When to check or remove eggs

[Jamm972]

Another day of no eggs on my pairs but the hens are sitting on the nest at night and early morning.

Some one told me today that I should disinfect the cages cause its been almost a month sense they were paired. They said to take the empty breeder cage and move the canaries over. Empty the nest and gove them fresh nesting material. Doing this will recondition the hen and the male to start a second or even 1st clutch.

I'm almost agreeing with them to do this before they lay their 1st egg. Plus that the cages are getting a little soiled with dried up poo. Worst comes to worst the hen gets mad at me because she has to redo the nest.

Any opinions on this ?

[Animalzoo]

Jamm972

I have no idea if it reconditions the hen but mine spent a few days sitting in the nest before the first egg came and then it was an egg each day after that. If yours are sitting then I'd be patient a few more days and see what happens.

Can you clean the cages around them a little?

Sorry to hear its been a bit frustrating. They'll get there! I may have lots of eggs but being fertile is another matter. Seeing as the first couple had 4 eggs and only one was fertile it might be the same throughout. Here I caught this special picture today....



and one of the other couples, she finally hopped off the nest when I put in some greens.

[Jamm972]

Aww he/she looks beautiful.

I'm just going to let them do things naturally. and keep them well fed and hydrated. Yeah I'm keeping the cages as clean as possible. I'm buying a brush tomorrow to scrap off the dried poop at the bottom of the bars. I just hope I get atleast 1 or 2 offspring from the crested canaries. They are my favorite but more difficult to par and breed.
my favorite crested Named TooPay, from the statement "To pay a bill". Yes I took bill money to buy him because he was so cute lol. He is going on 5 years. I just want him to have offspring to carry on his color, and song, and his crested gene.
He is paired up with a pretty yellow song bird. She is attempting to get and keep his attention, but I haven't yet hurd him sing to serenade her. She has the nest ready, and sleeps in it. but no mounting or interest. But they do stand next to each other a lot. If no success I might try pairing him with another canary. Preferably one from a breeder that breeds Breeder canaries for breeding purposes.
I'm not giving up just yet, still hoping for the best. However. I do have 2 red factor canaries I paired up but I think they are either both male canaries or female canaries, neither are showing interest in building a nest, 1 tries to sing but its not full song. I'm curious to see what I can find out about their sex. I might pull them out tomorrow and blow on their hoo hoo's

[Animalzoo]

I might pull them out tomorrow and blow on their hoo hoo's

This always makes me laugh!!

Yes, swapping partners may help. I had the 4 paired up but nothing was happening with 2 pairs and if anything 1 pair were squabbling so I swapped the hens over and voila! They preferred the alternate male.

Keep us posted x

[Animalzoo]

she's tossing the chick out!!

Went in there around 6 this evening and found it on the bottom cold, but alive, and with a full crop so it hadn't happened that long before. I took it and warmed it up with my hands. Placed it back in the nest but it took her ages to finally get back on top and settle.

I Googled and found an article that said it can happen after ringing the chicks as canaries are clean birds so see the leg ring as a foreign body and throw it out, chick and all. I ringed the chick at 12pm today

After she was properly settled I left them to it and then just now I've gone to check on them and once again she's tossed it out. The thing is it's not just below the nest its being thrown all the way to the other side of the breeding cage!

I've warmed it again and placed it back in and am walking away for 15 minutes to not distract her. I need to see her back on that nest before the lights go off!

Can it be just the leg ring she doesnt like or is there another factor?

[Jamm972]

Animalzoo How is the baby chick making out? Was she accepted back into the nest ?
I purchased a male red factor canary 2 days ago in hopes that the other paired up canaries that weren't doing anything would be stimulated. This evening I decided to try and take them out of the cage and blow on their hoo hoo and sure enough they have the same thing sticking out as the male I just purchased so now I have 3 males with no female to pair them up with. Bright side is if any of the 4 pairs I have paired up are unsuccessful this year I will pair them up differently next year. I am advertising for local breeders in my area in hopes to find a hen that is ready to be paired up and just attempt to pair them together.

[adoumski]

Jamm972 just note one thing, young hens under a year old that are not in breeding condition or close to breeding condition will have hoohoos similar to males.

this might be helpful

[Animalzoo]

Jamm972 Yes, the hen accepted the baby back and it's doing fine. That day she threw it out twice,and I mean properly threw. The 2nd time the baby was most of the way to the other side of the cage!

I'm guessing was related to banding the baby that same say but the hen is now used to it.

3 spare males huh! I'd be on the look out for 3 more hens hehe. See, I have 4 pairs. You know I said all the hens were sitting on eggs, well I candled couple 2's eggs (5 in total) and none are fertile. I'd be expecting hatchlings from the 1st egg today/tomorrow now but nada and I've lost 2 weeks with them. This clutch is dud.

Couple 3 are fairing better with 4 out of 5 fertile and due in about 2-3 days.

Couple 4 have 4 eggs and as yet I've not candled as they are a week behind couple 2 and some eggs maybe to new to see any life yet.

I assumed I would be over run with babies here, there and everywhere but I won't be. I want a crested head and a red factor too so I'm planning on a further 2 couples myself.

I realise after these pairs are on form I may regret having so many couples but what if they carry on the same way?!

My birds aren't young either (2014/15) and came from a reputable breeder who knew I intended on breeding and selected birds all ready and matched. I've not bred canaries before so I'm learning about them and it's fun!

[Jamm972]

Animalzoo@adoumski the 3 canaries I was referring to that are male are atleast 8 to 12 months old. I have had 2 out of the 3 for a good 6 months. the other one I purchased is most likely male as well. The thing about it is. the 2 males were in the same cage and getting along. and at one point they were also feeding each other. But neither would budge to attempt at building a nest which is also another clear sign that there male and are requiring a hen.

