The last nest of chicks is due to hatch on the 21st of April. This will signal the beginning of the end of the 2007 breeding season, whcih will produce about 65 babies. New males are popping up in the walk-in flight cage every day...

I am busy (when am I NOT?!?!?!) on coordinating two large family reunions and creating a website for the families. I am also working on newsletters for both families and a newsletter for Chapter 6 in Chicago. In addition to the daily work in the bird room- and daily life- I am very, very busy indeed!

Feathers are beginning to fall in the bird room already- a couple of males have begun to molt quite a bit. They are not feeding chicks, though, so that is fine. When they are molting in earnest I will place them in the flight with the chicks and older hens.

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One issue I have encountered over and over again on the internet is the subject of "experts" in the canary field. Some of these experts are quite knowledgeable and honest about what they know- and what they do not know. Others are more interested in furthering their image as an expert than anything else. A few I would go so far as to say are bordering on dangerous as they really have much less knowledge than they would have folks believe.

Let me share with you the one, absolutely truthful secret to breeding, keeping, and showing canaries successfully- a secret that you will see absolutely NO WHERE else - there is no secret. There are methods that work well for some and not so well for others. It is overly simplistic for anyone to state that if you do "X" and "Y" you will end up at "Z" every time. If that were true every intelligent breeder would have an aviary filled with champions- and I know some very smart folks who have never had a single one.

And as for keeping birds- there are some very interesting ideas on the internet. One canary expert claims that you will kill your birds by feeding too many greens while another says that you cannot kill a bird with greens... As far as I am concerned- ask your breeder what your bird is accustomed to and stick with that until you are confident enough to begin making small adjustments on your own.

Birds are just like people- they are individuals with their own preferences and quirks. One hen may perform perfectly with a three ring circus in full swing going on around her while she is nesting while another requires a very peaceful and undisturbed setting. One male may sing with a mirror in his cage while another will go completely silent. You have to get to know your birds and experiment a little.

As a novice, you should begin by asking serious questions of the breeder from whom you purchase your stock- and you should purchase from a breeder if at all possible. Buy good quality books on the subject and read everything you can get your hands on- don't believe everything you read, but take the information and file it away for reference. As you gain experience you will learn what information to keep, what to toss, and what to pass along for someone else to use.

Remember that quality breeds quality and you get from any hobby what you put into it. Buy the best stock you can find (and educate yourself so you know what you need to look for in the breed you are interested in) and then work hard and be patient.

 

 

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