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TYPES OF CANARIES:

There are 3 types of canaries:

“Song” canaries that are bred especially for the song that they sing e.g. German (or Hartz) Rollers, Waterslager etc.

“Type” canaries that are bred for their shape and stance; and

“Colour” canaries that are bred for their colours and appearance.

 

“Type” canaries include:

                Australian Plainhead; Border Fancy; Crest and Crestbred; Fife Fancy, Gloster Fancy Corona;              Gloster Fancy Consort; Lizard; Norwich; Yorkshire, Frilled (North Dutch Frill, Fiorino Frill, Parisian Frill).

 

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“Colour” canaries include:

Pastel; Opal; Rose; Satinette; Ivory; Ino; Isable; Agate; Mosaic (all of these come under a class called  “Mutations”); New Colour (Red Factor Border type);Red Factor;  Stafford.

 

THE CANARY “SEASONS:

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For canary breeders, there are only three seasons in the year:

• The “Show” season:

  The show season generally starts in April or May following the completion of the moult when the birds are looking their very best, and the last one in S.E. Queensland is in early July, just in time for the birds to commence breeding

   

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The essence of breeding is that the hens and the cocks should be kept separate from (at least) the end of the previous moult right through to the start of breeding.

The eggs are collected and safely stored and all eggs returned on the fourth morning of laying.  The hen will incubate the eggs for 14 days.

The young will generally have their eyes open around day 5/6.  Generally the chicks are  big enough to put on the closed leg rings by day 7/8 if not before.  The chicks will be fully feathered around day 12 and will be out of the nest and on the perch around day 17/18.

There are a number of commercial  “Soft Food” products available to feed the young but experienced breeders will have a favourite recipe, and most of them will be willing to share their secret with you.

 

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A good hen will start to feed the chick fairly quickly and her food (which she regurgitates from her crop) is enriched with antibodies to provide the young chick with its resistance to disease and infection.  A good cock bird will help out as well by feeding the hen herself as well as feeding the young.

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The “Moulting” season:

• Young canaries will commence their first moult around 10 weeks of age but they will only replace the secondary feathers, and in the canary world they are referred to as ‘unflighted, having not replaced their wing flights or tail feathers.

  Mature canaries begin their moult in January and it will take 2-3 months to complete. In this moult, they replace the primary feathers (large feathers on the wings and the tail) and the secondary feathers –i.e. an all over feather replacement.

  This is a very taxing time for canaries and they need good food, a constant clean water supply and they need a calcium supplement to replace what they have been using on growing new feathers.

  They also need regular baths that will assist the new feather growth as they groom themselves following the bath.

 

 

FOOD & CARE:

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Canaries are a member of the “finch” family, they are “soft” bills (i.e. they cannot crack open hard seeds like parrots) and their diet is primarily seeds, greens and water, complemented by a range of supplements.

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Seed:

• Canaries can be fed a number of different seeds but the one seed that they prefer and that does have a reasonable amount of carbohydrates, proteins etc is canary seed. This can be supplemented by a variety of millets and canola rape seed.

• However, plain seed alone does not provide them with all of the elements they require in a balanced diet

  Greens:
  The best green food for canaries is chick weed but it does not grow well in the Queensland climate.  The bok choy/pak choy family of vegetables are quality greens for them, and can be supplemented by Chinese cabbage.

  The other green food that is of significant value to canaries is sprouted seed.

  The process is to soak the seed mixture in water with a teaspoon of bleach added (keeps the bacteria at bay) for around 12 to 24 hours, wash away any dirt, fungi and bacteria.   Let the seed mixture drain and then wash morning and evening to remove potential bacteria and fungi.  The shoots should begin to appear by day 2 (day 3 in cooler months) and they hold the maximum food value when the shoots first appear.  These sprouted seeds can be stored in the fridge (this slows down/stops the germination and also inhibits bacteria growth) until it is needed to be fed.

  Clean water at all times is essential to good health for a canary.

  There are a variety of vessels that can be used from open cups to inverted bottles with a small hole in the top, to ‘rabbit’ type drinkers.  The choice is yours depending on how you wish to manage your bird-room.

  Supplements:

  There are many supplements available, but generally most experienced breeders will have worked out which ones are beneficial and value for money and which are not.

  It is best to talk to fellow breeders to get the benefit from their experience.

   

   

   

  SHOWING YOUR CANARIES:

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Our shows are open to all breeders who are members of a recognised club.

All canaries must be rung with a closed ring issued by a recognised canary club, and as a member of our club, you are able to order your rings for the coming breeding season generally around May each year.

They must be a “whole” bird (i.e. no toes, toenails missing), and they are to be in good health.

For the “type” and “colour” canaries, there exists a standard for each and every type approved by an applicable governing body that covers all of the features that a good specimen should have and that each exhibitor  should aim for in his/her breeding program.

The birds you have decided to put on the show bench now need training.

Most breeders will have a supply of used show cages and they use these to hang on the front of the cages to let the youngsters get used to being in a show cage.  Later the birds are placed in the cages for longer periods of time.  The birds need to ‘show’ themselves to their best in front of the judge.

Showing is primarily about assessing the quality of your stock against others and to further the keeping, breeding and showing of canaries.

 

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BUYING & SELLING CANAIRES:

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Our club provides members with the opportunity to advertise birds for sale in out bi-monthly magazine .

The magazine also lists the names and contact numbers of the Committee and if you wish to purchase quality stock, phone one of them to seek their recommendation to acquire breeding stock.