BREEDING.
The breeding season for canaries begins properly in March. Though birds often show signs of its approach as early as January, it is better, because of the effect of changing weather conditions upon callow young, to postpone nesting activities until later, if possible. Some canary fanciers keep canaries paired throughout the year, but the more common practice is to separate the sexes except when breeding. The beginning of the mating season is marked by ringing, vigorous song among male birds, accompanied by much restless activity. Females, indifferent until now, respond with loud call notes, flit their wings, and otherwise evince their interest. Birds may be paired without these preliminary signs, but usually this tends only to lengthen the breeding season without material benefit. The instinct to breed may be stimulated when necessary by the addition of egg food and green stuff to the diet.
Canaries in captivity are polygamous when opportunity offers, and many breeders place two or even three females with each male. Others, however, keep canaries in pairs, as they are more readily handled, and when the young are hatched the male is able to assist in caring for them. Where two females are kept with one male the birds should be placed in a cage divided by slides into three compartments. The male is placed in the middle, and a female on either side. During half the day the male is thrown with one female and during the remainder with the other. This arrangement necessitates the use of three sets of seed and water cups in each cage. When the females begin to incubate the male is removed or excluded from both.
A cage suitable for one pair of canaries should be equipped with a sliding wire partition. The male and the female are placed one in either compartment and the two left to make acquaintance. The male will begin to feed the female through the wires in a day or two,or perhaps at once, and when this is observed the slide may be withdrawn and the birds kept together. If a cage is used that has no slide, there is usually some bickering between the birds at first, but birds are rarely found that do not in the end agree. A cage thus used without a slide should be new to both birds, in order that neither may resent the presence of an intruder in a cage which it has been accustomed to consider its own.
Soon after pairing the female will be seen carrying feathers in her bill or searching about the bottom of the cage. If a little nesting material is given her she will be content to arrange and rearrange it for a few days. As soon as she shows serious intention of building, enough material for actual nest construction may be supplied. If a considerable quantity is furnished at first it is merely wasted. The material may be held in a small wire rack suspended on the outside of the cage or placed inside. Bits of string, cotton, slender blades of dried grass, dried moss, cow’s hair, or other soft material will serve well. No long strings or long hairs should be given, as these may cause trouble later by entangling the feet and legs of mother and young. Everything furnished should be clean and free from dust. Some canaries are expert nest builders, while others construct a slovenly structure that barely serves to contain the eggs. Some fanciers prefer to construct nests for their birds, and with certain birds this is necessary as some females may refuse to build.
Canaries build in anything that offers support. A nest box of wood, or, better, an earthenware nest pan, may be fastened to the side or back of the cage midway between the two perches. The rush or willow nests sold by many dealers, while serviceable, may harbor vermin. The earthenware nest pan is best, as when the breeding season is over it is readily cleaned and put away for another year. Failing this, a box 1¼ inches or more deep made of thin wood may be used. The nest box or pan should have a lining or bottom covering of felt. This may be pasted in the earthenware pan, and may be soaked loose without trouble when it is desired to renew it. The nest receptacle, of whatever description, should be suspended an inch above the level of the perches. This prevents the young from leaving the nest too soon. The receptacle should not be near enough to the top of the cage to interfere with the movements of the occupants. If the nest is not too near the perches the male is not so likely to be obtrusive during incubation.
The first egg will be deposited from a week to a month after the birds are paired. Normally it is laid in about two weeks. The number of eggs in a sitting may vary from three to six, with four or five as the usual number. The eggs should be removed as soon as laid. This may be done readily with a teaspoon, with care not to injure the delicate shells. They should be kept in a cool place, slightly embedded in fine corn meal or bran or cared for in some other manner that does not allow them to roll about or touch each other. On the evening of the day on which the third egg is laid all may be returned to the nest.
Removing the eggs and then replacing them postpones incubation and development in those first laid and makes the time of hatching more even. The normal period of incubation is 14 days.
Egg binding sometimes causes trouble and may be dealt with as follows: The vent may be oiled carefully with a drop or two ofwarmed castor oil and the bird returned to the cage. If the egg is not deposited within half an hour the canary should be held for a few minutes with the vent over the steam of hot water. A good method is to fill a narrow-necked jar or bottle with hot water and cover the mouth of the receptacle with cheese cloth; the female is then held carefully for a minute or two in the rising steam. Often the egg will drop at once and be caught in the cheesecloth, or it may be deposited in the normal manner after the bird is returned to the cage.
The male canary is ordinarily a model husband and parent, giving no trouble, but if he should annoy the female during incubation or attempt to injure the young he should be removed at once. It is the natural instinct of an incubating bird to conceal itself as much as possible, and though canaries are tame, this tendency should be recognized and respected. This does not mean that they are to be neglected. Each breeding cage should be equipped with a sand tray which should be cleaned at least every other day. In no other way can it be hoped to rear numbers of birds successfully. Except for this necessary care and the provision of food, water, and bathing facilities, the birds should be bothered as little as possible.
Sometimes trouble is caused by inability of the young to free themselves from the shell or egg membrane, a condition for which there is usually no remedy at the time. With succeeding settings the difficulty may be obviated by sprinkling the eggs slightly with water each evening. Some breeders when the young canaries are 8 days old place them in a new nest, a practice that may be necessary when the old nest is infested with parasites. In such instances a little insect powder should be sprinkled over the body before the young birds are placed in their new quarters.
The young birds leave the nest when 20 to 30 days old. They may be left with the parents as long as they are fed and should never be removed entirely until it is found that they are able to crack the seeds upon which they must feed. It is advisable to continue the use of egg food for a time and gradually to decrease the amount given to get the birds accustomed to a diet of seed alone.
Canaries often rear two or three broods a season and the female may be ready to breed again when the young are three weeks old. It is only necessary to provide a second nest and nesting material and let her proceed. The care of the young will then devolve on the male. Nesting material should be provided at once or the female may pluck the feathers from her growing young. If this can not be stopped the young should be placed in a small nursery cage suspended from the side of the breeding cage in a manner that will allow feeding between the wires. When the young are finally removed they must not be placed with birds older and stronger for a time. They should be watched carefully the first day, and if any one does not feed it must be returned to the parents at once. Though most of the losses among canaries come at this time, with care in food and cleanliness there should be little trouble.