Part 9

COLOR BRED CANARIES

Ever since it was discovered some years ago that the hybrid chicks resulting from crossing the canary and the South American Black-hooded Red Siskin were sometimes fertile when bred back to canaries and that this crossing could produce a natural red tint in the canary feathering, there has been much experimentation by breeders all over the world in an endeavor to produce an all red canary. To date some beautiful tints of orange, copper, and pink have been produced and a truly red canary seems a possibility. This discovery of a fertile hybrid has proved a major contribution to canary breeding, and breeders today are reexamining some of the other crosses between canaries and related wild birds for fertility.

For the amateur who has gained a degree of proficiency in handling canaries, there is hardly a more fascinating phase of the hobby. We welcome questions from those who undertake this work.

DISTINGUISHING THE SEX OF CANARIES

We have seen many experts sex canaries, and have come to the conclusion that the best proof that a canary is a hen occurs when she produces an egg, and likewise, that her companion is a male, if the egg is fertile. However, there are many other characteristics associated with the sex differences of canaries.

For example, the cock canary:

1. Sings 2. Has a bolder eye and look about the head 3. When in breeding condition in the spring, has an elevated vent which definitely protrudes like a wart.

The hen canary, by contrast,

1. Does not sing 2. Is not so bold about the eye and head 3. Has a flat, unelevated vent.

These characteristics are all subject to exceptions. We find good males that do not sing, good hens that do sing; males of one strain having a female appearance about the head when compared with hens of a heavy strain of birds, and vice versa. There are also cases where the vent areas of both male and female are very similar except when in breeding condition.

Errors are most likely when a breeder sexes spring hatched canaries in the fall. The breeder will separate the observed singers from the non-singers, as male and female. Then he goes through the non-singers for some indication in the appearance of the head or vent area, and makes a further tentative separation. Such division can only be moderately reliable, because only a few strongly sexed young males tend to come into breeding condition early. An error of as much as 25% is not unusual in fall sexing.

For your guidance a good indication of a young male canary is that he sings with a noticeable swelling of the throat. From January and February on through June the male in breeding condition will have a noticeably raised vent as well as strong song. In pairing birds it may be expected that any male in breeding condition will pair with any female in breeding condition, providing there is not a very great difference in size.

Canary Accidents And Illnesses

With good food and care, and barring accident, there is no reason why a healthy canary from healthy parents should live less than a normal span of 12 to 14 years before old age causes a breakdown. The ailing singer is not difficult to pick out. Usually the first sign is that he stops singing. Whether the bird is cock or hen, a sudden change from its normal sleek appearance and lively action bears immediate study.

BALDNESS

When two crested canaries are bred together some of the chicks will be permanently bald. Another cause, apparently, is the tendency for some birds to constantly rub their heads against the perch or bars of the cage. This condition is sometimes accompanied, or perhaps caused by the presence of lice.

Sometimes baldness is caused by an incomplete moult, the lost feathers not having been replaced during the regular moulting season. Sometimes severe changes in the weather during the moult, or food deficiency during the moult is the cause of incomplete feather growth.

There is no treatment for inherited baldness. If lice or mites are present, treat the bird as indicated under "Mites." See that the bird has a normal seed diet with plenty of greens, a cuttle bone in the cage, plus egg food and moulting food two or three times each week. Allow the bird to exercise as much as possible, and there is a good chance that during the next regular moult the feathers will return.

BLINDNESS

There is no cure for blindness. We have known birds to be totally blind for months before the condition was observed by the owner. There is apparently no pain, and blind birds sometimes sing freely. However, they move about very little, and while the variety and balance of their diet must be maintained, they should not be fed as much as normal birds.

BROKEN BONES

Wing, upper leg, and toe breaks should be allowed to heal with no assistance other than seeing that the bird is not disturbed. Breaks in the lower leg can often be set and splinted successfully with thin cotton padding on the leg and pieces of toothpicks bound snugly with cotton thread, but not so tightly as to cut off circulation.

Always remove the swing and all high perches from the cage, and arrange food and water so that the bird can get at them with as little movement as possible.

BROKEN FEATHERS

When tail and flight feathers are broken, they will grow in again at once if they are carefully pulled out. If it is near the regular moulting season, it is advisable to let them be shed naturally.

CHILLS AND COLDS

A chill or a cold in a canary is recognized by the bird sneezing and sitting with its feathers puffed up. Sometimes there is hoarseness, and if the nasal discharge is very heavy there may be complete loss of voice, temporarily. The cold will usually work itself off if the bird is given reasonable care. Sometimes, however, if the bird is in a more or less rundown condition and the infection is strong, a more serious condition such as pneumonia will result quickly.

Keep the bird free from drafts, and locate the cage where the temperature is as even as possible and warm rather than cold. Return to a regular diet with plenty of green foods. If the room cools off at night, cover the cage and avoid awakening the pet at night. Test for the presence of mites. If some are found, treat as directed under "Mites." Observe the droppings and make adjustments in the food if they are not normal as explained under "Constipation and Diarrhoea" below.