Help please.

[Paul S]

Hi All, a new member to this forum.

I would appreciate some advice please.

Over Christmas, I acquired a pair of Fife canaries with the intention of breeding them. I had a pair 20 odd years ago which I bred from.

The two birds were put into a large pet cage whilst I was waiting for a bespoke double breeding cage to be built (which I now have and the birds have been transferred to, separated by a divider).

The question I have is that both birds went into a moult in mid January and are still moulting, which I know is out of season. The cock bird has not sung a note since I got him and neither bird are in breeding condition.

The birds are kept in the living room on a unit between a double glazed window and double glazed patio doors.

They appear to be in good health and were when I bought them.
They eat well, get greens twice a week, soaked since once a week, egg food twice a week and a mix of a conditioner seed, teazle, white lettuce, niger and gold of pleasure seed once a week and have access to bathe and a vitamin/mineral supplement in their drinking water.

[FinchLover&Breeder]

Paul S
Welcome to the forum

[Sheather]

The birds need to be kept on a strict natural day length cycle, no light after dark at any time. They should, under those conditions, be ready to mate this time next year.

Greens should be offered daily.

[Paul S]

As the birds are kept in the living room, the lights are on until 11pm when we go to bed. Unfortunately, there is nowhere else to house them. There is no artificial lighting during the day, but they receive good natural light.

But it is the moulting that concerns me most as I know it is far too early. I expect this is why the cock has not sung a note.

[Flight Feathers]

As the birds are kept in the living room, the lights are on until 11pm when we go to bed. Unfortunately, there is nowhere else to house them. There is no artificial lighting during the day, but they receive good natural light.

But it is the moulting that concerns me most as I know it is far too early. I expect this is why the cock has not sung a note.

Not being kept on a natural daylight cycle would cause the birds to start moulting far too early. Please try to keep them on a natural daylight circles as canaries are soo delicate and it cause them to get very unwell

[Sheather]

If the birds stay up to 11 every day it will cause an early death. This is what caused the molt.

Cover the birds at sunset every evening and make arrangements so they wake up at sunrise every morning (no later.)

If your household prevents this, I'd strongly recommend rehoming canaries and instead try tropical finches which are not sensitive to day length.

[wildbird]

Years ago my mother had an orange frosted canary along with other birds, and the lights were on late at night. That bird outlived her, but I don't know what kind of canary it was. It sang though. Maybe today's birds are more sensitive.

[Sheather]

I've seen what happens to canaries kept with too much light and it's very sad. My neighbor got a white canary at Christmas. It's now mostly bald and doesnt chirp. She refuses to keep it on a good light schedule so its up late, and the thing is already on its last legs, in a constant molt.

[Dave]

Canaries aren't delicate or sensitive, they are one of the toughest cage birds. They've been kept in captivity for hundreds of years.

They do, however, need to lighting to mimic outdoors, as others have said.

(My own opinion is that any bird would benefit from a light cycle that is similar to their native land--they evolved that way for millions of years.)

Use a towel or a blanket to cover the cage at sunset.
Uncover it when you go to bed and the room lights are off. That way, your bird will see the sunrise when you sleep late.

[Paul S]

Thanks for all the advice, much appreciated.