Canary Light Cycle

[Jayden]

Hi all,

Could anyone tell me about the canary light cycle? I hear that they are incredibly sensitive to light and that owners need to alter their environment to accommodate for this sensitivity to light. I live in Melbourne Australia if that is of any help.

Thanks,

Jayden

[lovezebs]

Jayden

Hi Jayden.

All of my birds, Canaries included, are on a light schedule of 8am (or there abouts) to 8pm partial lights out, 9pm most lights out (with only a small light left on until 11 or 12).

[Dave]

lovezebs, and Jayden--canaries need to see light that changes in day length, just like outside. The day length should range from about 10 hours (at the winter solstice) to about 14.5 hours (at the summer solstice).

Without that change in day length, they get messed up hormonally. The result can be a short life (2 or 3 years), constant molt, lack of pep, lack of good singing.

In a bird room, you can just change the light timer about 15 minutes per week. In a house near a window, you can just cover the cage whenever it is dark enough that you need to turn on room lights. Uncover the cage when you go to bed and they'll see sun on the mornings you sleep late!

With this light change, canaries start to molt just after the summer solstice. Males don't usually sing when they're molting. Males will start to sing when the day length works it way to about 12 hours and the molt is finished. They'll continue to sing all the way through the fall and winter and into late spring. Females will start to make a nest at about 13 hours, and be ready to breed at bout 13.5 hours, depending on your variety or strain of canary.

[Nipper06]

Keep in mind the seasons are reversed in Australia. It's mid-summer there, right now.

[Jamm972]

Dave when using light to manipulate breeding, do you have to use a UV light or would regular lighting do the trick? I have my canaries in their own bedroom in breeding cages. I have the window shades open all the way so they get natural sun light and I also turn on the bedroom lights just in case the sun light don't get to all the birds. I tend to shut the lights off 1 by 1 to similate sun setting after 8 pm. and completely dark some time after 10 pm. but this is done with regular light bulbs and led lighting

[Dave]

Jamm972, canary breeders have been using regular fluorescent lamps for decades with good results. UV bulbs can be problematic if they are too close to the birds---the birds can go blind.

I've been told that UV bulbs can help the males and females recognize each other. I've not found UV bulbs to be necessary at all.

I have my fluorescent lights on a timer, increasing or decreasing about 15 minutes per week as the season dictates. The timer turns all the lamps off at once, but there is a nightlight in the room. Just enough night light to see a little bit. The birds know the time and they settle in before the lights turn off.

There are timers made (chicken farmers use them) that provide a 'dusk'. One or two lights stay on a little longer after the main lights turn off.

[Jamm972]

Dave So florescent lights are good then. This means I can build my Aviary in the Laundry room where there is not a lot of activity. and there is already a florescent light in there. I might need to reposition it though to be above the breeding cages or at least on the side of it. How many florescent bulbs do you think is enough and or to much ? Or should I say to little. Its hard to come by the lamps and bulbs these days. If I purchase another florescent bulb socket id like to get one that fits the same bulbs that I have in the laundry room now.
If I move the birds into this room though, they will hardly ever get any natural sunlight, unless I move them outside for a few hours.

[Dave]

Jamm972. I'd have an outdoor aviary if possible, but it isn't feasible here.

Many many generations of canaries have been raised under fluorescent lamps. The day length needs to be controlled to provide seasons (long days in the summer, short days in the winter).

And vitamin D3 from some source needs to be provided. That can be from boiled egg or from vitamins or fortified food. Vitamin D3 can be over-supplied so read up on it.

Some breeders use under-cabinet fluorescent lights in each cage. That is an awesome effect for more than I could spend.

I've hung a fluorescent shop light perpendicular to the floor, from the end of a bank of cages. One fixture can light 3-4 cages that way.

Lately I've used 13 watt screw-in fluorescent compact bulbs, in a cheap reflector. That is the lighting system I like best. I think.

[Jamm972]

Dave problem with outdoor aviary in Phoenix, AZ is it can get as high as 120 degrees. the coldest it gets is maybe around 34/36 degrees. we have frost only for about a week each year then the temps start to rise again.
I understand I will need to make sure the aviary has reasonable amounts of shade. How do yu solve the critter problem such as bugs, and rodents. and does an out door aviary put the canaries at a higher risk of disease and mites?
The difference from an inside built aviary and an outside aviary is size. outside can be bigger and don't require a bottom. an inside requires a bottom that is removable for easy cleaning. and will have to be slightly small and mobile for moving around and cleaning purposes.
Do you have any opinions on an outdoor aviary versus an indoor. pros/cons... I know an inside one can be more controlled. the main purpose of a walk in built aviary is so my canaries can have the opportunity to have free flight without limitations in a cage.
all advice and input will be taken into consideration when I make final choice.

[Dave]

Jamm972. The only outdoor aviary I've had was one mounted to my garage--sort of like a huge rabbit cage hung over a window. The birds had no access to soil. And thus, rodents or snakes or diseases didn't have much access to the birds.

Outdoor aviaries also have access to diseases brought by native birds that hop onto the wire for a look around. Or diseases brought in on the wind. Last summer's flu epidemic on turkey farms (millions of birds killed) is thought to have spread via wind.

Currently I have a room that is 8'x8', with cages lining the walls. Except for a few canary pairs that are breeding, the birds fly free within that room. Most of the cages are open. To the birds, they aren't cages, just another place to perch. I lined the walls with white poly. If I ever sell this house, the poly comes down and the walls are in good shape.