CAGE BIRDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22350, 22 February 1936, Page 31 (Supplement)

CAGE BIRDS

QUR studies in French moult are now nearing their close. The ideas of the best known fancierß in England have been given during this series of articles. The causes of French moult seem to fall into four groups; hereditary aspect, food, environment and weather conditions. These aspects, based on knowledge and experience in England, have been carefully summed up by " Alpha " in an interesting article which will bo reproduced during the next two or three weeks. He states: — " I have bred and exhibited budgies for a few years, my present stock being between 300 and 400 birds, breeding pairs this year about 40, both in cages and aviaries. Most of these pairs were bred by me, the original stock being drawn from various sources, but in the main from a successful exhibitor. Until this year I had no sign of feather trouble, though I have bred a good many hundreds. I feed in the usual way, half white millet, half canary, both being drawn from two or more countries, for I am a firm believer in Mr. Allen Silver's theory that it is advantageous to use seed of different origins. In addition, I give a proportion of cod liver oil (mixed in the seed) and in the late autumn, winter and early spring months a small proportion of clipped oats. "Green stuff in fairly liberal quantity is always available (chickweed for preference), as also is cuttle-fish bone, fine grit, sand and rock salt. Clean tap water once a day is the rule, and 1 have never used soft food in any shape or form or soaked or sprouted seed. My birds have plenty of space, the aviaries are kppt clean, and nest boxes are cleaned out once every two days from the time the young are hatched, sawdust being sprinkled in' their removable bottoms. Red mite have been conspicuous by their absence. Defective-leathered Young

"My stock is not being jeopardised constitutionally by taking too many nests, breeding with immature parents, close in-breeding, or by adopting any of those methods which have hitherto been popularly assumed to produce ' runners.' On the other hand, judged by my exhibition results, the average standard of quality of my birds has consistently risen. Yet, for no apparent reason, defective-feathered young to the extent of nearly 10 per cent, of the total hatched have put in an appearance this year. " As far as I am aware, the only difference in treatment which my birds have received this year is that I gave rather larger proportions of cod liver oil and clipped oats, mixing up quarter to half cwt. seed with oil each time. I mention this, for in previous years, the quantity of seed treated has been smaller, the mixing being carried out much more frequently. In appearance my birds this year have, on the whole, been fatter than previously when mated, particularly the hens, but apart from this they were in excellent condition and full of 'pep.' Fertility has been better than ever.

" When feather trouble cropped up, I naturally endeavoured to find the reason, making various experiments, changing eggs and young (of various ages) from pair to pair, and trying remedies suggested by fancier friends. All through I exchanged experiences and idea 3 with a friend who, like myself, never experienced feather trouble

dy TAILFEATHERS

Letters requesting information regarding the care of cage birds will be answered in this column each week. Readers are invited to write to Tailfeathers, New Zealand Herald Office, Auckland.

until this year. My Burmises are, therefore, based on our joint experiments and results. What are apparently the possible and probable causes?"

(To be continued)

ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS

V.M.B. (Onehunga).—lt is a pity that you have missed some of the articles on French moult as they would have helped you • a lot in breeding and in determining whether or not your birds had this disease. From the marks on the feather enclosed your bird does not suffer. The little lines that you notice are the results of occasions when he has hit the tailfeather in the courso of flying around, and come into contact with the wire netting of his enclosure. When moulting the birds lose as a rule one feather from each of the wings simultaneously. Moulting is a gradual process, and at no stage should the bird be unable to fly. Five or sis weeks is not an unduly lengthy time for the moult to continue. The bird would bo without the two longest tailfeathers for six weeks, for that is the length of time that it takes for the feather forming sockets to complete new feathers. Always examine the end of the feather that comes from the socket. If it is pinched and sharp and has an end slightly twisted, it is probably a case of weak feathering or French moult. If, however, the point of the feather tapers gradually, is perfectly healthy, and comes to an even, conical point, it is highly improbable that there is anything wrong with the bird. O.P. (Mount Albert). —Goldfinches: These birds are fairly popular, particularly among the younger generation, but it has only been the great interest in the budgerigar that has caused the goldfinch to be neglected so far in these articles. In the near future articles on goldfinches, their treatment in capitivity, etc., will be given. The answers are as follows:—(a) Goldfinches depend upon the quantity of seeds available for rearing their young. This year, owing to the unseasonable weather, there has not been nearly so many thistles and wild seeds available—the weather has been too wet. Also, high winds have destroyed many nests. I am of the opinion that these two reasons account for the shortage, (b) In captivity they should be fed ample quantities of niger seed, which is one approximately identical with those which they eat at liberty. Crushed hemp should be given to them also, and later on, whole hemp, (c) Any amount of line moss, small roots (such as roots of cocksfoot grass), and horsehair are necessary, (d) The sex is somewhat difficult to determine, but generally speaking the bolder head of the cock and his larger, square blaze of red is some indication. He is usually the bigger bird of the two. J.E.B. (Ponsonby). Budgerigar: You have been, in my opinion, very illadvised to start breeding in April. The end of August or the beginning of September is ample time. Think of the strain on young birds in sitting and particularly in rearing a nest before their own bodies are properly formed.

''Anxious'' (Taumarunui). —Canaries: A proprietary biscuit canary-rearing meal is very superior to tho oldfashioned bread or biscuit and egg. The desire to have another nest would probably cause the parent birds to leave the young, and you would find it better to remove tho male after the young have been hatched. If you like you could turn the cock bird in with the hen for half an hour in the evening, and if he helps to feed the young ones, leave him in—if he does not, remove him.