My canaries are eating very well. A mix of oat/flax/sesame/canary/poppy/hemp and more. Lots of protein and fat.
I checked my birds during scatt application and noticed fatty deposits.
Would it be ok if I put them on the austerity diet of canary seed and Japanese millet for a couple months. I read also no greens, no Suppliments..... Is this accurate?
They are still going through their moult. Been moulting for several weeks.
I don't want them to be too fat to breed or worse die from fatty liver disease or something.
Austerity Diet Help
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Icearstorm
- Weaning
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Re: Austerity Diet Help
canary3000
Do not put moulting birds on a restrictive diet, as they need plenty of protein and nutrients to moult. A nutrient-deficient moulting bird may develop weak areas in the feathers called stress bars, shock marks, or fret marks; these increase the chance of feathers snapping off.
Once they are done moulting, then sure. I'd recommend keeping them on a diet that includes greens and supplements for around a couple of weeks so they can regain the nutrients they lost during the moult. After that it's probably fine to switch them to a full austerity diet, although I'd still provide calcium.
Bear in mind that an austerity diet mimics nonbreeding season, so your birds' schedules might get a bit messed up if they are on the austerity diet when you would normally have them breeding. I don't know if canaries moult before off-season or right before breeding. If it's the latter, then I'd hold off on full austerity and simply reduce the amount of high-fat seeds.
Where were your birds' fat deposits? My birds seem to gain weight on the keel first, followed by the abdomen and then crop region. If your birds only have a bit of fat on the keel, then they shouldn't be at too much risk. Although it isn't ideal, birds that are a little fat can still breed most of the time. Avoid breeding overly fat females, as they will be more at risk for egg-binding.
Do not put moulting birds on a restrictive diet, as they need plenty of protein and nutrients to moult. A nutrient-deficient moulting bird may develop weak areas in the feathers called stress bars, shock marks, or fret marks; these increase the chance of feathers snapping off.
Once they are done moulting, then sure. I'd recommend keeping them on a diet that includes greens and supplements for around a couple of weeks so they can regain the nutrients they lost during the moult. After that it's probably fine to switch them to a full austerity diet, although I'd still provide calcium.
Bear in mind that an austerity diet mimics nonbreeding season, so your birds' schedules might get a bit messed up if they are on the austerity diet when you would normally have them breeding. I don't know if canaries moult before off-season or right before breeding. If it's the latter, then I'd hold off on full austerity and simply reduce the amount of high-fat seeds.
Where were your birds' fat deposits? My birds seem to gain weight on the keel first, followed by the abdomen and then crop region. If your birds only have a bit of fat on the keel, then they shouldn't be at too much risk. Although it isn't ideal, birds that are a little fat can still breed most of the time. Avoid breeding overly fat females, as they will be more at risk for egg-binding.
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canary3000
- Nestling
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Re: Austerity Diet Help
Thank you. Right now they are in resting mode. Still finishing their moult. I won't begin breeding mode until December. To your suggestion, I'll continue current diet. I'll get a better sense when moulting has significantly decreased by fallen feathers outside my flight cage. Then I'll switch over to austerity. I wonder how long it takes to get a bird back in fit shape?
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Icearstorm
- Weaning
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- Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2016 5:21 pm
Re: Austerity Diet Help
canary3000
You're welcome! A couple of my really overweight birds (a female gouldian and a female Java) seemed to take a month or two on a full austerity diet to get back in shape, but the slightly overweight ones (a male Java, male gouldian, and female society) didn't take more than a few weeks. If it's cold where the birds are (less than 50°F or so), it shouldn't take long at all, and the birds should have a little bit of fat left to help them stay warm.
You're welcome! A couple of my really overweight birds (a female gouldian and a female Java) seemed to take a month or two on a full austerity diet to get back in shape, but the slightly overweight ones (a male Java, male gouldian, and female society) didn't take more than a few weeks. If it's cold where the birds are (less than 50°F or so), it shouldn't take long at all, and the birds should have a little bit of fat left to help them stay warm.