In the article I will consider the features of character, how many canaries live at home and floods. I will describe how to care for a bird. I will tell you about the features of breeding kenar, possible diseases in these birds and methods for their prevention.

How long do domestic canaries live

The life span of canaries is 8-15 years. These indicators depend on genetics, living conditions, nutrition and care.

Description of the domestic canary

Canaries are domesticated birds with unique singing. They belong to the subspecies of the canary finch, which is native to the Canary Islands.

The body length of an adult individual reaches an average of 12–14 cm.

They have a regular rounded head, a short pin-shaped beak, harmonious proportions and shapes.

Most birds have yellow plumage. This is the classic version. However, breeders have already bred a wide variety of canaries with different colors (red, green-yellow, white, chocolate and light brown) and feather patterns (with a tuft and distinctive curls).

The presence of red feathers in a canary is the result of its crossing with a fiery siskin.

According to the classification, domestic canaries come in three breeds:

1. Singers.
2. Colored.
3. Decorative.

singing canary
colored
Decorative

In turn, decorative are divided into types:

• Curly.
• Crested.
• Curly.
• Painted.
• Humpbacked.

The nature and habits of the bird

Every bird, like people, has a different character. In general, canaries are trusting, easy to train, and love to socialize. They will use every opportunity to talk to you, family members and other animals. If you decide to have such a pet, then be prepared to forget about silence.

The song of the female, as a rule, is simpler and more primitive than that of the male. The right decision would be to listen to the birds singing during the acquisition.

Specialists based on the Canarian canary finch about 120 breeds of domestic canaries were bred

First of all, you need to purchase and prepare a cage. Its value per bird is ideally: height - 25-30 cm, length - 30-35 cm and width - 20-25 cm. The distance between two twigs should be less than 1.25 cm. The door should be placed on the side.

If in future plans there is a breeding of canaries, then it is better to immediately purchase a cage with two doors.

The bottom should be double and retractable (or easily separated from the main part of the cage) for ease of cleaning. It is better to put sand, a special bulk mixture or a piece of paper on it. If the choice fell on a piece of paper for the equipment of the bottom of the cage, then use materials from glossy magazines.
It will not stick to the bottom, and cleaning will take a minimum of time.

It is important to equip the house with a pressed shell stone for grinding the beak and perches: plastic and wooden.

You need at least two feeders: for feed from grains and cereals and for a mineral mixture (charcoal must be included in it). Both can be purchased ready-made at the pet store. You also need an additional feeder or clothespin for green food (carrots, apples, lettuce, cucumber and dandelion leaves). In addition, you should regularly treat the kenar with pieces of boiled chicken eggs. The bird also needs a drinking bowl, the water in which should be changed daily.

Do not give the bird boiled water.

It is better to give preference to filtered (or settled) raw water.

Domestic canaries love to feast on home flowers: tradescantia, ragwort and others. They can be specially placed near the cage. However, some house plants can be poisonous to them (for example, dieffenbachia), so it is better to remove them from the room where the birds live.

Starting from the age of one month, the chick should be taught to water procedures. To do this, every day you need to place shallow dishes inside the cage (bowl, plate, caviar jar) or install a special bathing suit from the outside of the door with water at room temperature. It is necessary to clean and wash everything after the bird bathes.

Some indoor and garden plants may be poisonous to birds.

The water level in the bath is no more than 3 cm.

Place the cage preferably in a sunny room with a door (but not in direct sunlight). You should choose a place where the bird will not be threatened by drafts, high humidity and temperature changes.

It is very important to let the bird out of the cage at least once a week (preferably every day). For starters, it can be 5-10 minutes. Gradually, the time of walking around the room should be increased to one hour. At this time, it is important to monitor the safety of the pet. With patience, you can teach this pet to sit on your hand.

The cage should be cleaned at least 2 times a week and disinfected at least once a month. To do this, you should get and rinse and pour boiling water over all the drinkers, feeders, baths and accessories, replace the paper (sand or a special mixture) at the bottom of the cage, after washing it.

How and where to buy

You can buy a homemade canary at a pet store, from your hands or from official breeders.

The best option would be the latter, since, firstly, such a person is fully responsible for the bird that he sold. Secondly, he treats his pets with full love and responsibility, and, accordingly, provides them with proper care. Thirdly, you can choose a bird in a calm home environment, after listening to his vocal abilities.

Songbirds maximize their abilities with a comfortable content.

Of course, it is cheaper to purchase birds from the hands, but there is no guarantee that the bird will be healthy. In the pet store, they often do not provide full care and do not pay much attention to them. As a result, often under the guise of a beautifully singing male, they sell an ordinary female.

The average cost of a female is 1-1.5 thousand rubles, and a male - 4-6.5 thousand.

Reproduction features

IN natural environment breeding canaries begins towards the end of March. Accordingly, at home, spring is a favorable period for mating.

The choice of a couple is important. The age of the male should be from 1 to 5 years, and the female - from 11 months to 3-4 years. It is important to take into account that genetically voice qualities, hearing and susceptibility to the song come from the father, and both parents influence the coloring.

After mating, the birds immediately begin preparing the nest. To do this, you need to purchase (or make it yourself) a house, which must be installed outside the cage in the gap of one of the doors. It is also necessary to put a box with material for the future nest in the corner of the cage: strings cut into 2 cm, fine hay, small pieces of cloth.

Sometimes 2-3 females are planted to the male

Less than 2 weeks after the nest is ready, the female will lay her eggs. Chicks will be born on the 14th day. A few hours after the offspring hatch, both parents begin to bring them food in their beaks. And by the end of the fourth week, the babies are already independently looking for food and eating.

The male canary often takes part in incubation and rearing of offspring.

Possible diseases and their prevention

Among domestic canaries, diseases such as constipation, diarrhea, colds, beriberi, diphtheria, injuries, loss of voice, and so on are common.

A sick bird should immediately be placed in a separate quarantine cage.

For prevention, it is important to observe the regime of maintenance, the correct location of the cage, maintaining its cleanliness and good nutrition.
Watch your pet!

If the canary's behavior has changed dramatically (appetite loss, apathy, stool disturbance), then contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.

A pet bird will become a true friend for all family members and will create a special atmosphere in the house with its singing.

The domestic canary is a subspecies of the finch from the Canary Islands. The bird is found in the Canary, Azores and Madeira Islands. More than 5 centuries have passed since man tamed the bird. As a result of selection, the vocal apparatus of the finch has changed. The singing of the domestic canary differs from that of the wild species.

Canary: maintenance and care at home

Varieties of canaries

In most cases, yellow canaries are taken as pets. But this does not mean that the plumage of a bird has only a yellow color. There are three main types of domestic canaries.

Colored canaries. The color of colored canaries is diverse: yellow, red, green, gray, white, mottled. Gray canaries are especially remarkable, they are born from the combination of green and yellow breeds. As a result of crossing, the color of birds varies from dull black to silver. Red canary is the most catchy, this color is rarely found in nature. Pied canaries have a wide range of colors, their common name is harlequin.

decorative canaries. Distinctive features birds are unusual plumage and body shape. The names of some breeds of ornamental canaries speak for themselves, for example, curly and hunchbacked.

Singers. Canaries of all kinds sing. The singers have beautiful overflows in the melody, their voices are more musical. Soft birds are traditionally considered the best singers. Kenar breeders especially distinguish green and yellow individuals. Red birds are spectacular, but their voices do not caress the ear. Variegated ones without scarlet shades in feathers sing wonderfully. The arias are performed only by the male. The bird sings throughout the year, with the exception of the molting time. The most remarkable performance is in February-March, when the mating season is underway. The female only sings along: short, rare, less melodious. Caring for canaries of any kind is the same. Everyone who decides to have a bird should know the conditions for keeping a pet.

Canaries are quickly tamed, trusting, and amenable to education. They easily get used to the owner, under comfortable conditions they breed without problems.

Canary cage size: length 35 cm, width 22 cm, height 29 cm. The distance between the bars of the cage should not exceed 1.5 cm. Otherwise, the bird may stick its head between the bars and get stuck. Door on the side, stainless steel double bottom - the characteristic of a good cage. The double bottom will allow you to easily clean the cage, changing the sand in it, and will facilitate the necessary regular disinfection.

The place where the cage stands should be well lit: a dark corner will not work, direct sunlight is also unacceptable. It is necessary to install a perch in the cage - round perches 1.5 cm thick. Perches with a rough surface are best suited. They are set at such a distance from each other that the bird jumps from perch to perch with a flap of wings.

Cage cleaning requires careful approach. All the contents of the cage: pallet, feeders, perches, drinkers, are cleaned at least 2 times a week, doused with boiling water several times. The next step is treatment with a disinfectant solution, for example, chamomile infusion or potassium permanganate solution. Dry after treatment with solution. The pallet is covered with white paper, it is changed every 2-3 days. Clean, river, dry sand is also applicable as bedding.

Feeders are most convenient if they are hinged and retractable. Putting the feeder on the bottom of the cage is not practical, as birds scatter food. Mounted feeders allow the bird to eat in a comfortable position, and the owner to clean up less.

Canaries love water. Bathing is good for birds. Water cleanses the skin and strengthens the feathers. Bathing requires a special container and water at room temperature. The water container cannot be left in the cage for a long time; after bathing, the container is removed. Bathing suit must be washed every day. A month after birth, the pet is ready to get acquainted with water procedures. Accustom the birds to bathing gradually. The sooner the process starts, the better. After all, then the pet will be spared the fear of water.

A drinking bowl is installed in the cage, filled with water at room temperature. Drinking bowl material - porcelain, glass. The drinking bowl is installed between the bars of the cage in any place convenient for the bird.

It is useful for a bird to arrange flight walks around the room. In this case, a number of conditions must be observed to ensure safety.

• close all doors and windows;
• remove hot, sharp objects;
• remove pets from the premises.

When creating comfortable conditions for the bird, you should think about good lighting and a long daylight hours. IN winter period You can provide additional lighting by installing a lamp next to the cage. The birds wake up with the sunrise, so at night in the summer the cage is covered with a cloth. This measure will allow the owner of the pet to sleep longer.

Feeding

In the wild, the Canarian finch, following instincts, feeds on greens, grains, and insects in the right proportions. Home conditions of detention oblige the owner of the bird to take care of a balanced diet.

reproduction

The female lays her first egg 10-12 days after intercourse. Further laying occurs every day, usually a couple has up to 5 testicles. After the appearance of the first egg, it is replaced with a wooden one. This is done with each next testicle until the last. When the female lays the last egg, all previously taken ones are returned to the nest. If the eggs are not replaced, the chicks will appear on different days, which will lead to the risk of death of the youngest.

