How to Breed a Canary

Canaries make fantastic family pets.

Canaries are primarily solitary animals, preferring to live on their own and interact with humans. Breeding canaries can be difficult due to this, but once you've got the correct setup and plan, canaries breed relatively easily and can produce new eggs every year. Canaries are typically happy, carefree birds, which makes them ideal pets.

Instructions

1. Check your cage size. If it is too small, you encourage conflict when adding a second canary, and the two may fight. You may find that a canary that feels cramped will not breed. Your cage should measure at least 24 x 16 x 16 inches or bigger.

2. Provide somewhere for your canary to nest, and some nesting materials. You can purchase nest cups, hemp, burlap and newspaper for the canaries to make a nest. Most pet shops and veterinary clinics carry them and one bag will usually last for several egg-layings.

3. Introduce the birds around the middle of March. Usually the birds will start courting a week or two after the initial introduction.

4. Provide fresh bird food and water, along with egg-food. You can purchase egg-food from pet stores, or make your own by mashing hard-boiled eggs (including their shells) and mixing with wholewheat breadcrumbs.

5. Remove the young from their parents' cage once they are fully fledged and independent.

Tips & Warnings

• Boil the eggs for at least 12 minutes to ensure no illnesses pass to the canaries.

• Avoid flimsy nest cups. These may break under the weight of the eggs and cause the nest cup to fall, breaking the eggs.

References

• Avian web Canary Breeding
• "The Canary: An Owner's Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet; Diane Grindol; 2000"
• "The Practical Canary Handbook: A Guide to Breeding & Keeping Canaries; Marie Miley-Russell; 2005."