fireman 10,934 Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 I agree with both of them for what it's worth gnasher, ideally you'd breed canaries in breeders, but seeing as they are so settled in the aviary it would be a backwards step trying to get them used to cages now, in a perfect world I'd breed canaries in cages using a cock between 2 hens. An then use an aviary for getting the youngsters fit and in tip top condition after leaving nest. Maybe aim for that next year now and just let nature take its course this year, besides I got a sneaky suspicion you'll enjoy watching them more in an aviary, all the very best with them, if breeding results were down to no more than effort put in, you'd a been onto a bumper season Yep makes sense mate i make you right....im a bit of a stickler for hygiene i must admit it seemed like a bit of a chore with them cages i enjoy just watching nature take its course so in that way obviously the aviary is more fun watching how it all takes place............just feel a bit of a dick now getting that little room together for nothing but like you say its all experience for next year so hardly a disaster There is nothing wrong with having that room Gnasher,even if you don't use it this year as you will in the future and a fine bloody bird room it is to by the way 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hot Meat 3,109 Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 If your breeding cages ever get put out of there, I'll come live in it lol these kids are killing me and another due any day lol 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gnasher16 30,220 Posted May 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 ,BUT i just thought there doing something at the moment and that's better than feck all (if you get what i mean?) and to be able to learn from a nest that is happening in front of you is so much better than looking at our pics.. . That was my exact thinking......i thought to myself they are not doing anything at all in terms of nest building......and dont look like doing it any time soon..................how would i feel if i kept them in here throughout the summer and got nothing id be kicking myself that i didnt even try to let them breed outside.....maybe i didnt have enough faith in that they would eventually breed in the cages but theres always next year these birds are a learning curve for me im just grateful the little things will allow me to watch how they work .............little things please little minds and all that 3 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gnasher16 30,220 Posted May 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 If your breeding cages ever get put out of there, I'll come live in it lol these kids are killing me and another due any day lol no theres a great big aquarium in the other half and views across the fields out the windows.....kids would get bored stiff within 5 minutes........ Well theres a thing a youngster ready to enter the world eh best of health luck and happiness to the Hotmeat clan 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hot Meat 3,109 Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Cheers mate Quote Link to post Share on other sites
morton 5,368 Posted May 3, 2014 Report Share Posted May 3, 2014 Id put split coloured rings on the birds and see which have paired to which,leave them as they are,remove any that disturb the breeding pairs,put more than one food and water source in the flight and let them get on with it. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
taz2010 1,297 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 The prob with breeding canaries in an aviary is you can,t control which cock mates with what hen, many a cock will tred another cocks hen and then comes the problem when pairing the following season when you have so many young and a great majority will be related which then caused deformality,low immune system,disease and many other probs and if ya got 2 round out gnasher its better getting 2 rounds of what ya want and knowing the parents for the following season. Having an aviary on interbred birds causing problems in the following season,i have canaries in the aviary but only three hens flying with 1 cock so can still control the breeding,so put ya hens depending on how many with only the I cock in aviary mate this should stop ya interbreeding. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
morton 5,368 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Anybody breeding in an aviary environment will usually have little concern with whats bred to what,aviary,s are not the place to breed with a selection process in mind.To even begin to suffer problems with inbreeding,especially birds, that are more resistant to it than any other animal,you would need to inbreed tightly for many,many,many generations.A point in mind is the Hawaiin goose,Ne-Ne,Sir Peter Scott rescued the last 30,in the 60,s,now their are thousands,all bred from this genetically small gene pool,to date no recognisable effects on the physicality or immune system. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gnasher16 30,220 Posted May 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Anybody breeding in an aviary environment will usually have little concern with whats bred to what,aviary,s are not the place to breed with a selection process in mind.To even begin to suffer problems with inbreeding,especially birds, that are more resistant to it than any other animal,you would need to inbreed tightly for many,many,many generations.A point in mind is the Hawaiin goose,Ne-Ne,Sir Peter Scott rescued the last 30,in the 60,s,now their are thousands,all bred from this genetically small gene pool,to date no recognisable effects on the physicality or immune system. Very interesting...i did wonder the effect of inbreeding in birds...............i remember in dogs the old saying was " inbreeding doubles your qualities and trebles your junk " selectivity being the key. But as regards my birds breeding in the aviary im not too concerned as i wont be keeping many anyway......ive conceded its a lesson learned too late this time round. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
keepdiggin 9,561 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 very impressive set up Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Hot Meat 3,109 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 I've inbred birds for 5/6 gens with no ill effects, and by inbreeding I mean close, mum to son, dad to daughter and even nest mates, I was always told it's easier with birds than dogs tho, so never tried it with mutts. I'm in process of trying it with ferrets now tho Quote Link to post Share on other sites
J Darcy 5,871 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Every canary I ever owned was bred out of a single pair..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
morton 5,368 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 Are you sure of that Darcy?,a pair are seldom faithful to their spouse,especially around Otley or in an Aviary. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
fireman 10,934 Posted May 4, 2014 Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 I'm breeding brother to sister this year and a half brother sister mating with a trio of greenfinches just to see what they produce as last year their parent through colours i never expected so i want to see if the normal coloured cock that is split for lutino(his mother was lutino) is also split for any of the other colours his siblings have.Both hens are sitting hard so give us another week or so and i'll let you know how many heads the chicks have and if it works there'll be line bred coloured greenfinches,if it messes up it'll be because i inbred them. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gnasher16 30,220 Posted May 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2014 I've inbred birds for 5/6 gens with no ill effects, and by inbreeding I mean close, mum to son, dad to daughter and even nest mates, I was always told it's easier with birds than dogs tho, so never tried it with mutts. I'm in process of trying it with ferrets now tho Opposite for me.....did it a lot with the mutts but as of yet not with birds............i guess with these sort of birds its not like they are bred with performance in mind so selectivity is probably not as important in terms of losing hybrid vigour etc........i noticed today a little Gloster hen i have is nest building in the aviary with her son from last year so maybe i,ll be finding out for myself pretty soon. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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