Eggs should be taken out of the nest with a spoon, and not with your hands, so as not to crush. Store in a soft box. The female incubates the eggs for two weeks.. Birds begin to feed their offspring in a day, some, especially caring parents, in a few hours.

The food for the chicks in the first days consists of a hard-boiled egg, finely chopped and mixed with white grated breadcrumbs. After 3-4 days, porridge is added to the diet. Porridge is cooked from rice and millet in milk with the addition of an egg. Food must be stored in the refrigerator.

Cooking porridge is easy:

• boil a glass of water;
• pour a teaspoon of cereal into a glass and cook until the cereal is boiled;
• add 150 gr. to boiled cereals. milk;
• after boiling milk, add 3 teaspoons of cereals and boil;
• salted into boiled porridge and pour an egg into it.

As the chicks grow, the amount of food prepared increases..

A week later, the kenar joins the care of the offspring. On the eighth day the chicks open their eyes, on the twelfth day the chicks try to fly out of the nest. Then the kenar takes full care of the children, as the female must prepare for the next laying and incubation of eggs.

After the ability to fly is established, the chicks are fenced off from their parents with bars. In this case, the female and male will feed the young through the grate. The need for separation is due to the fact that, remaining all together, adults pluck the babies. After two weeks, the chicks are completely independent: they can fly and eat a mixture of grains. Kenars are placed in one cage, females in another and transferred to a normal feeding regimen.

In three weeks kenara begin to try to sing. The songs of the young are not as beautiful as the trills of adult birds, but they allow you to separate males from females. The females do not sing.

One of the methods breeding - maintenance one male with two females. This option creates a serious burden on the female. Breeding in pairs produces healthier offspring and is easier on the birds.

Colored canaries are bred in the same way as songbirds, but they need more attention. Attention should be paid to the selection of individuals for mating. For example, two intensely colored red birds will produce weak offspring with sparse feathers. On the contrary, individuals with a pale color will give birth to healthy chicks with a bright color and beautiful appearance.

It is allowed to cross a pale individual and a brightly colored one, no matter who has the most intense color in a female or male. Part of the brood will take the data of the father, part - the data of the mother, there is a possibility of the birth of defective chicks.

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Canary - content

The first thing you need to keeping a domestic canary- cell.
Better if it is rectangular or square, the shape of the roof does not play a special role. In order for the animal to feel freer, the dimensions of the sides of the house should be at least 40 - 50 cm. Such a cage is more convenient both for the pet and for cleaning it. There should be several perches in this room, as this breed of bird likes to flutter from one to another. There should be feeders, a drinking bowl and a bathing bowl in the cage. All equipment that does not come with the house needs to be checked for compatibility with it, it will be a shame if the purchased item cannot be fixed and you have to go back to the store and try to change it.

The question immediately arises where to put the bird house. Do not put on drafts, the pet may get sick. Do not put in the kitchen, sudden changes in temperature and humidity, smells from cooking will not benefit the animal. The dog or cat, if you have one, should not get to the cage and scare the pet canary. It is better to choose a place where the bird will be calm. An important factor is the simplicity and convenience of cleaning the cage. The easiest way is to cover the bottom with paper and change it every few days. Since the canary sings and usually does so in the morning, if you don't want him to wake you up on the weekends, cover the cage with a piece of thick cloth in the evening. Regarding the walks of the canary around the apartment, opinions vary greatly. Oddly enough, there are many dangers for such a pet indoors. These are pets (cats, dogs) and hot objects (irons, pans) and a burning gas stove and open windows and even narrow gaps behind cabinets and beds, from where the bird sometimes cannot get out.

Proper nutrition ensures good health and the mood of your pet. The ancestors of the canary in nature fed on the seeds of plants with the addition of green parts, as well as a certain number of caught insects. At home, it is better for your bird to buy special feed from well-known manufacturers at a pet store. Please note that this food is specifically for canaries, food for other animals is not suitable. Everyday food should also be basic and not specialized, for example to improve molting or for feeding during breeding.

It is better to buy food in the middle price range, cheap options may be of poor quality, and when buying the most expensive ones, you will overpay for the "company". Naturally, the feed should be hermetically sealed and the expiration date should not expire before your bird has time to eat it. And yet, it is believed that the canary gets used to one type of food and hardly switches to another, so it’s worth clarifying when buying an animal what exactly the bird ate before.

Obesity is a common problem in captive animals, so try to avoid overfeeding. For one canary, 1 to 2 teaspoons of grain feed per day is enough. It is useful to periodically add sunflower seeds, buckwheat seeds to it. As a soft food 1 - 2 times a week, you can give hard chicken eggs, adding grated crackers and carrots to it, the latter as a vitamin supplement.

Vitamin top dressing is recommended to be given separately, several times a week. In summer, dandelion leaves, wood lice, lettuce, young ears of plantain, horse sorrel, and other plants are suitable. In winter, you can give a sweet apple, grated carrots, sweet peppers. It should be borne in mind that an excess amount of greenery causes diarrhea in canaries.

Sprouted grain of wheat or rapeseed has a good stimulating effect on animals. Usually it is used in winter, in the pre-breeding period, when there is no fresh greenery. For germination, the selected portion of the grain is thoroughly washed in running water and then left in it for a day. After this period, they are washed again, allowed to drain and laid out in a flat dish, covered with plastic wrap to create a humid atmosphere. The dishes are placed in a warm place. After another day, sprouts usually peck at the grain and it can be used for bird feed. First, it is washed again and slightly dried.

You can buy a ready-made mixture of seeds for sprouting "rio" at the pet store, instructions for sprouting are attached to it. It is somewhat different from the one described above and is based on moistening the seeds every 6 hours. Please note that wet seeds can become moldy; in no case should you give such food to birds.

Same way constantly in the cage should be mineral top dressing. It must necessarily include coarse-grained river sand, after being swallowed by a canary, it is used as a millstone for grinding seeds in the animal's stomach. You also need finely ground eggshells, shell rock or chalk, as a source of calcium.

Charcoal will also come in handy, birds often treat it on their own. Normal will do Activated carbon which is sold in pharmacies. The easiest way is to buy such mixtures at a pet store, biogrit or rio will do. Mineral top dressing is recommended to be placed in a separate feeder and changed about once a week, as canaries quickly pollute it. As you can see, keeping such a pet is easier and cheaper than, for example, keeping large parrots, and even more so cats and decorative dogs.

Canary - breeding

Often it is not enough for a canary lover to keep these wonderful birds. There is a desire to have offspring. In this case, you need to take into account that you will inevitably have a whole economy of several cells. There are several options for breeding canaries. You can create a permanent pair of male and female living in the same cage. You can use one male and several females. In this case, all canaries live in their individual cages, and the male, as needed, sits down in the cages with the females. But with this method of keeping and breeding your pets, a large number of cages will be required. And the third option - the reproduction of canaries takes place in a large aviary, where birds live at the rate of 2 - 4 females per male.

In nature, canaries, like most other animals, begin to hatch the young generation in the spring. This is facilitated by an increase in temperature and the appearance of excess feed. At home, you can breed birds at any time of the year, creating optimal conditions for them is not difficult. Usually, first of all, they pay attention to age, these animals become older than a year old, and they can be used for breeding up to 3-4 years. It is undesirable to use inbreeding and crossbreeding of birds of different colors and breeds. In one breeding cycle, the female can lay several clutches, but it is impossible to let her do more than 2 - 3, the animal's body will be very worn out.

For laying eggs in a permanent pair, you will need a cage with sides of at least half a meter, preferably with a removable partition in the middle. It will allow to fence off the chicks, which are not yet ready for independent life, from the newly nested pair. It is also desirable that there be at least two doors in the cage, on one outside there is a special hanging nest, the second can be used for hanging bathing. If there are not enough doors, the nest base can be hung inside, on one of the walls of the cage, but in this case it is less convenient to inspect the clutch and chicks. Cup-shaped nest - the base, should be 10 - 11 cm in diameter in the upper part and 7 - 9 cm deep. The nest must be placed above the middle of the cage. It is desirable to have a second nest base, in case the birds, with not yet grown chicks, lay another clutch.

Trimmings, 1-2 cm long, thick, 1.5-2 mm, can serve as building material for your pets. diameter, thread or hemp rope. In longer material, canaries sometimes get entangled with their paws. Well suited burlap, torn into threads.

Close to the nest, you need to place a perch so that the bird can first step onto it, and only then take off. With a sharp departure directly from the nest, the canary can damage the egg or chick.

For older, monthly chicks that have already become independent, you will need a long cage, on one side at least a meter in length, or an aviary. Young birds need to be able to fly, this has a positive effect on their development and health. After determining the sex of the animals, the males will have to be seated in separate cages, as they show aggression towards each other, the females can be kept together.

A sign of the beginning of the breeding season in canaries is a sharp short song of the male, to which the female responds with a squeak, as well as the collection of the latter various garbage and an attempt to lay down a nest somewhere in a secluded place. At this time, your pets need to gradually increase daylight hours, give fresh fruits and vegetables, germinated seeds. High-quality and varied nutrition is necessary for the appearance of full-fledged offspring. If the canaries liked each other, then the first egg appears after 7 to 10 days, and then one more is laid every day. Their number usually does not exceed 3 - 4 pieces, the eggs are small, only 2 grams, bluish with brown specks.

The clutch is incubated only by the female for two weeks. Chicks appear unevenly, as the eggs were laid in turn. At the same time, older chicks can eat younger ones and the latter grow worse or may even die. To avoid this situation, sometimes plastic laying eggs are used when breeding canaries. The pending ones are removed from the nest and stored in cotton wool at room temperature, turning a couple of times a day. As soon as the female lays 3-4 eggs, the selected eggs are returned to the nest, and the dummies are removed. Due to the fact that the canary begins to incubate all the eggs almost simultaneously, the chicks also appear at about the same time and therefore grow in the same way.

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What does a canary look like

Their appearance was first described at the end of the 19th century by the German explorer Carl Bolle. These birds were brought to Russia from Tyrol. The first place for the sale of canaries of domestic selection was the Nizhny Novgorod Fair.

Homemade differs from the brothers living in the wild in its appearance and size. Its body length is slightly longer than that of wild songbirds. The body of a domestic canary grows in length up to 14–14.5 cm, while in those living in the wild it does not exceed 13 cm.

Some canary breeders manage to grow birds, the length of which, together with the tail, can reach 23 cm.

