she will be carrying nesting material and/or squatting on the perch calling to the cock, and/or begging for food from him.

I used to always pair up on 1st September, but now I wait until I see the above signs. They usually start about 15 September, and I have reared over 100 chicks in a season.

My cocks are singing their heads off at the moment, and I only have 1 hen that looks like she is ready to breed. I haven't paired up any birds yet and have all the cocks in breeding cabinets and the hens still in a flight cage where they can see the cocks.

As I see the hens showing the above signs, I move them into a breeding cabinet next to the cock with the slide slightly open, so the cock can feed the hen, but not get into the same cage. Once I see the cock feeding the hen then I take the slide out. If you take it away too early the cock may attack the hen. I have had a hen scalped by a cock years ago when I was tryng to rush things.

Once you see the signs you will know when they are ready.

Enjoy, it is all about to start for another year.

[Harvey11]

Thanks Canary for your reply,

I am still very new to canary breeding.
I can tell by your post you have been breeding Canaries for some time, the advice you gave me was great.
The hardest thing about breeding Canaries ect is not rushing things,but i am learning to be patient..

Thanks Again Canary your post was unreal

Harv

[Nathan Morleyy]

Harvey,
If they look that bright without you colour feeding them imagine how good they would look if you did great canaries mate .

Thanks Nathan

[djb78]

Colour feeding Nathan is alot of work, unless Harvey wants to turn his canaries red there's no need to colour feed. Before Harvey colour feeds any Canary I think he should have a bit more experience with them them once he has a handle then he can experiment with colour feeding.

[Redwing]

Nice looking birds Harvey. Love having canaries breeding(I"ve got 2 pairs) as you can see into their nest. We spend hours watching them. Have just got my first babies coming out of the nest at the moment but think they start a little earlier in the west. Great advice Canary gave you. Mine are so placid I'm taking them in their breeding cage to work tomorrow so the kids at the school I work at can see them. I always have the corner where their nest is covered with a towel so they feel safe and secure.

[Harvey11]

Noticed today that the hen is now making a nest and she is eating lots of seed and winter grass.I will move the divider in a few days..



Harv

[Canary]

If she is starting to make a nest, then she should be taking food from the cock now, and ready to mate.

If you still have the wire divider in place, I would remove it and keep watching them. Don't leave them alone at first.

The hen should let the cock feed her and they could possibly mate. Just watch them for a while and then put the wire slide back in during the day. When you get home, take the slide out again for a while and keep an eye on them. Put the wire slide back in at night.

In a day or two, when you are sure that the cock and hen are not fighting then take the wire slide out altogether, and leave it out.

You will notice that the hen drinks a lot of water the day and evening before she lays an egg. I always take the first 3 eggs out of the nest and put in dummy eggs. Some people even put in marbles if you don't have dummy eggs. On the morning when the 4th egg is laid, put all the eggs back in the nest. This just makes sure that all the chicks hatch together and are the same size.

I usually check the eggs after 7 days to see if they are fertile or clear. If you put a torch near the egg, you will be able to tell. If it looks dark, it is fertile, and if you can see through it is clear. You will know once you see the difference.

The chicks should hatch in 13 to 14 days.

Good luck and all the best.

[finchbreeder]

I also used to pair up on the 1st September, but the birds would be litterally bouncing by then so now let them go earlier. Yes I think it is the warmer weather here in the west. 2 Healthy fledglings on the sticks (lost the youngest, think mum being a 1st timer was a bit too kean to go back) 3 more eggs in the new nest. Lost the rather mature hen so only 1 pair breeding at the moment.
LML

[Canary]

Harvey,

Any eggs yet?

[Harvey11]

No not yet,

I put 2 canary nests in the cabinet she almost finished 1 and now has started building 1 in the other nest????? I saw her doing it today
I did everything that has been mentioned,but no eggs just yet.
I have not seen the male feed the hen yet,every time she goes near him he get a bit angry and she moves away...
I have not heard him singing for a while,people say thats because he has a female????

Thanks Canary

Harv