Daily Care for My Canaries
My vibrant and melodious red factor canaries are thriving and singing longer and louder than ever before - now enjoying their days from an airy light-filled corner of my enclosed porch.
I keep a number of birds as pets, including a couple dozen or so red factor canaries that live with me inside my Winter House. They have a large wooden cage I designed after one that came from France, built around 1900 - probably to house doves or quails. Every morning, the cage is cleaned and the birds are given a fresh buffet of seeds and greens from my greenhouses. For anyone who enjoys their song and curious, active personalities, it’s well worth every chore.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
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- If you follow my blog regularly, you know my canaries are now located on my newly enclosed porch. My canaries love it here – they can see so much of the activity around the farm from the big floor to ceiling windows and doors. Over the years, many of you have asked for the building plans to my bird cage. I built a similar one on my television show – go to my web site for instructions. http://www.marthastewart.com/264700/birdcage
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- Canaries are very hardy, but to keep them healthy their cage must always be as clean as possible. Every morning, the shelves and trays are removed and wiped down.
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- This process is done while the birds are in the cage – they love to watch from their natural wooden perches. Canaries also love to see people, and will often recognize regular visitors.
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- The floor of the cage is cleaned very well – all the seeds are removed and the surface is wiped with a damp rag.
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- This large galvanized tray holds the bedding. It is also removed and carefully wiped down.
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- Once everything is cleaned and returned to the cage, a bucket of fresh cob bedding is placed on the bottom tray.
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- And a thin layer is spread around the entire space. The sides of the tray are just about an inch tall, so the bedding is kept to about a half-inch thick.
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- My canaries are always curious and friendly. This is part of their daily routine, so they are not scared – many will continue to sing during the cleaning process.
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- Canaries and all birds love to perch. I always use natural wooden branches that can provide many different perching levels. We change these perches regularly. Here is one that needs replacing.
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- And here is the new one. These branches always come from here at the farm – repurposed after being pruned.
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- It is almost breeding season, so we also place a basket of cotton fiber nesting material in the cage.
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- The canaries pull the fibers out one by one to carry to their nests. Breeding usually occurs in the spring. Canaries like to breed when the temperature is around 70-degrees Fahrenheit and there are about 14-hours of light.
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- Here is a canary working on its nest.
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- These four-inch wide wooden boards keep any seeds or bedding from dropping to the floor.
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- Red factor canaries are prized for their color rather than their song, but they are also very melodious singers and enjoy singing. My canaries love to listen to classical music, which I keep on for them during the day.
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- Meanwhile, in my servery, all the dishes are cleaned and filled with a variety of seed mixes. I am always looking for the best, most nutritious seeds I can find to keep my birds healthy. I provide multiple feed bowls with a buffet of seeds along with all their fresh vegetables and fruits.
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- Red factor canaries need certain nutrients to maintain their bold, colorful plumage. A scoop of food containing beta-carotene, canthaxanthin and carotenoids is added to their seed dishes.
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- They are also given a specially formulated probiotic.
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- The filled seed dishes are all placed in the cage – some down below and others one level up. A canary’s metabolism is very fast, so it’s important to be observant of their eating needs and habits. We also add California Premium Spray Millet®. Birds love these, and they provide a healthy, nutritious, pleasantly sweet-smelling treat.
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- All the birds rush to their buffets right away. Seed blends are designed to support the birds’ seasonal needs. These blends are carefully selected to provide the widest range of micronutrients for resting, breeding and molting seasons.
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- They like some mixes more than others, but I always offer a healthy variety containing a balance of protein, carbohydrates and essential fatty acids necessary for proper growth and immune system functioning.
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- Canaries are generally good-natured, social creatures. Healthy canaries will always have clear, bright eyes, clean, smooth feathers and curious, active dispositions.
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- They are all so beautiful and striking in color. The bold colors of these red factor canaries can range in shades of light peach to apricot to orange to red.
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- My birds also get some bird treats – rectangular biscuits made with ground wheat, corn, egg and other ingredients. They also contain DHA Omega-3.
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- And an easy-to-administer daily vitamin.
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- A drop of the liquid vitamin is mixed with their water. Several bowls of fresh water are provided at all times.
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- This young canary is eager to see what else may come into the cage.
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- Finally, we put in some fresh greens and fruit in the cage – they love everything. I am so happy my canaries are thriving.
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- If you choose to keep canaries, remember to get the largest cage your home can accommodate, and the nicest cage your budget can afford. Canaries need room to flap their wings and fly from perch to perch.
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- Caring for birds is a big responsibility. It requires time and diligence to keep their environments clean, with ample amounts of fresh food and water. In return, these birds provide wonderful company, song and curious, fun-loving personalities.
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