FINCHforum

Couldn't resist posting this photo of my Red Factor feeding his first chicks. There are 4 chicks total. We did have 5 but it didn't make it.

So adorable, but I can only see two. Are the others hidden? Or, are my eyes worse than I thought? LOL.

My hen laid 5 eggs but the last chick didn't make it. There are actually 4 chicks in the nest.

Wow, beautiful daddy and look at the mouth on that baby!

OH....so cute!

The parents are first timers at raising chicks and they are doing such a wonderful job.

How sweet is that! What a good Daddy. Will you be color feeding the chicks?

Boy that is a question I can't answer . This is my first time with chicks so I think I will let nature take its course. Whatever color they get that's what I wll be happy with. I don't have enough knowledge with that yet. Maybe next time....

Sherry,
red factors get their 'factor" or gene from a cross breeding ona red siskin bird years ago.
Canaries cannot produce red coloring in their feathers but since the red siskin that can show red was introduce into the canary they can show red but to enhance the color foods rich in beta carotenes help... like sweet potatos, carrots, and such.
There are also color additives you can add to the water that are a concentrated form but care must be taken not to overdose the birds as too much can cause liver problems.
The easiest way to colorfeed chicks is to offer a commercial dried egg mix that contains the coloring agents mixed with hard boiled eggs. The parents feed the bird the egg food and colorfeed at the same time.
You also must offer your male canary color foods or suppliments before he molts so that as his new feathers form under the skin they obtain the red color. Once the feathers are formed the you cannot change the color.
But I have had many red factors that I never colorfed and they were beautiful. with yellow or a peachy color

I have fed him color food but not while the hen has been feeding the chicks. I guess I can continue to feed him the red colored egg food. I'll give it a try first thing tomorrow....

Beautiful picture Sherry

Wonderful family picture!

I know of someone with red factors that does not color feed, and her canaries stay beautifully colored. What she does is to feed a variety of veggies that have what they need to keep their beautiful color. The green, red and orange veggies, beets help with color too.

My red factor is a FUSSY eater.
He won't eat red bell pepper, and he leaves carrots and yams for last. These are the veggies that have the stuff to get him orange.
His favorite are green veggies; lettuce and chard.

Now I sprinkle paprika on his veggies.

I don't have any problem with a fussy bird Peeps will eat anything I put in the cage Right now he is filling up on the egg food to help feed the babes.