Appearance characteristics common to wild and domestic canaries:

• elastic body;
• strong beak, having a conical shape and a sharp end;
• wide chest.

Birds have strong bones, well-developed muscles, thin but strong paws. The eyes are fixed, and the neck constantly rotates in different directions. Rounded feathers at the ends are slightly pointed, and the tail seems to be cut off. The normal temperature of a bird's body is 42°C.

living in wild nature canaries have predominantly green plumage, it may have a gray tint. On the belly of the bird, the feathers are cast in yellow. Throughout the body of canaries, dark stripes can be seen, which give the impression of excessive variegation of the overall color. Most domestic canaries have yellow feathers; red, white, orange, blue and other colors are less common.

Main breeds

More than 12 thousand species and breeds of domestic canaries have been bred in the world. All of them are divided into 3 large groups:

• colored;
• decorative;
• choristers.

The least canaries are included in the group of songbirds - there are only 10 species of birds in it. Of particular value is their voice and ability to reproduce certain sounds and melodies.

Coloreds are bred at home to obtain new species with an interesting plumage color. The most expensive and valuable birds of this group are red canaries.

Ornamental species are used in the breeding of new bird species to obtain certain characteristics of the body structure.

humpback canaries

The birds of this breed got their name because of the peculiar shape of the body - they have an almost vertical posture and a lowered tail, which makes them visually humpbacked. The bird stretches its neck almost at a right angle. They keep humpbacked canaries in cages with perches located at the very arch.

Japanese canary

It was obtained by crossing three types birds: Scottish, Munich and Belgian and belongs to the decorative group. They have a large torso and an upright posture, with their heads lowered to shoulder level.

Cages for keeping birds are chosen in a rectangular shape, without domes and decorations. It is recommended that the Japanese canary be periodically released to fly around the house.

Russian canary

The breed is officially registered in Russia, the most common color of this species is yellow.

Their singing technique is not genetically fixed - each bird has its own manner. They are taught to sing with the help of pipes or recordings of trills of forest birds.

Birds are prone to obesity, so they should not be overfed.

Advantages and disadvantages

The singing of a canary has a therapeutic effect on a person. In Holland, the treatment of various ailments with the help of birdsong (ornithotherapy) is used in official medicine. It is used to treat various diseases of the heart and nervous system. Australians use birdsong to treat joints and spine. The British use ornithotherapy to fight depression.

In the course of numerous studies, scientists have come to the conclusion that listening to birdsong for 5 minutes has an effect on the human body equal in effect to a 30-minute walk.

The canary is the only bird that can combine the sounds of all other songbirds in its singing.

Her singing can get rid of the following ailments:

• headache;
• gastrointestinal problems;
• high BP.

The disadvantages of keeping canaries include the following:

• the need to let birds fly around the house;
• bird-created debris from feed and feathers;
• loud singing.

Canaries begin to sing at dawn, and their singing can even drown out the noise of the TV with its sound. Flying around the room, the birds climb into various cracks, from which it is difficult to get them out.

Canaries are very trusting birds, they learn everything quickly and easily. Their health and longevity depend on proper care.

What to feed

The main rule for keeping a canary is to give the bird special food that can be bought at a pet store. For the period of nesting and molting, special food is provided.

• add crushed buckwheat kernels and seeds to ready-made mixtures;
• 2 times a week to give a finely chopped boiled egg or low-fat cottage cheese;
• In summer, include finely chopped leaves of plantain, sorrel, lettuce and dandelion in the diet, and in winter grated carrots, apples and bell peppers.

As a top dressing, it is useful for canaries to give coarse river sand. The lack of calcium in the body of birds is replenished with the help of ground eggshells or mashed chalk. Charcoal acts as a medicine for poultry. It is periodically given to canaries to prevent the occurrence of various diseases.

Separate feeders are installed in bird cages for feeding. The optimal amount of food for canaries is no more than 2 tablespoons per day. Exceeding this norm leads to obesity of birds.

It is very important for the health of birds to keep their feeders and drinkers clean - canaries cannot stand dirt.

Hygiene and bathing

Bathing is a mandatory procedure when keeping at home. The procedure must be carried out at least 2 times a week in winter, and in summer - every day. For these purposes, a special bath is used, into which warm water is added and briefly placed on the bottom of the cage or suspended from the frame. Teach the bird to swim gradually. The first water procedures begin at the age of one month. You can not bathe canaries during the period of incubation of eggs.

It is necessary to pay attention to the condition of their claws. Too long claws prevent the bird from sitting on the floor. Periodically, they are cut with nail scissors or tweezers, but not too short, as this can cause pain.

Canaries are released daily to fly. Before releasing the bird from the cage, you must:

• close windows and doors;
• remove animals from the premises;
• remove sharp and hot objects.

Birds are especially carefully looked after during their molting. It is very important to give the birds nutrient-rich food at this time.

Bird cages are cleaned at least 2 times a week, additional lighting is installed next to them.

Feeders, drinkers, perches and other cage equipment are treated with boiling water. As a disinfectant solution, only infusions of herbs or potassium permanganate are used. To prepare the infusion, it is better to use field chamomile. The processed items must be dried before installation, the bottom is covered with white paper. Change it at least 2 times a week. River sand can be used as bedding.

Diseases and treatment

Canary diseases can be caused various factors. Each type of disease requires an individual approach to treatment.

Symptoms of the most common canary diseases and their treatment

Vaccination

To prevent smallpox, canaries are given intradermal vaccination in the area of ​​the wing fold. It is carried out in early summer and repeated once a year.

Choice of cage, accessories and toys

• length - 35 cm;
• width - 22 cm;
• height - 29 cm;
• the distance between the bars is 1.5 cm.

The cage door should be located on the side, inside is placed:

• Retractable tray with river sand. It greatly simplifies the cleaning process.
• Porcelain drinkers 5 cm high and 10 cm in diameter.
• 3 feeders.
• 2-3 round perches with a thickness of at least 1.5 cm from fruit trees.
• Flat tub for bathing.

Before installing the perches in the cage, they must be scalded with boiling water and dried.

How to breed canaries at home

For breeding canaries at home, a pair is selected at the age of 1 to 4 years. Birds should be energetic and healthy.

During the mating period, canaries are given enhanced nutrition, which includes a large amount of greens, and a boiled egg is given 2-3 times a week.

The bottom of the cage is covered with straws or grass - birds make a nest from them, in which the female begins to lay eggs a week after mating.

How to determine the sex of birds

There are 3 ways to distinguish a kenar from a canary:

• By external signs. The female's tail is 0.5 cm shorter than the male's. The cloaca of the canary is cylindrical, while that of the canary is flat.
• By singing. Males make deeper and longer sounds. The singing of females is jerky, similar to whistling or cooing.
• By behavior. If you put the bird on your palm with your back and run your finger along the abdomen, then the male will start kicking and try to escape from the hands, and the female will only tighten her paws.

knitting

The best time for mating is March or April. At this point, the birds begin to cook about a month in advance. They are intensively fed and every day they are allowed to fly freely. Daylight hours of birds are gradually brought up to 14-15 hours.

Cages intended for knitting should have a wooden cladding at the bottom, the temperature in the room should not be below 15 ° C. Relative air humidity - 60–70%.

Pregnancy

Canaries after mating begin to lay 1 egg per day. In total, they can bring from 3 to 5 eggs. The chicks begin to hatch on the 13th day from the start of incubation. In order for the female not to leave the nest during incubation, the cage is installed in a zone of constant lighting. If the female refuses to hatch the chicks, you can use a home incubator.

How to care for newborn chicks

The eyes of the chicks begin to open on the 10th day after they are born. On day 12, their wings straighten, and on day 18, the chicks leave the nest. From the moment of birth, the female feeds them with a mixture of crushed seeds and boiled eggs, which are poured out in a cage on paper.

Song canary chicks immediately after separation from the female are separated by sex and placed in jigging cages. This is necessary so that young females do not interfere with the chirping of males.

In colored canaries, chicks are separated, which have a pronounced dark and light color of plumage. If this is not done, then the dark chicks will pluck their light counterparts.

The chicks that have become stronger, fully fledged and have learned to hustle seeds on their own are placed in spacious flying cages. Regular flights of birds help to develop and strengthen their body.

How to tame

A lonely canary is the easiest to train, and it is easier to establish contact with a male than with a female. The main thing in the process of taming is not to rush. Every day you need to approach the cage with the bird and talk to it in a quiet, calm voice. She needs to be given time to get used to and believe that she has nothing to fear.

The second stage of the taming process should be the landing of a bird on the palm. This needs to be stimulated by feeding. Having mastered and got used to a person, she will do it without fear.

How many live at home

With proper care and feeding, canaries can live up to 15 years in captivity. The average duration of a bird is determined at 9–12 years.

Reasons for shortened life span:

• poor nutrition;
• insufficient lighting;
• illness;
• predators.

Birds do not perceive drafts and low temperatures well.

How to name a bird

The name of a bird can be selected in accordance with its character, demeanor or color. The most common is Kesha.

If it is difficult to determine the sex of the canary, neutral names are chosen. For example, Acci, Bassi, etc. The choice also depends on the owner's imagination. A mobile bird can get the name Zhivchik or Shustrik.

For a bird with yellow plumage, the name Lemon or Dandelion is suitable. A cunning canary might be called a Rogue. Very often they use the changed names or surnames of their owners. For example, Ivanov - Ivanka or Vanechka, Alexander - Alex or Alex. The time of year or month in which the bird was born can be chosen as the name.

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Description of the canary

Canaries are the only subspecies of the Canarian canary finch, which is reflected in the appearance of such an unusual songbird.

Appearance

The domestic canary has a slightly larger body size than the natural wild ancestor.. All colored singing domestic canaries are characterized, as a rule, by a maximum body length in the range of 13.5-14.5 cm, but decorative birds of this species are known to have a larger or rather small body.

Canaries are distinguished by harmonious forms, a rounded and very well-shaped head, as well as the presence of a short and pin-shaped beak. The most famous and widespread at present is the classic yellow plumage.

However, today there is a great opportunity to purchase a feathered pet with original white, red, chocolate brown or light brown plumage. The red feathers of the canary are the result of crossing a canary with a fiery siskin.

Among other things, some modern breeding forms of canaries have a clearly visible crest or special curls. The flight path of the canary is undulating, very reminiscent of the flight of a wild finch.

Lifestyle and behavior

The very first and most detailed description The way of life and behavior of the wild canary was presented by the famous German naturalist Carl Bolle more than a century ago.

