FINCHforum

I have the chance to get a red factor canary that eats the quicko red egg food. I plan on placing him in a large flight cage with my six societies. My question is if I put the red egg food in the cage for the canary will it be ok if the societies eat it?

Hmmm... wondering if they will stain the societies? Good question

Madcat that is what I was thinking it would do or I was wondering the society might not be able to process it and there poop would be red ,I think I will take him/her???? and not feed it the egg with the red in it I know it will not be as orange but I really don't mind I don't want to do anything that will harm my society family (they were my first finches)They hold a special place in my heart.

Barbara. Understand that. But if you miss the vibrant red I suppose you could always separate later and begin red colorant and wait for feathers to molt/change back to red.

Barbara

Yep I started with societies and they have a special place in my heart too. So sweet and snuggly with each other. My avatar is one of my original finches CackleJax. And He still has his own flight cage with his mate Duece. He helped start me on my entire finch journey.

Babs my first two were society Gracie and George they had 4 babies enie,menie,minie moe.they are almost identical I have them in 3 F030 cages connected and they will always be with me,I could never separate them,I think the canary will do fine with them be very happy with a lot of flight room.I love the color of your little society mine are a dark brown/mostly white

Barbara

His mate is chocolate pied as well. They make fawn babies that are very very small, but robust. I've seen your double flight. Its a nice space for societies and a canary. ;)

The red eggfood will not effect the feathers of your society finches.
They don't use carotenes to color up.
Also, the red eggfood should only be fed right before and during the molt.

jonvill I know they might not color up I also know you only feed before molting, my concern is my six little piggies chowing on too much of it and even if they don't change color not sure how there body would process it certainly don't want red poop so I think I will just not feed it and let canaries color fade thank-you everyone for the advice

This time of year, during the canary molt, I feed canthaxanthin in the egg food and also in two quart-size water dispensers in order to maintain the deep orange color in my canaries. All other species I have including pure white Florida Fancy Zebras and Diamond Doves, eat and drink from the same containers with no affect on their color at all. They also have a choice of clear water from a number of fresh water features but most get a nice drink of the treated water throughout the day.

Important to follow the package directions for color feeding. To much in the mix can damage the liver. I've also read that if their poop is red, you're feeding to much.

Paul

Barbara wrote: I have the chance to get a red factor canary that eats the quicko red egg food. I plan on placing him in a large flight cage with my six societies. My question is if I put the red egg food in the cage for the canary will it be ok if the societies eat it?

Barbara - not sure if you ever got an answer on whether or not the red factor food would "hurt" your Societies. Several folks confirmed it won't make them turn red or orange or yellow, but to confirm - it will not harm them in any way. This 'color enhancing' egg food simply has a high concentration of beta-carotene. There are some vitamins/minerals we and birds can OD on (such as Vitamin A), but too much beta-carotene is not going to hurt you or your piggies. They will have really, really good eyesight though!


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