1 of my pairs I think are done with each other. they are getting along but no longer showing interest in breeding. The hen is no longer sitting on the nest and if she does it not like the other pairs. I think I'm going to remove the nest and clean it an hope that it will recondition them to try again. I'm just not sure if I am to re separate them again or just keep them together. I'm going to give t until the end of the month. if not then I will try repairing them up.

TooPay and the yellow hen look like they are trying to mate but the hen has yet tried to lay any eggs. I'm just wondering that maybe there just not a good pair. plus Toopay is not singling what so ever to court the hen.

This being my first year is the hardest because I'm trying to learn the pairing process. I think I attempted it to soon with some of the pairs. But living in Arizona where the spring starts really early because the weather is much nicer. We already have wild birds outside on their first clutches.

One quick question. How do you determine when the canaries start to go into molting. I cant determine this by loss of feathers because there is always an abundance of feathers around the cage usually very small ones.

I am also keeping my fingers crossed. I have 2 hens that aren't budging from the nest. this is usually a good sign that they are laying eggs. I'm to afraid to check this time I'm only going to change water and food and only take a peeksy if I catch the hen off the nest.

It seems I was over feeding the canaries and wasting a lot. Each canary consumes different amounts and needs changing and adding at different times. I'm hoping to save some money this way and just feed them what I need to with vitamins and greens

Keep me updated Animal on your progress and wish me luck on these 2 hens that appear to be on 1st clutch and second clutch I will update you as I can ,

[Jamm972]

So good news, I gave the canaries fresh greens today, and Donald trump and Ms. Whitey are on their 2nd clutch. Total of 3 eggs. Ms. Whitey didn't hesitate to get off the nest and go eat. I just hope she don't stay off the nest for 2 long. I think she is already in Incubation mode.
On the 2nd pair. The hen finnaly hopped off the nest but there is no eggs. So I'm not sure whats going on. She is nesting but not clutching. Could this be because they are from same family. or just being red factor complicated?

I was examining and watching Toopay for a bit and I think he is overweight. this might be why he wont condition himself into mating. Or he just isn't interested. But what I'm learning is he is in need of an aviary big time. So he can stretch his legs and wings and get exercise and lose weight. When he is solo and by himself ge sings beautiful though.

So wish me luck on this second clutch. This 2nd clutch is from the first clutch where the chick hatched but didn't make it over night.

[Jamm972]

Just a quick question to you both if your reading this.

Is there ever a time where its to late to try and re-pair canaries? It just seems strange not to try if they are not showing interest with their current mate.

For example.
Pair 1 feeds each other but the hen wont make a full completed nest like the other ones that have laid eggs. And she has yet to even lay 1 egg. The Male however is feeding her when she requests it.

Pair 2, the hen is always sitting on the nest but is not laying eggs and the male is showing no interest in feeding, singing, or mating with the hen. But they do get along.

pair 3, The hen successfully laid her first clutch but none were fertile. And now is showing no interest in the male. The male is singing, but no attempts are being made to start a 2nd clutch. going on 1 week no new eggs, sense the unfertile eggs were removed. Might give them about another week and or retry to pair them.

Any input.

[Animalzoo]

Jamm972 I swapped hens around in 2 of my couples as one pair seemed to be squabbling. The moment I did that there was peace and within a week nests were being built.

I'd remove the nests and swap partners around and mix it up a little. If your cages have divides, use these for introductions then add a new clean nest for the hen and nesting material.

Wait for the male to feed the hen through the bars then let them loose on each other. It's what I did. I only separated them for 5 days or so.

[Animalzoo]

Jamm972 Oh and by the way, Good Luck on your new second clutch!!

[Jamm972]

Animalzoo Thanks, I am hoping for the best for this 2nd clutch. If this don't go so well. then I'm going to rest the hen. Not sure if I will try for a 3rd clutch or not. I don't want her getting egg bound or coming down sick.

1 last question. If this 2nd clutch is also unsuccessful can I repair up the male? or does he need his rest as well. ? I had a breeder here in Arizona say to just keep adding nesting material until they have a successful clutch. That practice makes perfect. My goal isn't to have a successful clutch even though having one is good. but I want my canaries to live a long and prosperous life.

I also rearranged some of the birds today. I moved them closer to the window. and moved another pair higher off the ground. I was also told that height and comfort ability/security plays a big role in successfully breeding.

So tomorrow I'm going to see if the hen laid another egg. The last clutch she only laid 3 eggs. so curious to see if she is going to lay more this time.

I am also going to try and start building my aviary for them next weekend. this is so when they start molting they can also do some free flight. That's a whole nother project on its own because I have to determine if its big enough to house all the canaries or if I am to separate all the males and let them free flight 1 at a time with the hens

[Animalzoo]

Animalzoo
1 last question. If this 2nd clutch is also unsuccessful can I repair up the male? or does he need his rest as well. ? I had a breeder here in Arizona say to just keep adding nesting material until they have a successful clutch. That practice makes perfect. My goal isn't to have a successful clutch even though having one is good. but I want my canaries to live a long and prosperous life.

I think you've just answered your own question there. hehe
Egg binding is risky so if clutch 2 doesnt take then she'd be laying up to 15 eggs in say 4 weeks. So a rest might be nice. I'd say yes, re-pair the male if he's on form, give the hen a holiday and let her start again in a few weeks with a new male? But lets be optomistic, clutch 2 will be fine!!

Funny you should say that about cage positioning. Mine are sitting on top of some other cages and sit quite high. I know birds feel safer higher up so hopefully yours will appreciate the move.