Canary cages

[L in Ontario]

What size cage do you breed Canaries in?

I was told perhaps this is why my new Canaries are laying infertile clutches - my cage is too big! I have a pair of Glosters in a 30x18x18" breeding cage. Should I put a solid divider in and get another pair for the other side?

I sure do fancy the Parisian Frilled Canaries!

[lovemyfinch]

I would try it with the divider Liz.
From everything that I have read, most breeders breed in smaller cages and then give them more flight room when not breeding.

[Robin.V]

Hi liz, the cage you are using doesnt seem overly big. The cages we use for our border canaries are 36"x12"x12" with a divider to split them in half. One bird in each cage with the divider being removed when they are paired up.


It seems like the birds just arent in top breeding condition yet which has lead to the blank eggs. We keep our hens and cocks seperate until they are in really good condition and then when we introduce them they are very keen to get down to business.

If they are in good condition with the cock singing vigourously and the hen carrying nest material and building, the problem maybe the fluffy feathers around the vent. We carefully trim the feathers around the vent, leaving the important feeler feathers that they use to line up with.

Wish you good luck with them, hopefully they get it right next time.

[L in Ontario]

Thank you Robin. The hen did build the nest quite well and the male was feeding her between the bars and singing too - he's a pretty good singer.

How many clutches do you let your canaries have if they have had two infertile...? Seems like this could be a wasted season and I'll have to wait an entire year for them to try again.

[CandoAviary]

I bred mine in the cage banks also, or 30 inch cages with the divider. Putting the hen on one side and the male on the other after they came into breeding condition. I then would let them court 1 to 7 days...really all depending on how in sunc their breeding condition was.
Then I would remove the divider and insert a nest. Usually breeding was within the day and they would begin frantic nest building.
I think you wouldn't want to go much smaller sized cage. When the chicks fledge it gets crowded quick. When the parents start clutch # 2 I would put the chicks on one side and replace the wire divider. Dad could still feed them through the wire if they begged... though they would be eating pretty much on their own at this point.
I have also bred canaries in large opened aviaries so I don't think size has much to do with chick rearing. I find that bringing the pair into breeding condition at the same time was always the trick to success. Canaries respond greatly to light and day lengthening. Also gradually increase the protein over a course of time. I always found keeping the males seperated from the females...out of sight was a big plus. As the males came into condition (which normally they would respond the the protein, longer days, and hemp before the females) The males would start singing in earnest. The hens not being able to see them would listen so intently. Once the hens started calling back and hopping about the cages and bars (which I always added first to the breed cages and increased food) I would insert the divider and place the male as the neighbor Best wishes with come glouster chicks...they are precious!!!

[MLaRue]

Hi liz, the cage you are using doesnt seem overly big. The cages we use for our border canaries are 36"x12"x12" with a divider to split them in half. One bird in each cage with the divider being removed when they are paired up.
[ http://i404.photobucket.com/albums/pp124/Robin68SD125/Picture040.jpg ]

It seems like the birds just arent in top breeding condition yet which has lead to the blank eggs. We keep our hens and cocks seperate until they are in really good condition and then when we introduce them they are very keen to get down to business.

If they are in good condition with the cock singing vigourously and the hen carrying nest material and building, the problem maybe the fluffy feathers around the vent. We carefully trim the feathers around the vent, leaving the important feeler feathers that they use to line up with.

Wish you good luck with them, hopefully they get it right next time.

I'm curious after looking at your picture - the cages on top have a small hole and then a cup right below them on the outside... is this their water? Do they put their heads out the hole to get water from that cup?

[adnan]

[Robin.V]

Hi Liz, 3 clutches shouldnt be a problem to them. They can happily raise 3 clutches although we stop ares once they have had 2 clutches of chicks. Yours having had blank eggs should be fine for another round.

The drinkers are on the outside on some of the cages in the picture, they put there head out through the hole. We have bottle drinkers on them all atm, but we still use the cups with some birds as part of their show training as show cages have water glasses on the outside and the birds must learn to us these.

[L in Ontario]

Yes, I've seen the show/exhibition cages with the small holes for drinking. I'm surprised the Canaries (like Glosters) can fit their heads through but I guess they manage as they all have them. That's a great and easy way to train them!

Thanks for the tips and for confirming that a cage shouldn't be too big. I presume since the breeder had just set them in a cage together that they were in breeding condition when I bought them (the newbie that I am!). When I got them home and put them in a quarantine cage with a nest in my bathroom, the hen had it filled and shaped within 36 hours and laid her first egg within 3 days of being here.

Today she laid her fourth egg of the third clutch and I'm praying at least some of these are fertile! They better be! Such a waste of effort on their part otherwise.

[CandoAviary]

I'm so excited for you Liz... Canary babies, and glousters at that

Robin, your canaries are beautiful

[jonvill]

I'm not sure where I read this but I do remember a gloster breeder saying the vents need to be trimmed on this breed. Did you ever hear about that?

[L in Ontario]

I'm so excited for you Liz... Canary babies, and glousters at that

Robin, your canaries are beautiful

Only if they are fertile in this, their 3rd clutch! But thank you!

[L in Ontario]

I'm not sure where I read this but I do remember a gloster breeder saying the vents need to be trimmed on this breed. Did you ever hear about that?

I did read (just about what you wrote) on the internet and so I trimmed his vent feathers and then I went on to read that one needs to be careful and leave the "guide feathers". I should have read that first! The hen didn't have any feathers there to trim.

[Robin.V]

Hi Liz, dont worry if you have trimmed the guide feathers aswell. Ideally they help the cock bird hit the mark, but, in some birds that i have experienced, the guide feathers can be the problem when they are too long or soft.
I have had to trim the guide feathers off cock birds in the past to enable him to fertilise the eggs, so it doesnt necessarily impeed the mating process if they are removed.

Really hope they are successful for you, I love to see others so interested in canaries.

I'm so excited for you Liz... Canary babies, and glousters at that

Robin, your canaries are beautiful

Thanks very much, I must start a thread when the babies start hatching. They are all just starting to breed now so hope to have chicks in the next couple of weeks.

[L in Ontario]

Thanks for your words of wisdom and support Robin!

Yes, we'd most definitely LOVE to see your Canary babies. Can you take a video of them. They are amazing standing up so straight and tall! I'm already starting to turn slightly green just imagining them.