New Canary.

Yesterday we bought a new canary, unusually two birds had died recently, one was one of the best breeding hens, tame and a character and I miss her, but I also wanted to add some fresh genes to the pool.
Although, in this photo the bird looks similar to the others, it’s plumage is paler and hopefully will bring a mix of different colours. The pet shop owner assured us that the bird is a female, but it is making a lot of whistling noises, time will tell! The first thing the bird did this morning was bathe and preen, I am not putting the bird straight into the aviary, I am not sure how the other canaries would react, but I want to control it’s breeding, whether male or female.

I also bought 11 nests for the price of 10 as there was a special offer, I have one nest in the aviary, the hens keep taking it in turns trying it out.

The colder weather and their instinct to get in prime condition for breeding means the canaries are eating a lot of seed. I buy a mix of seeds for canaries, it contains oats, flax, hemp and niger seeds and also includes red, yellow and green flakes of prepared vitamins. I give them bread (wholemeal), lettuce also other fresh vegetables and fruit they like, daily. I provide a cuttle fish and minerals with grit. Their drinking water and bathwater is changed regularly. I enjoy looking after them.