Differentiate and separate males from females outside the breeding season.
First of all, canaries are not sociable birds by nature, so they should be kept in separate cages outside the breeding season. If they live together, fierce fights between the males may occur or they may attack a female if she rejects them.
It is easier to differentiate males from females when they are in the breeding season, since during this stage only males sing and only females prepare the nest.
Breeding cage and nest preparation
Place the breeding cage in a quiet place, away from the frequent passage of people and animals. To ensure the health of the breeding pair and their future offspring, you will have to clean, disinfect and fumigate the cage with specific products. Likewise, all the accessories and tools to be used for breeding canaries at home must be perfectly clean.
It is very important to have the appropriate nest. Avoid closed nests, as they make it difficult to check the eggs. The nidos para la cría de canarios can be made of a wide variety of materials, from fabrics made of natural fibers to those made of plastic or metal. The latter are easier to disinfect and can be reused.
When the reproductive season arrives, female canaries begin to make their nest, collecting the materials they find around them, such as paper, plants or feathers. You can make the task easier for them by providing them with a natural, warm and comfortable material so that the females themselves can finish making the bed where they will lay their eggs and feed their offspring.
The first meeting
The most appropriate way to bring the female closer to the male is by using a special canary breeding cage with a vertical partition. When the male and female begin to kiss through the bars, it is time to remove the partition panel so that courtship can begin. It is very important to watch the behavior of the male. If the male begins to aggressively peck the female, it is necessary to separate them to avoid injury. After a few hours, you can try again.
The setting
Female canaries usually lay between 5 and 8 eggs. To ensure that the chicks hatch all at the same time, you will need to replace the real eggs with plastic canary breeding egg substitutes. The procedure is very simple: every time the female canary lays an egg, replace it with a plastic one. As soon as the canary finishes spawning, replace all the plastic eggs with the original eggs. Some female canaries have difficulties to expel the eggs, if this happens you should visit your veterinarian as soon as possible.
When all the eggs are in the nest, the female begins to hatch. After 3 days the eggs can be candled to see if they contain an embryo. If they are empty, you can do a second check after 5 days and, if they are not fertilized, you should remove them from the nest to make room for a new clutch. Do not forget to wash your hands thoroughly or wear gloves to handle the canary eggs and avoid rejection by the female. Hygiene is essential!
Care of the offspring
The chicks hatch about 14 days after the female begins to hatch all the eggs together. The canaries are born blind, without plumage and do not need any help other than the unconditional care of their parents. To make their task easier, you only have to provide them with fresh water and a good quality canary food, consisting of a mixture of seeds and vitamins.
The most appropriate diet for breeding canaries at home is completed with a daily ration of fortifying breeding paste, a portion of fruit or vegetables and a few drops in the breeding water. vitaminas para aves.
The time to leave the nest
Within about three weeks, the chicks are sufficiently developed to move into their own cage. When the breeding pair is again left alone in the special canary breeding cage, you can change the nest to make way for a new brood. A well-fed breeding pair with a protein-rich diet can produce up to three broods in a single breeding season.