A small songbird avoids shady forest areas and is found exclusively in sparse plantings, shrub plantations and forest edges. Very often, canaries inhabit gardens, and are also able to nest near human habitation.

In the non-breeding period of life, canaries most often keep in flocks, and often fly from one place to a new one in search of food. Wild birds feed on the seeds of a wide variety of herbaceous plants and greens, as well as some types of berries, including wild or cultivated grapes. A favorite delicacy of birds are poppy seeds and garden lettuce, as well as half-ripened "canary" seed.

Nursing birds prefer to feed on small insects, in particular scale insects and black or green aphids. Even before sunset, wild canaries gather and flock to the place of lodging for the night, which is most often used as some fairly tall tree.

This is interesting! The nesting season begins in February or March, when large flocks of wild canaries break up and pairs of birds form, starting to nest en masse.

Types of canaries

Singing and decorative domestic canaries are represented by several species that are especially popular for keeping in captivity. Among the most original decorative varieties include:

• humpback canary (Belgian Fancy Canary) - a variety with a characteristic vertical type of posture and a strongly lowered head area;
• Yorkshire canary (Yorkshire Canary) - characterized by larger sizes and a body that resembles a carrot in shape;
• canary Border (Border Fancy Canary) - small in size, compact, with a very beautiful glossy plumage and unpretentious variety;
• canary Fife Fancy (Fife Fancy Canary) - practically does not differ in appearance from the Border variety, but has a more miniature body size;
• crested Canary (Crested Canary) - a variety characterized by the presence in the head area of ​​​​several raised and slightly elongated feathers, forming a kind of crest;
• canary Norwich (Norwich Canary) - a very stocky, large-sized variety, which is distinguished by a dense physique and a "common" appearance;
• canary Staffordshire (Stafford Canary) - a very bright and beautiful variety, with a predominance of bright red or rich pink plumage;
• canary Lizard or Lizard (Lizard Canary) - has a very original speckled plumage, reminiscent of numerous scales of a lizard;
• canary Parisian Curly (Parisian Frilled Сanary) - one of the largest and most popular varieties, characterized by the presence of uniform curly plumage and legs twisted like a corkscrew;
• Canary Curly Meringer (Mehringer Frill Canary) is a very miniature copy of the Paris Curly species.

Singing varieties of the domestic canary were bred in order to improve the vocal natural data in male canaries. Such pets are able to reproduce a large number of sounds, and even individual simple melodies, while the shape of the body and the color of the plumage do not really matter:

• singing German canary or German Roller (German Roller Сanary) - characterized by a low voice, a fairly quiet sound, as well as the ability to reproduce sounds without opening its beak. The presence of discontinuity in trills, sharp and crackling sounds, as well as individual cries or high whistles is a disadvantage;
• singing Belgian canary or Belgian Malinois (Waterslager Сanary) - has a beautiful singing and attractive appearance. Trills are represented by murmurs, gurgles and gurgles with the main nightingale tours;
• singing Spanish canary or Spanish Timbrados (Spanish Timbrado Canary) - easily reproduces three song tours, which are represented by a strictly defined sequence of placer trills with metallic echoes;
• Singing American Canary or American Singer (American Singer Canary) - a species obtained by crossing a German Roller with a decorative Border canary. so feathered home pet characterized by melodic and loud singing, and also has a beautiful appearance.

This is interesting! The singing Russian canary is also among the most popular species for home keeping. The song of such a bird is very rich in the trills of the tit, as well as the common bunting and dubrovnik.

Lifespan

The life expectancy of a domestic canary is greatly influenced by the surrounding microclimate, including temperature, humidity levels and lighting. Most often, the average life span of a canary in captivity does not exceed twelve years, but recently real feathered centenarians who have crossed the fifteen-year milestone have been increasingly encountered.

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Canaries are quite easily tamed, quite trusting, lend themselves well to “education” and breed very successfully in home conditions. Such feathered pets can be kept not only in cages, but also in specially equipped enclosures.

Selection and filling of the cell

The choice of a cage for a canary must be approached very carefully.. Cages made from hardwoods, including beech, oak, and ash, are best suited for keeping a feathered pet. It is also allowed to use metal cages that are easy to wash and disinfect.

Recently, more and more houses made of plexiglass are being purchased for keeping canaries. Standard cage dimensions can be 30-35x20-22x27-29 cm with a distance between the bars of no more than 12-14 mm. It is best to choose models in which the doors are located on the side, and there is also a double retractable bottom.

The feeder can be installed directly on the cage bottom, but in this case the risk of clogging the feed increases, so the best option is to install traditional retractable feeders. As a filling of a canary cage, a round perch with a rough surface is most often considered. Group keeping of poultry involves the purchase of a cage cage, as well as a spacious flying cage.

Domestic canaries are very fond of water procedures.. Regular bathing helps to cleanse the skin and strengthen the plumage. Water for such bathing must be at room temperature.

The bathing suit is attached to the outer side of the door in such a way that during the procedures water does not enter the cage. After water procedures, the bathing suit is removed and the door is closed. The process of bathing a domestic canary must be taught from a very early age.

Important! The cage should be located in a well-lit place, but not in direct sunlight and not where there are drafts, and if the room is closed, then periodically you need to let the feathered pet fly.

Care and hygiene

The cage is cleaned at least a couple of times a week. At the time of cleaning, the pet needs to be transplanted into a carrier or another, clean makeshift cage.

During the cleaning process, all inventory, represented by a pallet, feeders, drinkers and perches, must be removed from the cage and thoroughly washed with hot water, then scalded with boiling water or disinfected with a strong infusion of chamomile. A clean cage and inventory must be thoroughly wiped or thoroughly dried.

Dry chamomile is poured under the cage tray, and dry and clean river sand, as well as a thin layer of crushed eggshell, is required to be poured onto the tray, which will serve as a very effective top dressing that improves the digestion of a feathered pet. Then feed is poured into the feeders. Water should be clean, drinkable, at room temperature.

What to feed a canary

Canary feeding is carried out a couple of times a day, at a strictly defined time. Soft food, insects, as well as a variety of feed mixtures are given in the morning, and all major vegetables, fruits and greens can be fed to canaries every day, in the evening. The choice of food depends on the breed characteristics and age of the canary, as well as the way the feathered pet is kept and the season. Aviary and flocking content involves an increase in the feed ration.

Improper organization of feeding can provoke metabolic disorders in poultry and feather loss. A decorative and singing feathered pet should be taught from an early age to consume a variety of food. At the laying stage and during the period of feeding the chicks, it is very important to increase the amount of feed, as well as the frequency of its giving per day, by introducing highly nutritious additional feeds.

It is possible to correctly determine the daily norm of feed for ornamental birds only by experience, taking into account the individual characteristics of the bird and its appetite. Experienced canary owners recommend focusing on the following composition:

• grain mixture - 20 g;
• apple - half a piece;
• calcium gluconate or glycerophosphate - one tablet;
• fresh cabbage leaves - one piece;
• grated carrots - one teaspoon;
• chopped chicken egg - a couple of teaspoons;
• glucose - one tablet;
• millet, buckwheat or rice steep porridge - 5.0 g;
• white bread or crackers - one slice;
• milk for soaking white bread - a couple of teaspoons;
• fresh cottage cheese - one teaspoon.

In winter, the food should be supplemented with fish oil and brewer's yeast.. The more varied the daily diet of a domestic canary is, the fewer problems will arise with the health of a feathered pet. It is strictly forbidden to give sprigs of oak, pear, poplar, coniferous plants and bird cherry to canaries.

Health, disease and prevention

Sick pet in without fail should be deposited in a separate, so-called quarantine cage.

The most common, common canary diseases can be represented by:

For the purpose of prevention, it is very important to fully comply with the regime of keeping domestic birds in captivity, maintain cleanliness in the cage and provide the canary with complete, balanced feed. With sudden changes in the behavior of the bird, the appearance of lethargy or apathy, loss of appetite, as well as a violation of the stool, it is very important to consult a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Breeding domestic canaries in captivity is not too difficult. A bird ready to breed shows the main signs of arousal. In this case, the canaries scream loudly and flap their wings, and also flit from place to place and become very restless. Kenar during this period begins to sing loudly, but monotonously and briefly, and females are actively looking for any construction material to make a nest.

Breeding domestic canaries can be done in one of two ways:

• the first method of breeding in captivity - as close as possible to natural conditions and biologically correct. In this case, the presence of a male becomes mandatory at all stages of reproduction;
• the second method of breeding in captivity - the kenar must be removed from the cage without fail immediately after the female has laid eggs. In this case, all care for the offspring falls entirely on the female.

A pair of canaries ready for breeding should be launched into a small cage, in which a nesting base is preliminarily installed. The standard dimensions of a cage with a cage are 50x40x40 cm. The optimal diameter of the cage is 10 cm with a depth of 5-6 cm. The breeding cage must be installed in the most illuminated part of the room.

The formation of a strong pair for offspring is accompanied by the pursuit of the female by the canary, her feeding and numerous copulations. As a rule, the clutch consists of four or five eggs, which are incubated by the female. Embryo development takes approximately two weeks. The eyes of the chicks open around the fourth or fifth day of life.

Important! Chicks should be separated from the parent pair only at the age of one month, transplanting them into a separate, but not too large cage.

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Buying a homemade canary

Bird lovers, breeders and breeders are united by the World Ornithological Confederation or Confederation Ornithological Mondiale (COM). The main goals of this organization are represented by the conservation of breeds and species of birds that are bred by man, as well as the conservation of natural gene pools.

You can buy a healthy and completely appropriate type of feathered pet at the Russian Canary Support Fund and the Moscow Canary Club. Buying a bird "from hand" is very often associated with the risk of getting a sick pet. It should be noted that average cost the male is 4.0-6.5 thousand rubles, and the females - a little more than one thousand rubles.

Domestic canaries are a subspecies of the canary finch that lives in the wild in the Canary Islands. They began to domesticate them in the 16th century. Since then, selective breeding has produced many different types canaries.

For several centuries, these birds have already been “written in the genes” that they can only live at home with people, they are not adapted to life on the street, since they are very different from their wild ancestors.

How many years canaries live at home?

Canaries- These are unpretentious and hardy birds. Loving owners who follow all the simple recommendations for caring for them have birds that live 8-12 years. There are times when long-lived canaries live 15-18 years. Proper nutrition has the greatest impact on life expectancy.

You need to pay special attention to this and never give in to the temptation to treat your feathered pet with food that is not suitable for him. The second important condition is the correct location of the cage, because the bird will spend a huge amount of time in it, even if the owners let it fly.

