FINCHforum

For those of you with canaries, do they prefer to be alone like everything I have read? or do they prefer to have a mate?

Most everyone will tell you to keep males alone when breeding season is over but I have seen it both ways. I know a very reputable breeder that keeps all his males together in one enclosure and all his females in another. I think it depends on the bird too. I had a breeding pair that I kept together all year round with no problems but they were also together from the tim they were both 3 months old so that could be a factor. All my other males I had to keep singly in individual cages because they would constantly fight.

I too know people who keep their pairs together year round although I do think they prefer their own space. My males are all individually housed, and want it that way. My hens I keep together in a large flight when not breeding. I do find they enjoy each others company and function as a flock even though they arent in same cage if that makes sense....eat together..sleep same time, sing same times etc. I do think them living together happily year round just depends...on the individual birds and if they have a strong bond. could go either way really, I would lean to the side of prefers to be alone. Males will sing more also if housed alone!

kheather wrote:Males will sing more also if housed alone!

That's really funny because my male that's in with the female sings constantly. Drives my husband nuts

see there....it always depends! Funny how all are different, and there are often more than one way to do things, just have to try and see what works for you! I know at least four other canary breeders and not a one of us does things the same way! Yet we all seem to do just fine! The beauty of it all!!

After the breeding season ends all my males are in one flight and all my females are in another. Maybe if you don't have a lot of canaries keeping them together year round is fine, but it's more effective for me to house them in the two groups so I can do an end of the year cleaning of all my breeder cages and equipment.

But as stated, try one way and see how it works.

Thank you all for your advice...I appreciate your expertise!

I just have one pair & they are together in a flight with RCCB & OCWB. The male canary sings all the time; all day long. Love him!