CANARY AND CAGE BIRD NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 3833, 30 August 1927, Page 61

CANARY AND CAGE BIRD NOTES.

By

Feathers.

As the .-.pring is advancing, the instinct with some of the birds to follow Nature’s laws will be plainly noticeable, more especially last year’s young ones. Should wc get a bright spell of warm weather the youngsters will be showing signs of setting about then maternal duties, but do not be tempted to gratify their premature desires. If the birds become too assertive and forward it will necessary to stop the extra foods and give as a diet canary seed only for the time being. By pairing up too soon no permanent good is accomplished, and much disappointment will follow’, for- the birds will not be in proper breeding condition as the season is not yet far enough advanced. The end of September is the most suitable -line, ami quite soon enough ; the heat from the sun is more pronounced, the frost, if any, is not so severe, and there will be daylight at 6 in the morning and at 6 in the evening. If heat is used in the bird room an earlier start of course could be made, but with no advantageous benefit to the breeding pairs in having a longer breeding season. To the impatient ones who can-: not control their feelings, the end of September will appear to be an unreasonably late date, and when following this misguided judgment, as often as not more than one fatal error is made. ?>v taking Nature as a rough guide you will not bo far wrong ; the time stated is practically the same as when most of our wild birds begin nesting. When pairing uv see that the birds are ready and fit to carry out their duties. They must be in proper breeding condition, and have not any surplus fat. Young birds generally start before the older "ones for Nature’s prompting asserts itself in them sooner. They should o full of life, restlessly active, and hopping about the cages the whole day long. The male birds will be in full vigorous song, and when not singing will be calling to ' any bird that may be seen or heard. The hens will be answering them ceaselessly. Such birds are readv for pairing up. Whatever breed a novice starts with a point should he made of using young male birds of tin. previous season to pair up with. Though not always successful this method will often produce the most satisfactory results. Should stock not show much forward condition the sexes should be kept separated. Feed more n-enerously on condition seed and egg food on alternate days, and give a good supply of dandelion leaves and wait, for for are helping and doing for your stock what they cannot do for themselves in reaching the required incubating heat to start vyith. Before pairing examine each bird carefully and compare the good and bad points. This will give von an idea how to start and what you would be likely to get from each pair. Put your best together, then vour next best, and so on. If there is a bad fault in one bird of a pair, see that its mate possesses particularly good points in that respect so that the good noints of the one will help to eliminate the fault in the other. Never mate two birds with the same fault ; it will only intensify such and be very difficult to breed out again. When the birds have paired up, examine the stock and see whether the beaks and claws require trimming. With heavily feathered birds it. will be necessary to trim some of the feathers, and with the hens, as a matter of cleanliness, half of the tail should be cut off.