Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 2: Preparing to mate
• Part 2 of 2: Mating the canaries
• Warnings

Canaries are wonderful birds to have around the house because they are easy to care for and can be relatively good on their own. However, there is one thing about canaries that is not that easy and that is breeding them. Breeding canaries requires some prior planning, specialized equipment, special food, and luck. Proper breeding of these birds is important as this ensures a stress-free environment and a greater chance of progeny. If you plan to breed canaries, only do so if you can take care of all the offspring, in case you cannot find suitable housing for them.

To step

Part 1 of 2: Preparing to mate

1. Buy breeding supplies. In addition to the basic supplies you should already have for your birds, you also need a large cage for the canaries to mate in. You also need a nest for the females to lay her eggs in, as well as nesting material that the female will use to build the nest. You may also need a light to aim at the cage if your area of ​​residence has less than 14 hours of daylight per day.
   • There are special breeding cages for sale in which the male and female can first get to know each other without making physical contact. These cages have a divider in the middle, which can be removed when the canaries are allowed to mate.
   • Canary nests are available for purchase at specialist pet stores. If you buy a ready-made nest, you should also buy some nesting material that your canaries can add to the ready-made nest.
2. Keep the canaries separate until it is time to mate. Unless they are actually mating, canaries should be kept in their own cage. Males have a tendency to fight and may kill females if they are not ready to mate. However, their cages can be in the same room.
3. Watch for signs that the canaries are ready to mate. Usually mating is done in the spring. Canaries like to mate at a temperature of about 21 degrees Celsius and when there is about 14 hours of daylight. These conditions can be mimicked indoors to encourage mating. Males and females behave differently when ready to mate.
   • Male canaries are usually ready to mate earlier than females. Signs that they are ready include dropping their wings when they sing and singing rougher and louder. They may also dance on their perches and engage in more territorial behavior when other males are around.
   • Females usually begin to shred paper, as if to build a nest, when they are ready to mate. The most obvious sign, however, is when her cloaca looks red and swollen. Furthermore, females can hold their tails up and may appear to be crouching when males are around.
4. Place the male and females close to each other, but not in the same cage. Place their cages next to each other or place the birds in a special breeding cage with a divider in the middle. This will allow the birds to get used to each other and their behavior towards each other will tell you when they are ready to mate.
5. Add a nest to the breeding cage, on the female's side. If you are simply using a large cage instead of a breeding cage, place the nest with the female in the cage. Once the female has started adding nesting material to her nest, it is a sign that she is preparing for mating.
6. Feed them an appropriate diet. Breeding canaries should be fed a suitable diet consisting of pellet feed, fortified seed, soft food and, from several weeks before breeding until they stop feeding their chicks, calcium supplements. Sea foam is recommended to provide the extra calcium needed for healthy egg laying. The specialty foods are available for purchase in pet stores.

Part 2 of 2: Mating the canaries

1. Place the canaries together when they show signs that they are ready to mate. This can be evident as they kiss each other and the female begins to fill the nest with nesting material. When both canaries are ready, they will put each other through the bars To kiss by pushing their pelvis together. This can happen immediately, or it can take a few days after you put them together. Once they are ready to mate, you can put them in the same cage.
   • Watch out for fighting. If they start to fight, take them apart immediately and watch for signs that they are both still ready for mating. However, mating can be quite aggressive, so make sure they are actually fighting and not just mating.
2. Watch for mating behavior. This starts with the male courting the female. Once she is ready, she will bow down, indicating her willingness. The male mounts the female in short, consecutive sessions.
3. Watch for eggs in the nest. The female can lay two to six eggs. She will lay one egg a day, usually in the morning. It usually takes 14 days for the chicks to hatch. They must be able to hatch without assistance.
4. Leave the chick with the male and female until they start to eat on their own. This usually happens when the chicks are about three weeks old. In the beginning, the mother canary will constantly stay with her babies while the father brings her food. The father will then gradually take over the feeding of the chicks and ensure that they are getting enough food. Once the chicks are able to feed on their own and have their full plumage, which means that their feathers are developed enough to fly, you can put them in their own cage.
   • At this point you also have to separate the parents again.

Warnings

• Canaries are not normally social birds. So putting a male and female together while they are not ready to mate is more likely to result in drama rather than eggs. You need to be very sure that your birds are ready to mate when you introduce them to each other.