Brian's Yorkshire Canary Page
Keenan's Canary Clinic - Season 1 - General health
The primary aim of every bird keeper must always be the wellbeing of his stock. Healthy birds are contented, and will repay their owners many times over by their singing and friendship as pet birds, or in the breeding room or the show bench, if they are canaries of exhibition quality. Good health centres on paying attention to details, and can be subdivided into three areas, housing, feeding and finally the condition of the birds.
Housing first
Starting with housing, cages need to be clean, in a pleasant atmosphere, light and airy. Birds kept in dark, damp, dismal surroundings will become generally inactive, and prone to chills and colds, signalled by wheezing a pumping action of the tail, sitting huddled up, with heads tucked back into their plumage. Eyes will be sunken and lack and sparkle. These problems can easily be overcome by providing clean housing in the first place. Cages should be cleaned and disinfected regularly, and re-painted every couple of years. Suitable floor coverings to absorb droppings, such as coarse sawdust or wood shavings, absorbent paper etc are recommended. Heating for canaries is not necessary, but draughts should be avoided at all costs.Considering feeding, a good quality seed mixture is essential to act as a staple all year round diet. Start with a shop bought mix, then observe which seeds are eaten and which are discarded by your birds. In time, based on your observations, you can make up your own seed mixes to benefit your birds. Compare notes with your friends down at your local CBS club, and bulk-buy to save a little money on the rising price of seed. Remember that fatty seeds such as hemp will help your canaries withstand the long cold winters, and conditioning mixes are also beneficial used sparingly throughout the year.
The dietary needs of canaries cannot be met by feeding seeds only. Supplements and treats are necessary in the form of softfood, greenfoods and fruits such as apples and oranges, which canaries eat with relish. Carrots, peas, sweetcorn, broccoli, sprouts, cress etc are all accepted eagerly, but in season, dandelion and chickweed from a safe, uncontaminated source are very beneficial.
Consider supplements
Fanciers who are unable to offer fresh foodstuffs for a variety of reasons are recommended to consider the many supplements available from specialist providers who advertise regularly in this magazine. Follow manufacturers recommendations when offering such supplements, and stick to a single manufacturer, rather than mixing and matching products.Never forget that canaries need regular access to grits and minerals to maintain maximum health, such as cuttlefish, charcoal, oysershell and mineralised grits, silver sand, etc. these should be regularly available, grits scattered onto the cage floor at regular intervals, with cuttlefish grated into the softfood, especially during the breeding season. Finally, remember to always provide access to fresh clean water – change it at least once a day, and twice during the summer, to avoid bacterial contamination.
Primary concern
Finally, the general health of the stock is a primary concern. Keep beaks and nails trimmed to avoid accidents. Check on the condition of the feet, especially young birds, and seek immediate help if any problems become apparent. Check on the respiratory condition of your birds, simply by standing quietly in your birdroom during periods of darkness when the birds are roosting, and take a note of any wheezing you hear. Keep a watchful eye out for mite also, and deal with this immediately, using any of the proprietary mite solutions readily available. Most of the problems associated with canaries can be addressed by fanciers with a little experience, which is why it is essential to belong to your local CBS club, where other local birdkeepers can offer assistance, if needed.The general health and wellbeing of canaries is not rocket science – as long as you follow the rules.