Aviary Breeding Canaries

[mickea]

Hi, I am currently getting rid of budgerigars I have been breeding for a number of years and want to start with canaries. I had canaries when I was young but that's 60 odd years ago. I want to aviary breed them. My aviary will be approx. 24ft long by 10ft wide and 7ft high. Does anyone have experience with aviary breeding of canaries, if so any hints. Also how many pairs can I keep in an aviary the size of mine. I had in mind red mosiacs. Any pros. and cons. re them.

Thanks in anticipation.

[MiaCarter]

mickea - That's a great question!

I know that aviary-bred canaries aren't all that common and I believe it's due to the males, who will literally fight to the death. This tendency is exacerbated around breeding season.

So I'm not sure how successful you'll be.
I think you would need to find just the right dynamics with just the right individuals.
I think a harem arrangement may work, with multiple females to one male. But I imagine it would still be a very small flock. Maybe 4 birds (1 male and 3 females?) And that may be tough because the females would essentially have to raise the babies alone.

I've had canary males who were harmonious. They were related. (Siblings in one case; dad-son in another.) So it is possible to keep males together. Though I never tried more than 3 -- 3 siblings.
But I never bred canaries with the males together (I rearrange into 1 male-female pair per cage) so I have no idea whether they would have remained harmonious once we've got hormones involved. I suspect things would have fallen apart.

The other problem with an aviary setting is that there's a high risk of dis-harmony amongst the offspring once they're out of the nest. It's not so problematic amongst siblings; more problematic amongst the fathers and the kids. So that would be something you'd need to look out for.

My other concern would relate to the fact that canaries prefer open nests, which can lead to broken eggs and accidental tossings in a more crowded atmosphere.
If you have multiple males in there, you could even have intentional nest sabotage. Open nests are more susceptible to this, of course.

In short, I think it *could* be done, but it would require the right dynamics and you would need to be careful to monitor the dynamics to avoid injury due to combative boys.

[lovezebs]

mickea

Hello.

As my Canary man of many years just recently told me, keep them in an Aviary ( which he does), breed them in breeding cages (which he does).

That said, keeping two males, you will get squables and some outright fights (especially during breeding season). Keeping three or more males, will lessen the chances of aggression, especially if there are enough girls for everyone. Females at times, will also go after one another, but more rarelt than the boys.

The problem I see occurring, is if you want particular pairs to breed. In that situation, you will have to pair them up in breeding cages. Another problem, would be seperating the offspring from the parents, and from each other, so that you don't get in breeding.

Goodluck.

~Elana~

[mickea]

Hi thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I have medical problemsa t home with my wife and daughter who I have to look after and I am 81 so it is either an aviary or nothing. So I will take the risk. As one of our Prime Ministers once said "Life wasn't meant to be easy"

Mickea

[Rox]

Hi Mickea,

I keep my canaries outside in an aviary. With the size you mention, I would start off with perhaps 3 males and 6 hens. The males fight bitterly amongst themselves during breeding season, so you don't want too many of them in the aviary. The hen's do most of the work in terms of building nest, brooding and feeding the young and a male bird can easily serve 2-3 hens at a time. Place some cup nests along the back of the aviary (put up 2 nests per hen, so that they have a choice) and lots of soft nesting material and they should be fine

I would choose the nicest males you can find and then start adding unrelated hens into the mix, so that you know there will be no in-breeding between the birds.

Good luck and let us know what you decide!

[MiaCarter]

Rox - Out of curiosity, are your males related?

I've never had too much luck with unrelated male canaries getting along. (Though I admit I'm a bit of a scaredy cat when they get snippity with each other. I'm not keen to let them "fight it out" as I'm always afraid they'll get hurt. So I think I may give up on the let's-make-friends attempt sooner than others might.)
The only ones I've been able to get to be harmonious were related; situations where they sort of grew up in the relationship.

I'm curious to hear if you've been able to get it to work in an aviary?

[Rox]

Mia, the 2 males I had were not related. I just let them fight it out and they sorted it out amongst themselves. I wouldn't recommend it at all for cage breeding but in an aviary they have space to get away from each other, so they seldom make physical contact. In a cage they would hurt themselves against the bars, due to limited space.

I lost my one breeding male last year and now just have a male and his son in the main aviary. They also fight amongst themselves and there isn't even a hen in with them! The girls were moved to my juvenile aviary, as they were taking over and breeding like mad. Canaries are little piggies when it comes to the food bowls and were bullying the smaller birds, much to my dislike

[lovezebs]

mickea

Hi thanks for the advice. Unfortunately I have medical problemsa t home with my wife and daughter who I have to look after and I am 81 so it is either an aviary or nothing. So I will take the risk. As one of our Prime Ministers once said "Life wasn't meant to be easy"

Mickea

That quote sounds rather 'Canadian' in tone. Am I right?

I wish you much luck with your Canaries. With the situation which you describe at home, you need a hobby, and raising birds, is one of the most wonderful, soul enriching hobbies in the world.

Warm regards.

~Elana~

[MiaCarter]

lovezebs is spot on with this:

"With the situation which you describe at home, you need a hobby, and raising birds, is one of the most wonderful, soul enriching hobbies in the world."

So right!
I'm always marveling at how such small little creatures can be so full of life and pep and personality.

And how lovely of you to be so committed to your wife and daughter. We should all be so lucky to have such a wonderful dad and husband to tend to us.

And thanks for your feedback, Rox! I think you touched upon the key point to keeping canary males -- having the space to get away from each other if necessary!

[mickea]

Hi all, thanks for the advice. By thge way I am from Australia not Canada.
I think I may try and compartmentalize my aviary with shrubs and T-Tree bush. Maybe the cocks could get out one another's way by being out of sight behind the bushes etc.
Will let you know how I go after I get rid of my budgerigars and do a bit of remodelling

Thanks again Mickea

[Rox]

mickea all the best with the remodeling and let us know how you progress