General requirements for a cage:

• Dimensions

Regardless of the material from which it will be made, it is important to pay attention to the size.

The minimum cage size for one canary is 36x16x24 cm. As a rule, singing males are kept alone.

The minimum cage size for a pair of canaries is 50x25x30 cm.

Important! The distance between the rods should be no more than 1 cm, a maximum of 1.2 cm, otherwise the bird will easily stick its head between them and may get stuck and die.

• The form

Only rectangular or square cages are suitable for birds. Round ones look spectacular, but it is impossible to settle canaries and any other birds in them, they feel very uncomfortable in cages of this shape.

• doors

There should be two. One should open outward or rise up, moving along the bars. There must be a second door designed to hang a bathing suit.

There must be a retractable tray, this facilitates cleaning in the cage, it will not be necessary to disturb the birds every time, unfastening the bottom completely. This will only need to be done during general cleaning.

Types of cells depending on the material

• Wooden

These are the most suitable and environmentally friendly cages. They can be completely wooden, that is, even rods are made of wood. But more often a frame and a pallet are made of wood, and metal rods are inserted. They make cages from ash, oak, beech. These are the most expensive, but the most comfortable cages for birds.

• Metal with plastic pallets

These are the most common and cheapest cages and can be found at any pet store. Available with chrome, galvanized or painted rods. Since canaries do not gnaw anything, you can choose a cage with any rods.

Reference. Through galvanized or chrome-plated rods, the bird will be better seen. Against the background of rods painted with blue, green, yellow paint, the bird can “get lost”, it is better to choose with white ones.

• Plexiglas

Such cages can be seen in pet stores, in which birds are put on display for sale. Three walls of the cage are made of transparent plexiglass, and the front wall and roof are made of metal rods. Thanks to the closed three walls, the birds practically do not scatter garbage around the cage, while they have enough air and lighting. There must be a pull-out tray for cleaning. Such a cage can be made independently or ordered from a master; they are rarely on sale.

Choice of accessories

Many cages, usually metal ones with plastic pallets, come with accessories, but not all of them are suitable.

Cage with accessories for canaries

What must be in a canary's cage:

• perches

If plastic perches are included, throw them away immediately. Birds are not allowed to sit on them. Only wooden perches are suitable, which are easy to make yourself. For canaries, the diameter of the perches should be about 1-1.5 cm.

Willow branches, any fruit trees, mountain ash, ash, maple, oak will do. You do not need to remove the bark, just cut off the knots, if any, you can polish these places to make the perch smooth.

Reference. Only on wooden perches will a canary naturally wear down its claws. This does not happen on plastic ones, the claws grow too long, you have to catch the bird and cut them, corns on the paws can also form.

No need to clutter up the cage with perches. For a small one, two is enough. They should be positioned so that the canary does not beat its tail against the bars when it sits on the perch.

• drinkers

Must be special designed for birds. They are hung outside the cage, a small container is pushed inside through the bars, where water is poured from a large bottle. You can’t just put some kind of container with water in the cage, as the bird can fall into it and drown. Also, the water in an open container will be constantly polluted and deteriorate quickly, which can lead to poisoning of canaries.

Important! In autumn, in winter, one drinker is enough for 1-2 birds. In summer, you need to add a second one, since canaries begin to drink much more than in the cold season. If more than two birds are kept in one cage, several drinkers are immediately hung.

• feeders

The kit usually comes with two feeders. But there should be three or four of them in a cage. If the kenar is kept alone, three feeders are enough: one for grain, the second for soft food, and the third for mineral supplements.

For a pair of canaries, four feeders are needed: two for grain, a third for soft food and a fourth for mineral supplements.

If more than two canaries live in a cage, it is best to put one large grain feeder on the floor. For these purposes, a large plastic food bowl is suitable. Birds will climb into it and eat, thanks to the high sides, the grain will not scatter in all directions. Mineral top dressing should be poured into a hinged small feeder, and the second one should be used for soft food.

• bathing suit

When choosing, it is important to pay attention to its size so that it fits a special door. A bathing suit is hung on this door from the outside.

Important! The top of the bathing suit and its tray must be securely snapped into place. If the connection is not secure, there is a risk that the bottom of the bathing suit will fall off due to the weight of the poured water and the bathing canary. For reliability, it is better to fasten the bottom and top of the bathing suit with small screws.

The bathing suit must be hinged. If you put water in a container at the bottom of the birds, they will bathe, but they will splash everything around, there will be dirt in the cage after such a bath, it will have to be washed immediately.

• Toys

Canaries are much less interested in them than parrots, but you can still hang bells, mirrors and other bird toys to decorate the cage. Swings for canaries are useless - they will not ride them. Also, canaries do not hang ladders.

Location selection

The cage should be in a well-lit place close to the window, but in no case should direct sunlight fall on the birds.

Attention! You can not put the cage on the windowsill, even if the sun's rays do not fall on the birds, it will still be too hot in summer and cold in winter.

It is best to place the cage on a table or nightstand next to a window.

In no case should canaries stand in a draft, otherwise they will catch a cold and die. Keep this in mind when airing the room. Ideally, you need to choose a place for the cage so that when opening the window for ventilation, the birds do not have to be transferred to another place.

Do not place the cage close to heating appliances and under the air conditioner.

Do not put the cage in a place where someone will constantly walk past it and disturb the birds. Choose a cozy quiet corner for them.

You can not put a cage in the kitchen, birds can inhale pungent odors during cooking and die.

Carrying out cleaning

At the bottom of the cage you need to pour sand calcined in a pan. You can dial it near the river, lake, in a pedestrian park, square, but not on the playground, where all yard cats go to the toilet. Sand should be poured into a clean, dry frying pan and put on the stove. If the sand was wet, you must wait until it dries in a pan, and then ignite it for another 10 minutes. Thus, all microbes will be killed. Only such sand can be poured to the bottom of the cage. You can also buy bird sand at a pet store.

This is the best bedding for canaries. The litter will immediately mix with the sand, and the birds will not dirty their tails. In this case, you will have to clean the cage every 3-4 days. It is necessary to pull out the tray, clean off the old sand with droppings and grain husks with a spatula, wash the tray with soap and pour new sand.

General cleaning is carried out every 2-3 weeks. Canaries at this time are released to fly or transplanted into a small carrier cage or cardboard box. During the general cleaning, the pan, perches, all feeders, drinkers, as well as cage bars outside and inside are washed with laundry soap.

Bird care

Caring for a kenar is simple, you need to properly feed the bird, regularly clean the cage, put a bathing suit every 3-4 days, cut the claws if necessary, let it fly and love it very much. That's all the care for this cute creature.

To cut nails, you need to purchase special scissors at the pet store. If the perches are wooden, then the claws will wear down, but there are times when you need to carefully catch the canary and shorten them.

Attention! Trim the claws very carefully, only the tip, so as not to touch the blood vessel. It is clearly visible, it is visible through the light claws.

You need to let the canary fly at least once a week. It is necessary to close all the windows and the door to the room, remove or curtain the mirrors, close the windows with curtains so that the bird does not crash into them, remove cats and dogs from the room.

If you devote time to your feathered friend and release more often, the canary can be tamed. Most The best way taming - in a large mosquito net, which is also called a canopy. It is hung over the bed, the ends of the mesh should not be lowered to the floor, but carefully tucked in from all sides under the bedspread. The result is an enclosed space, fenced with a net, but spacious enough for such a small bird to fly. If you spend time with canaries released for a walk in such a net-canopy, the birds will very quickly get used to the owner, stop being afraid and sit on their hands.

What do they eat?

The main feed is a grain mixture of canary seed, rapeseed, yellow and red millet, hemp, poppy, oatmeal, chumiza.

Once every 5-7 days they give soft food: boiled egg, grated carrot or apple.

In summer, leaves and flowers of dandelion, plantain, shepherd's purse, knotweed, panicles of wild cereals are sure to be brought. In winter, oat greens are grown in cups and placed in a cage.

Breeding at home

Birds become sexually mature at 1 year. The breeding season is in the spring. Birds need to hang a special nest (sold in pet stores) and give building material for it - hay, pieces of paper napkins.

A couple of weeks before hanging a nest, canaries begin to give a boiled egg with carrots and an admixture of crushed chalk every other day.

The female lays eggs 10 days after the first mating. A canary clutch contains 3-6 eggs.

Attention! From the moment when the female laid her eggs, and until the chicks leave the nest, the cage cannot be moved to another place, otherwise the bird may stop hatching or feeding the babies. Cleaning is carried out very carefully and much less often - once a week.

The bird incubates eggs for 13-14 days. Chicks are born naked, blind and completely helpless. The female feeds them, the male practically does not participate in this. Only after 7-9 days, the chicks begin to open their eyes.

During the period of feeding the chicks, in addition to the grain, the canaries should be given a boiled egg mixed with breadcrumbs daily.

The chicks fully fledge and grow to the size of adult birds in a month, by the age of 40 days young males begin to sing, but their song is fully formed only by 9 months.

Conclusion

Literature

Breze M. Guide to breeding canaries. - St. Petersburg, 1911

Rakhmanov A.I. Singing and ornamental birds. - Kyiv, Harvest, 1995

Dost N. Dergelbe Saenger. - Leipzig - Jena, 1960.

Training of young kenars

Training of young kenars

After jigging from a flying cage to single young kenars, they begin to teach how to perform a correct and rich in sound song. Many years of experience in canary breeding shows that they must “go through a school” of singing, where teachers are primarily well-singing kenars, as well as some songbirds of our fauna, such as buntings and tits. Males involved in breeding, as a rule, are not suitable for teachers, as they are busy feeding their offspring.

In order to educate young singers in the best tune, they use the so-called study cupboard, in which they put cages with young kenars and a kenar-teacher. This cabinet is made with sliding shelves and partitions that fence off the birds so that they do not see each other, but hear well. Being in partial darkness, the young kenars carefully listen to the teacher's singing and, being periodically open to the light, they must sing their song, after which the door closes again and the cage with the young student again plunges into darkness. The training of the young continues until the young canaries achieve the desired success. It often happens that there are unsuccessful feathered students in the "school". They, of course, are rejected and removed from the study cupboard.

Young kenars with a good teacher and proper upbringing can already sing a full song at the age of three or four months, but they become real singers much later, after about a year. With proper care, canaries retain their shape and good singing for up to 10 years or more.

