One way to slow a hen down who is coming into breeding condition too quickly is to cage her with a male who is not in condition as this will signal to her that there is no suitable mate available. Sometimes hens can become very testy in this situation and will bicker with the male- watch the pair to ensure that the situation does not progress beyond squabbling and no blood is drawn.
The most common thing novice breeders are told to look for to determine a hen’s readiness for breeding is tearing paper. This is only one thing hens in condition will do, and it is not the best indicator of breeding condition as hens will sometimes begin to tear paper months before they are completely ready. The best sign to look for is the condition of the hen’s vent- when she is in condition her vent will be reddened and appear swollen. Another good sign is when hens squat and raise their tails when males are singing nearby. When these two signs are present, the hen will usually build a nest within a day or so of being paired with a mate. On a few occasions I have seen hens that are in peak condition build a complete nest in less than an hour after being presented with nesting materials!
Other signs of readiness in the hen is restless flying back and forth, calling to males, carrying nesting material and bits of paper towards the back of the beak, increased squabbling in the flight cage, and an overall increased level of activity.
Males in breeding condition sing a louder, harsher song which is referred to as “breeding song” and drop their wings when they sing. Some males may dance on the perch, especially those with more Roller blood in their backgrounds. As males come into breeding condition they become more pugnacious and will sing a type of song I think of as “fighting song”- a harsher, more forcefully delivered song than breeding song- which they use to aggressively declare their superiority when they see another male. All males in breeding condition must be kept separately to prevent serious injury or death.
Different bloodlines of birds come into condition at different times. Some lines will come into condition early while others do so slowly. For this reason, it is often best to avoid introducing too many different bloodlines into one’s birdroom.
Problems will only result if the breeder tries to push the birds into condition before they are ready through the use of vitamin E, egg food, or other dietary supplements. Healthy birds will come into condition without these things and those allowed to come into condition naturally will be more fertile and experience fewer problems throughout the breeding process.
Overall, allowing the hen to decide when breeding season begins is the best decision. For many years, experienced breeders have told me that the patient breeder will breed just as many birds as a breeder who starts early- but with fewer problems, better fertility, and in a shorter period of time. A delay of only a few weeks can make an enormous difference in the success of your breeding season.
Properly fed and cared-for hens can continue to breed for at least four years, possibly five. Males may retain fertility longer. With both hens and males, fertility tends to decline with age. One should also keep in mind that the average life span for breeders is about five years so if one breeds a hen who is five years old (and many healthy five year old hens do insist on breeding and manage successfully) one needs to have a backup plan in the form of a younger nesting hen to foster eggs or chicks to in case the hen dies. Often old hens who manage successfully through breeding season will die during the molt.
How to Breed Canaries
How to Breed Canaries
Breeding Condition canaries
Sexing Breeder Canaries
Pairing Canaries
Breeding Condition
Written by Marie Miley-Russell
( http://americansingercanary.com/breedingcondition.htm)
