CANARY AND CAGE BIRD NOTES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20022, 12 February 1927, Page 5

CANARY AND CAGE BIRD NOTES.

By Feathers. The bird* should be by now well into the moult, many of them having become minus their tails and some of their wing and body feathers. Such in the kind of moult a fancier is pleased to see, for it shows that Nature is exerting its powers. The quicker the old coat is shed the better the new one comes, and the more even it is. The future life of the young birds depend on it; their breeding capa.bilities and their lease of life depend largely on a good moult. Suffice it is to say the quicker the birds get over the moult the better they are fitted to stand the cold wintry weather. The principal keynote to a quick and successful moult is warmth. I do not mean heat, as this would tend to increase any red mite. An even temperature is therefore necessary. While the sun is shining brightly it is advisable to check the full rays from getting to the birds by keeping the place shaded. If you have a box cage for the birds, sheeting iron should be placed over the cage. In the first place, a box edge is cosy for the birds, as it keeps them much freer from draught, than any other kind. This is a most important thing during the moult, as birds are very susceptible to chills at this time. Again, the birds have not so many wires to cling to and against which to fray their tails and wing feathers. The box cage keeps their plumage much cleaner than an open wire cage. By using this kind of cage the birds are often prevented from contracting the wretched habit of clinging to the wires. By placing a sheet over the cage you will find it has more than one advantage. It keeps the birds much quiter while the new feathers are growing, consequently they are not so likely to damage their plumage while it is growing, for if the fronts of the cages are left uncovered the birds are more restless, and are likely, if anything startles them, to strike themselves against the front, which not only damages their plumage, but may injure them bodily. Further, the sheeting helps to keep the birds' plumage cleaner far longer, aa it prevents any dust getting into the cages. It also aids in protecting them against any direct draught, and at the same time is no detrimental to the health and vigour of the birds. . , Another advantage the sheeting has is that it helps to check the annoying practice of where more than one bird is kept in the one cage. This is a most important point because plucking is very detrimental to the growth of the bird, for when it should be nourishing the body it is often at the same time having to nourish a whole sheaf of feathers that have been plucked, which it otherwise would not have had to do. Thus the body develo ment is robbed of a portiqn of its nourishment which would have been avoided, to say nothing of extra strain upon the bird’s system. It is advantageous at all times to avoid plucking. In some cases wl re the parents are severe pinchers it is difficult to master them, especially if they were doing it before the young ones left the rest. These birds must be isolated irom the others. When three or four young birds are together the habit is often acquired of flying after each other, and once they get the taste of blood in pulling out a feather by accident the thirst for more _is acquired. If, however, a sharp eye is kept on the cages where several young ones are togethe- plucking can always be kept under by removing the culprit the moment you detect him.