Approximately 10-12 days after the first sexual intercourse, an egg appears in the nest. Further egg-laying occurs daily and in the nest the female lays on average 4 -5 eggs. Young females have fewer eggs. As soon as the canary lays the first egg, it must be replaced with a wooden one. The same should be done with subsequent eggs, putting them in a box with soft bedding. The eggs taken out must be handled with care, they must be removed from the nest not with your hands, but with a small spoon so as not to crush them with your fingers. After the fourth egg, the wooden eggs are removed and real eggs are placed in the nest. This work is best done in the evening, when the female leaves the nest. If the eggs are not replaced with wooden ones, then the chicks will hatch on different days, and not at the same time, which often leads to the death of the youngest chicks. Two weeks after the start of incubation, chicks will appear in the nest. Their parents begin to feed in a day, and the most caring females and after a few hours.

For feeding the chicks, a feeder is placed with chopped chicken, hard-boiled egg, mixed with grated white breadcrumbs. After a few days, you can feed porridge. It is made from rice, millet, milk and one egg and is stored in the refrigerator. To prepare porridge, boil a glass of water,pour a teaspoon of millet into it and cook until the cereal is boiled, after which half a glass of milk is added. As soon as the milk boils, three more teaspoons of pure millet are put into the saucepan and continue to cook. When the porridge is cooked, you need to put a pinch of salt in it and pour the egg. As the age of the chicks increases, the amount of food should be increased.

From the fifth or sixth day of life, the kenar also takes part in feeding the chicks. By the eighth day, the chicks have plumage and open their eyes, and by the twelfth, they are already flying out of the nest. By this period, almost all care for the offspring passes to the male, because the female is preparing for the second laying and incubation of eggs.

After the chicks leave the nest, they must be separated from their parents by a grate and adult birds will feed them through it, sticking their beak. If this is not done, then the chicks can be plucked by their parents. After two weeks, the young are already feeding on their own and eating the grain mixture well. From now on, they need to be transplanted into common cages - kenars into one, females into another - and gradually transferred to a normal diet.

Young kenars already at the age of 18-20 try their abilities in singing. Their song is still far from the song of an adult kenar, but it makes it possible to distinguish males from females that do not sing.

Some canary breeders keep a male with two females. However, breeding in pairs allows you to get better offspring and reduces the burden on females.

Breeding colored canaries is carried out in the same way as singing canaries, only working with them requires more attention and care. For example, mating two dark red individuals produces offspring with sparse plumage. Moreover, some parts of the body remain completely without a feather, the exterior deteriorates, the birds are hatched weak and small. When two pale-colored canaries are crossed, the position changes. Chicks are born strong, with more intense coloration and good external shape.

Good results are obtained when mating a pale-colored female and an intensely colored male. It doesn't matter which one is brighter. In such cases, part of the brood is in the father, the other - in the mother. Of course, with this ratio, defective chicks are also bred, which should be rejected during breeding work.

Preparing canaries for breeding

Preparing canaries for breeding

Around the end of March, when the natural lengthening of the day becomes more and more noticeable, it is necessary to slightly increase the vitamin nutrition of the canaries. For this purpose, egg food is often given (a carrot-rusk mixture with the addition of egg powder or chopped hard-boiled chicken eggs), germinated seeds of wheat, rapeseed or millet, and also make sure that there is always mineral food in the jar (crushed chalk or egg shells) . Fresh greens should be given in abundance and constantly, since an organism "saturated" with vitamins always produces more complete and viable offspring than an organism weakened by malnutrition. For the production of eggs, the female uses a huge amount of energy. To compensate for it, she must eat well and variedly. Under natural conditions, with excess nutrition, females lay more eggs than with a shortage of food. Under unfavorable conditions, birds sometimes may not start nesting at all.

Photoperiod, its influence on canaries and regulation. It is known that the duration of daylight determines the cyclicity of the flow life processes, including breeding canaries. The photoperiod is a key factor in stimulating the onset of breeding in birds. To stimulate reproduction, a gradual increase in daylight hours from 10-12 hours to 16-17 hours is necessary. The longest daylight hours are needed when feeding chicks by parents.

Room size and micro-landscape. The depressed state of canaries when kept in small cages and without a nesting microlandscape suppresses the instinct of reproduction or disrupts its normal course. So, for nesting canaries, it is necessary to hang an open-type nesting device (nesting basket woven from a rope) to the cage, which creates a nesting micro-landscape for the home canary. In addition, a very good measure of preparing canaries for nesting is to keep them in a spacious cage before mating, or to give them the opportunity to fly a lot in the room. Females who lived before the nesting season in a fairly spacious room have the opportunity to strengthen their muscles well, their metabolism increases, their appetite and ability to reproduce improve. Males need such exercise even more, since they usually sit in small cages with naturally limited freedom and therefore with a deficit in movement. Therefore, before mating, canary breeders sometimes let males a week earlier into passage cages, where they fly a lot. In preparation for mating, you should not be afraid to let them into the room together. The main bullies, if any, can be removed and only relatively peaceful birds released into the room. It is much more important to ensure that at the time of mating, both male and female are in particularly good physical condition and are equally capable of nesting.

Pair formation. In a cage, canaries often form homosexual pairs, therefore, before placing them together, males and females should be accurately identified. The exact difference between males and females is manifested in the song: the female does not sing at all, or her song is not as complex and beautiful as that of the male. If one of the birds (most often the female) behaves aggressively, they should again be seated in separate cages and placed side by side so that they get used to each other and the female becomes ready for nesting. With the aggressive behavior of the kenar, the female can lay unfertilized eggs.

Signs of readiness of canaries for nesting. Signs of canary readiness for nesting are clearly visible in mature individuals and during the nesting season. Such signs are found in both kenars and females. When males are ready for nesting, they begin to sing more at the sight of a female, become more lively, energetic, especially when they hear the calls of females. Males at this moment dance on a perch with spread wings.

The female, when ready for mating, begins to restlessly fly from one perch to another, making an inviting sound all the time, which causes the male to tremble. She often grabs a straw with her beak and jumps around the cage with it. The surest sign of readiness is the crouching of the female on the perch and bending of the body at the moment when she hears or sees the singing of the canary. In addition, during the period of readiness, the female begins to pluck out the feathers on her abdomen, which indicates her desire for a male.

If several females sit in a cage, then among them it is easy to identify a ready female in relation to her nesting material. Seeing a piece of cotton wool, a blade of grass or a straw in a cage, a female ready for nesting will greedily grab it even from your hands and will look for a place for a nest holding this piece of material in her beak. If the female is ready for nesting, and there is no nesting basket in the cage, then, for lack of it, she may try to “build” a nest in the feeder, throwing dry blades of grass or other material there. A female that behaves in this way should be immediately transferred from the cage to the cage and let the kenar go to her. It is better, of course, to do this a little earlier, when the female is just beginning to show the need for nesting.

Preparing the cage for the nesting season. Before the start of the nesting season, the cage is disinfected, then the nesting device is hung from the outside to special holes at the top and the birds are let in. In each cage, it is better to keep only a couple of canaries during the breeding season, and it is better to have two open-type nesting devices per female.

If canaries are kept in an aviary in several pairs, then nesting devices should be hung up by two or three pieces more than pairs and placed as far apart as possible. With this arrangement, quarrels between canaries will occur much less often and they will not be excessively cruel. Nesting devices should also be hung in the aviary as high as possible, but not closer. 20 cm from the top and side grilles.

In the very simple form the nesting device is a nesting basket placed in one of the corners of the cage, or suspended from the outside of a special cage or box without a front wall. The bottom of such a device is made of thick plywood, in which there is a round hole the size of a rope basket with a diameter of 8-10 cm, and the walls (side, back and top) are made of plywood or wire mesh. With the open side, such a device is suspended from a hole in the top of the cage on hooks so that it can be removed when necessary. The dimensions of the nesting device are as follows: height - 12 cm, bottom area - 15 x 12 cm, diameter of the hole in the bottom for the nesting basket - 8-10 cm.

Nest device for canaries: a - a cage without a nest basket; b - a cell with a nesting basket; c - nesting basket made of rope; g - nesting basket made of wire

The best nesting baskets are woven from willow twigs or sewn from hemp rope 3-5 mm thick. The dimensions of the basket are as follows: the diameter of the upper part of the basket is 11-12 cm, the bottom is about 4 cm, the height is not more than 10 cm (the diameter of the basket should be 1-2 cm larger than the diameter of the hole in the bottom). Baskets made of twigs or hemp rope can be used for nesting canaries many times after disinfection. Wicker baskets are inserted into the hole in the bottom, in which the female will make a nest for laying and incubating eggs.

The cage should be set up in such a place that the canaries are disturbed as little as possible while incubating and feeding the chicks. This is especially important when incubating eggs and at the beginning of the period after hatching.

Pair selection. Canaries are monogamous, that is, during the breeding season, the male and female form a strong pair that incubates the eggs and feeds the chicks until they are completely independent.

Like other birds, canaries inherit not only physical data (that is, health, exterior, etc.), but also the ability to sing, easy and high-quality susceptibility to difficult, but valuable knees and the least tendency to defects in singing. It is difficult to determine the purebred male or female if their pedigree is unknown. A good exterior and plumage color do not yet mean that the chicks from this pair will inherit good singing or decorative data. Therefore, heredity is precisely the factor that should be the main factor in the selection of a male and a female by an amateur, if he seeks to obtain high-quality offspring with singing that caresses the ear or decorative coloring of plumage. To this end, the male and female must have pedigrees, that is, the amateur must have accurate information about what qualities their ancestors possessed, at least the great-grandparents and great-grandmothers of this pair of canaries.

The main role in obtaining high-quality offspring belongs to the female. She not only inherits her best maternal qualities as a good hen and nurse, but is also the side that transmits the ability to sing. Therefore, it is impossible to mate a female of dubious origin with purebred males or individuals from families with voices that are completely different in pitch. You should also not mate a male and a female with crests on their heads: in offspring, instead of crests, bald spots and bald patches may appear on their heads. With such mating, one of the birds must be without a crest. If the male has green or variegated plumage, and the female has lemon, yellow or other light and uniform plumage, then the offspring will be variegated. The symmetrical arrangement of the feather color makes these birds the most striking and beautiful. Finally, it is unacceptable to mate single-nesting birds, that is, from the same parents. From closely related mating (inbreeding), extremely frail, weak chicks, prone to various diseases, appear. However, sometimes inbreeding is used in selection and breeding work to obtain better offspring.

Pair formation in canaries is the most important step towards successful breeding. Not always two individuals of different sexes, planted in a separate cage, will show interest in each other, form a friendly pair and, under appropriate conditions, begin to reproduce. Aggressiveness towards the other sex can occur for various reasons, but most often due to the aggressiveness of the female, the lack of sexual activity of one of the partners, or due to unsuitable conditions for building a nest. Thus, in order to form a pair, canaries need certain conditions: microclimate, nesting site, specific nesting material and microlandscape, as well as an abundance of food.

