# Canary help in an avairy



## dumbblondie (Jul 8, 2012)

so i've had my avairy set up for just over 2years now i have canraries, finches, diamond doves (new to avairy & already have 2 babies in a nest) and chinese painted quails.
no problems with breeding finches, the canaries how ever is the problem.
so the first time they bred the mum & dad fed the baby, when the baby was starting to fly the quails sadly killed the baby, so quails were removed into a cage in the spare bedroom, replaced when there were no babies. so when it came to the canaries breeding again afew times there have been babies hatch out (i now have a camera in the avairy) the dad does nothing and the mum doesn't feed the babies. is it best to remove the babies and hand rear or just leave them & hope mum feeds them?
if hand rearing is the best how can i do this best


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## spottymint (Oct 3, 2010)

Canaries can be a bit dumb, hence most breeders breed in cages.

Put cock with hen till mating, then remove cock bird, take the real eggs out one by one till 4 eggs laid (replace each real egg with a plastic egg).

After the 4th egg, put the real eggs back & remove the plastic ones.

Store the eggs in a cool, dry place, not a fridge.

Eggs should hatch altogether, no chick bigger than the other, so mum should feed them all.

With no distractions she should look after her chicks, no man in the way ect.

Clip the hen's nails if needed, so she doesn't accidentally pull the chicks from the nest.

In aviaries, success will be limited, too many distractions, other birds disturbing the nest.


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## dumbblondie (Jul 8, 2012)

taking the pair out isn't an option


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## Devi (Jan 9, 2011)

I used to breed canaries for years, just left them alone in the aviary and let them get on with it, I don't think it helps to be fussing over them or messing with them too much. Watch that none of the other birds are entering the nest either. Bengalese finches sometimes take over raising babies, might be worth adding them?


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## dumbblondie (Jul 8, 2012)

i have bengalise finches in the aviary but they show no interest in the canaries, they are funny finches they all going into the same box apart from 1 it keeps trying to get out the door when i walk in (glad i have another compartment i have to go into first before entering the aviary) or it will pretend not to be able to fly even when i pick it up it doesn't try to fly.


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## gnipper (Feb 13, 2007)

Are you providing the canaries with egg food and or greens like broccoli and peas?


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