In canaries, the male attracts the female with his song, and here it is more correct to say that the female chooses the canary, and not vice versa. However, in canary breeding, more often than not, the amateur himself selects males and females, while pursuing a specific goal. You can only mate healthy, mobile canaries with a clean and smooth plumage. Sick and weak individuals lay unfertilized eggs or produce defective offspring. Too old and immature birds are also unsuitable for offspring.

It is very interesting and useful to watch canaries when they hatch and feed offspring. During this period, the canary breeder experiences great moral and aesthetic pleasure, especially when the chicks fly out of the nest. However, one should not think that these birds are easier to breed than, for example, weaver finches. Sometimes there are also major failures: either not a single chick hatches from the eggs, or the female gives up feeding them at a very early age, or even before the chicks leave the nest. To get offspring from a pair of canaries, you need to show maximum perseverance, have at least a little experience in breeding canaries, and, most importantly, choose the right female and male for each other.

The main conditions for the normal breeding of canaries already selected for this purpose are the correct varied feeding, keeping in a bright and spacious room, a normal microclimate and the presence of a nesting device. If all these conditions are met and the producers are correctly selected by age or sex, then the birds usually start breeding and raise chicks normally. In the absence of any of the above conditions, nest building, oviposition, or feeding of chicks may not take place at all or end unsuccessfully. Let us consider the specific conditions for keeping canaries during the nesting period, which ensure their successful reproduction in the cage.

Canary feeding technique

Canary feeding technique

The amount of food per day is best determined empirically, since canaries, even with the same method of keeping and age, have a different appetite. On average, one canary during the dormant period (autumn-winter) needs 1-1.5 teaspoons of grain mixture per day, as well as some additional feed.

Canaries should be fed daily in the morning, pouring the full norm of the grain mixture, and additional feed during the dormant period are given two to three times a week. As the nesting season begins, especially when chicks appear, feed more frequently and provide more supplementary food (as needed).

During the period of feeding the chicks, as well as within two weeks after their departure from the nest, the young should be fed as needed and given soft food (porridge, carrot-sugar mixture, etc.). At the age of about 6 months, the young animals are gradually transferred to normalized feeding and their fatness is monitored.

It is useful to give cereals to the female and chicks with fish oil at the rate of a drop per teaspoon of soft food. If young animals eat soft food willingly, then at the age of 20 days they can be given other additional feeds, including fresh greens.

When feeding adult canaries and young animals, in order to avoid the occurrence of diseases and the death of birds, the following preventive measures should be taken.

1. When buying grain feed, check that it is not musty, moldy and rancid (taste it), pickled with formalin or any other poisons (seed grain is usually pickled to keep insects out).

2. You need to store the food in a cool, but not damp place, mix it more often, ventilate it, air dry it, scattering it on a piece of paper in a thin layer.

3. Soft foods should only be prepared for one day. Bookmark the feeder in hot weather - more often, in cold weather in summer - less often and in small quantities so that the food does not deteriorate from heat. Do not leave soft food in the feeder at night, they will turn sour and will be unsuitable for feeding.

4. The grain mixture should be sifted through a sieve to remove debris and dirt. This feed is placed in a feeder separate from other feeds.

5. On the day when additional feed is offered to the birds, the grain mixture is given at a reduced rate.

6. During the period of feeding by the female of the chicks, as well as when the young are deposited from their parents, in the first months they give food without the norm and lay as much as they can eat, leaving no residue for subsequent feeding.

7. Do not give water for drinking and bathing directly from the water supply. It should be prepared the day before so that it is not cold and that chlorine comes out of it. The water temperature should be at room temperature (+18 +20°C), it is advisable to change it as it gets dirty, especially in summer. The drinker should be hung inside the cage, not placed on the floor so that the birds do not pollute it.

8. In a separate small jar, there must be clean river sand mixed with chopped chicken egg shells. Before mixing, sand must be thoroughly washed, ignited on a gas burner, after which it can be mixed with crushed shells. After grinding, the shell must be sifted through a fine sieve to prevent the death of birds from injuring the gastrointestinal tract in large pieces. Mineral feed should be changed to fresh as it gets dirty.

Juicy plant food

Juicy plant food

Fruits, vegetables, berries and fresh herbs, like soft foods, belong to the category of additional ones, but unlike soft foods, they should be given to canaries in plenty, as they are a source of vitamins and some minerals. They are given mainly in finely chopped form, berries mixed with soft food or separately whole. From fruits, sweet apples, peaches, apricots, cherries and grapes are most often fed to canaries, giving them in small pieces.

From vegetables, the already mentioned carrots are mainly used, as well as red beets and cabbage. Beets are fed grated, sometimes mixed with crushed white crackers.

Fresh greens are a necessary component of the diet, which should be offered daily. If canaries receive greens (lettuce, wood lice, traditional leaves, spinach, etc.) in sufficient quantities, they usually do not need supplements of vitamin preparations and minerals, except for calcium and phosphorus. From fresh greens, woodlice are best suited, which can be harvested almost throughout the year. Sometimes it is extracted even from under the snow, as it is not afraid of freezing, and after thawing, the stems and leaves of this grass retain their former freshness and elasticity. Woodlouse grows in damp places with loose soil, especially in vegetable gardens and potato beds.

In terms of mineral content, spinach ranks first. It contains a large amount of iron. In addition, spinach is rich in vitamins and stimulates the appetite. It is fed in a mixture with protein supplements (hard boiled chicken eggs, egg powder, etc.). Spinach also prevents canaries from picking feathers. However, it must be given in small amounts, especially at first, otherwise it may cause diarrhea.

The cross is also a common plant, it is readily eaten by young canaries. It contains a significant amount of iron. Another weed, dandelion, can use both young leaves and seeds. The substances contained in it promote blood circulation, enhance digestion and improve appetite.

In winter, canaries can also be fed fresh herbs. To do this, it is grown in boxes, which are filled with a mixture of sawdust and earth (5: 1), sown with seeds of meadow grasses or wheat, watered with water and placed in a bright place. Seeds germinate quickly, and they are given to canaries, having previously been washed with water from the ground and slightly dried in the shade in the wind from moisture.

soft food

soft food

In addition to natural foods, such as those that canaries consume in nature, various mixtures of products of plant and animal origin can also be used. However, such feeds are often unfamiliar to birds. Therefore, at first they do not take them or eat them reluctantly, and when they get used to them, they eat them willingly. These feeds are supplementary and are given in smaller quantities than grain mix.

Soft foods tend to sour quickly, so they are prepared for only one day. They should be fed from a separate feeder and never mixed with a grain mixture. The remaining soft food should be thrown away at the end of the day so that the canaries do not develop gastrointestinal diseases. From soft food, canaries are given cottage cheese, hard boiled and finely chopped chicken egg, white bread soaked in milk or sweet tea, as well as a carrot-rusk mixture, with various additives, such as cottage cheese or chopped chicken egg.

Carrot-crust mixture is prepared from white crackers and juicy grated carrots, mixing them in approximately equal proportions. The resulting mixture should be crumbly, but not dry, after it is obtained, other components are added to the mixture. This food should be prepared immediately before feeding the canaries.

Diets for feeding canaries

Diets for feeding canaries

Table 2 shows the composition of the grain mixture for canaries. Recipe No. 1 is intended for a canary when he sits in a separate cage, No. 2 - for females during the rest period, No. 3 - for the period of molting of birds and No. 4 - for the period of mating canaries and feeding their chicks. The composition of the components of the grain mixture can be changed depending on the availability of seeds and replaced with seeds corresponding in biochemical composition. However, it should be remembered that canaries easily get fat with an excessive abundance of food, so the amount of food must be strictly rationed. Flaxseed and hemp are given only during the molting period. Oilseeds in the diet should not exceed 8% of the total mass of the grain mixture.

table 2

The composition of the grain mixture for canaries (%).

Mixture components	Mix Recipes
	№ 1	№2	№3	№4
Millet of different varieties
Rape
Surepka
Oatmeal (groats)
Canary Seed*
lettuce seed
Weed seeds
Meadow grass seeds
Flax-seed
crushed sunflower
Hemp boiled

* Canary seed can be replaced with oatmeal or lettuce seed.

Practice shows that in the absence of flaxseed in the grain mixture, some canaries experience constipation, and when this component is added to the mixture in an amount of no more than 2-5% of the entire mixture, they disappear. Hemp is given only during the molting of birds, 2-3 grains daily.

grain mixture

grain mixture

The canary belongs to granivorous birds, therefore, the main food for them is the seeds of various, mainly herbaceous, plants (the rest of the food is given in smaller quantities or periodically). A significant part of this mixture is made up of various varieties of millet (white, yellow, gray and red), and other varieties of cereals may also be included: chumiza, canary seed and others. Canaries eat millet, chumiza and magar best of all, but other seeds should also be included in the diet: germinated seeds of wheat, millet and weed seeds. Red millet is eaten worse by birds than other varieties of this cereal, but it contains a lot of carotene - provitamin A, so the presence of it and other varieties of millet in the mixture is mandatory. Millet should be without a musty smell and have a pleasant sweetish aftertaste. Faded, darkened grain is not recommended for birds.

Another component of the grain mixture is oatmeal (oatmeal). This valuable, well-digestible food is oats peeled from the shell and film. Oatmeal can be given to canaries in an amount of up to 20-30% of the total mass of the entire grain mixture. Oatmeal is well absorbed by the body and, despite the presence of a large amount of fat, does not cause obesity in the bird. However, if it is too high in the grain mixture, constipation occurs in birds.

Flaxseed is a nutritious medicinal food for canaries. It contains a significant amount of vegetable oil, which acts as a laxative and, if stored improperly, acquires a bitter aftertaste. During the molting period, birds, especially canaries, are fed 3-4 grains a day, and with constipation, they are given a decoction of flaxseed instead of water. It is better to buy it in a pharmacy and little by little, as it quickly deteriorates.

Chumiza. The grain of this crop is very similar to small millet and may well replace it in the grain mixture, as it is very similar in nutritional value and composition to millet. Chumiza is cultivated in the Far East, the Caucasus and Kazakhstan. This is an excellent food not only for canaries, but also for other finches.

Canary seed belongs to the cereal family and is one of the best grain feeds for canaries. Canary seed is not sown in our country, so it is expensive and is given in a mixture with other grain feeds, where it is 10% or more.

Surepka. This oilseed crop from the cruciferous family is cultivated in the mountainous regions of Armenia and Central Asia. The seeds of the bittercress are often sold in pet stores in various cities of Russia. These canary seeds are reluctant to eat, as they are slightly bitter, but this bitterness disappears when boiled for 3-4 minutes in salted water. The colza prepared in this way is introduced into the composition of the grain mixture for canaries in an amount of up to 10%.

Rape. Cruciferous family. It is an integral part of the grain mixture for canaries. Rape is one-year, spring and two-year, or winter. Seeds of both forms are spherical, small (diameter from 1 to 1.5 mm), in spring rapeseed they are grayish-black or almost dark brown. Winter rape seeds contain from 40 to 45% fat, spring - from 32 to 38%. If stored incorrectly for a long time in a warm, unventilated room, the oil contained in the seeds turns sour and acquires a bitter taste. Canaries eat such rapeseed badly.

The composition of the grain mixture for canaries should contain at least 25% rapeseed, which is not inferior in nutritional value to other feeds, but is eaten much better than colza, which is often confused with rapeseed.

Weed seeds. In addition to cereal grains, it is useful to add seeds of sulfuric and meadow grasses, as well as trees and shrubs, which you can prepare yourself or buy in gardening stores, to the mixture. It is not particularly difficult to prepare seeds of dandelion, plantain, quinoa, birch, alder, horse sorrel for the summer-autumn period. The plucked stems of herbs with seeds are dried by laying them out on plywood, paper in a warm, dry room or in the shade on the street. After drying, the seeds are sent out from the dried stalks and inflorescences, they are collected in cloth bags for storage. Dandelion baskets are harvested before they open and become fluffy balls. The closed basket is cut so that the seeds remain in the basket, and the fluff is thrown away. In the same way, they collect, dry and store catkins and cones of trees and shrubs, the seeds of which are food for many birds.

Feathered immature seeds of weeds and meadow grasses are especially loved, as they are not only nutritious, rich in vitamins and mineral salts, but also very tasty.

Sunflower is the seeds of an oil plant, sunflower, which can also be included in the diet in a mashed form. A small amount of these seeds is easy to crush with a bottle on a board. Crushed seeds do not last long, so they should be crushed immediately before feeding. Sunflower seeds contain 25-45% oil.

Despite the fact that keeping canaries will not bring you much trouble, for the normal life of the birds, you will have to create the right conditions. Unpretentious canaries will need a properly equipped comfortable cage or a spacious aviary, fresh food, regular water treatments, walks around the room and much more.

cozy home

Choosing a place to live canaries

For a cage with a bird, you need to find a suitable place and decide where it will stand, so as not to rearrange it later. Moving for a canary is a lot of stress, it will not be easy for her to get used to the new environment.

To make it easier for the canary to adapt to a new place, at first she will need peace. If you start moving the cage to other places, the bird's mood may worsen and anxiety about changing housing will develop into nervousness.

The center of the room or the floor are not the best places for a cage because of the possible draft that can cause a cold in a canary. The presence of drafts is easy to check with a burning match or candle. If the flame fluctuates, then there is a draft.

Putting a cage in the kitchen is also a bad option - toxic fumes from burning Teflon, dishwashing detergent and other things can poison the bird. In addition, there are often drafts in the kitchen due to ventilation.

The hallway is also not suitable for a canary. The constant movement of the household will disturb the bird. And from the periodically opening door, the same draft, harmful to bird health, arises.

It is good if you put the canary in the room where you most often visit. Then the bird will not feel lonely. And you can combine the usual business and communication with a feathered friend.

Dark corners, heaters are also unsuitable places. In the dark, the bird will feel bad. She will become lethargic, drowsy, and will rarely sing. Due to too dry air, she may develop dermatitis or baldness. What climate is suitable for living canaries at home, we will describe below.

It is better to place the cage near the wall opposite the window. The wall will give the canary a sense of security, and the window - a lot of sunlight, which favorably affects the development of the bird. You can’t put the cage on the window itself: in winter, the canary can freeze, and in summer it can overheat or get sunburned.

Top, bottom or middle

In addition, at the bottom, the canary can become a target for a pet, and carbon monoxide accumulates at the top. Especially in houses with stove heating. Even a small amount of carbon monoxide can kill a canary, which is still used by miners in some countries. To avoid the death of a bird, you can not smoke next to it, light aroma sticks or spray aerosols.

For the cage, you can purchase a special stand with a low center of gravity that holds the cage in one position. At the top of the stand there is a hook on which the cage is hung. On sale you can find convenient tables for cages, equipped with drawers for storing bird accessories and.

Optimal climate

In order for the canary to feel good in your home, keep the temperature for it at eighteen to twenty-two degrees and the humidity at least fifty percent.

In the warm season, take the cage to fresh air so that the bird can sunbathe. Cover part of the cage with a cloth to create shade so the canary doesn't get sunburned. Keep an eye on the canary while walking, otherwise predator birds and cats can hurt her.

In winter, the canary will need additional light. To artificially increase daylight hours, use ultraviolet lamps by placing them a meter from the cage. And for warming, half a meter from the cage, you can install an electric lamp of twenty-five watts.

Alternative option

Instead of a cage for canaries, you can purchase or make an aviary with your own hands. In such a structure, the birds will feel protected, especially if the interior of the enclosure is as close to natural conditions as possible. Depending on the season, enclosures can be divided into two types: indoor and outdoor.

Let's take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of each type.

room view

Indoor enclosures are suitable for keeping a large number of canaries, so it is better to put such a structure for those who plan to breed them. In the indoor aviary, birds have the opportunity not only to communicate with relatives, but also to choose a pair to taste.

Although it is possible to keep one singing canary in the aviary. The natural environment, which is easy to create in a spacious enclosure, can reveal new musical talents in it. For example, you can place many plants, branches of deciduous trees in the aviary.

It is more convenient to install such an aviary in the corner of the room. In this case, you will have to do only one wall. Its height can be equal to the height of the room, at least two meters must be retreated from the corner. It is good if the aviary is located near the window.

It does not matter whether you buy a ready-made aviary or make it yourself, the main thing is what material it will be made of. Its frame can be wood, plastic or metal. Outside, the aviary can be decorated under the interior of the room. If you are going to paint it, do it only from the outside - the paint can poison the canaries.

The mesh that wraps around the frame should be made of stainless steel with a chrome or nickel finish. Copper or brass mesh can oxidize and become poisonous to birds. Galvanized nets are also harmful - a canary can get poisoned if it swallows a loose piece. The optimal size of the grid cells is one and a half by one and a half millimeters.

The aviary should have a pallet that facilitates the cleaning of the aviary. It is better to choose a stainless steel tray - it is durable and easy to clean. Plywood pallets quickly become unusable under the influence of moisture and litter; they cannot be treated with boiling water or chemical solutions. Tin pallets bend easily. If you make a pallet from separate tin sheets, gaps will form between them. It is difficult to choose litter and leftover food from them.

To keep the enclosure as clean as possible for as long as possible, you need to pour sand or special gravel on the pallet, which is sold in any pet store.

The main disadvantage of indoor aviary is a lot of noise. Not everyone is able to withstand the discordant singing of canaries, among which it is difficult to distinguish the songs of individual canaries. The closer the nesting period, the louder the singing will be. In addition, birds can arrange fights for partners or territory.

Bird food and droppings not removed in time can attract small rodents: mice, rats. They can scare canaries and infect them. Rats can even eat chicks sleeping on the floor. To prevent the appearance of rodents, it is necessary not only to periodically clean the enclosure, but also to beat half a meter of walls from the floor and the floor itself with iron sheets. Make sure there are no gaps.

street view

If you can keep canaries in an indoor aviary all year round, then the outdoor view is only suitable for the warm season. This is its plus - fresh air and sunlight favorably affect the health of canaries.

You can install an outdoor aviary on the balcony or in the courtyard of a private house. Minimum dimensions:

• length - four meters;
• width - two meters;
• height is two meters.

To prevent rats, ferrets or cats from getting into the aviary, it must have a solid foundation. Dig a hole sixty centimeters, fill ten of which with rubble. Then lay a metal mesh smeared with tar, the diameter of the cells of which should not exceed ten millimeters.

Surround the pit around the perimeter with brick and concrete blocks, in which fasten wooden blocks every half a meter. Fill in another twenty centimeters with rubble. The remaining thirty centimeters should consist of soil. Attach boards to the bars so that the aviary has three closed walls. The fourth wall must be covered with the same mesh as that of the indoor aviary. The roof can be made from boards. The main thing is that there are no gaps anywhere.

The main food of canaries are mixtures consisting of oats, millet, hemp and canary seeds and other grains and seeds. What else can be given to these birds, you will learn from the article.

pet care

Canaries that are cared for regularly look good and feel great. Constantly monitoring their appearance, physical and mental state, you prolong their life and make it more comfortable.

If a bird cannot sharpen its claws in a natural way, they begin to grow and interfere with it. Because of the long claws, the canary runs the risk of breaking fingers. Hang a special grindstone and bark perches in the cage. If this does not help, you will have to cut the bird's claws yourself.

Use nail scissors or tweezers. Carefully, trying not to touch the blood vessel, cut off two millimeters from each claw. If you still touched the claw capillary and blood began to flow, drip hydrogen peroxide onto the wound.

When caring for a bird, do not forget to hang a bathing suit in the cage. In summer, this should be done daily, and in winter - twice a week. By installing a swimsuit, you will give the birds the opportunity to freshen up and put their feathers in order.

Water should be at room temperature at twenty-seven degrees. To prevent the bird from choking, the water level should not exceed two and a half centimeters. Choose a bathing suit with a rough bottom that will prevent the canary from slipping.

For swimming, choose the first half of the day so that the bird has time to dry before the evening. You can not dry canaries with a hairdryer - its vapors are fatal for them. And the towel dries the bird's skin. Better put the bird in a cage and put a twenty-five watt lamp half a meter away from it.

If the birds are ready to splash all day, remember to change the water every three to four hours. Due to dirty water, a pet can. If the canary doesn't want to bathe, don't force it. Better try to interest by playing with water with your fingers or by spraying it on the cage with a spray bottle.

Canary care is not complete without regular walks around the room. Free flying allows the birds to keep themselves in shape. Before each walk, check the safety of the room: close doors and windows, remove poisonous plants, small objects, toxic substances, liquid containers, drive out pets.

Canaries, the maintenance and care of which is at the proper level, live happily ever after. The state of feathered pets depends only on your attention and efforts.

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