CANARY AND CAGE BIRD NOTES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 204, 29 July 1937, Page 16

CANARY AND CAGE BIRD NOTES.

WHEN BUDGERIGARS WILL NOT BREED. (By “Unflighted.”) Two years ago I was mystified by the troubles of a friend who simply could not induce his budgerigars to breed. It seemed remarkable, for he had a good aviary and everything, as far as I could see, “according to the book”; yet never an egg did lie get. Finally, in disgust, he packed the lot up, handing over some of his homemade “props” to me with instructions to Jet him know if my fortune with liis outfit was any better. Among the gear I found his ne6t boxes, very well made and solid, which I packed away at the time with scant attention. Last month it struck me that my ancient nest boxes were getting a bit- beyond

themselves, so I took down the forgotten relics of two years before—nnd suddenly understood why my friend had never been able to coax a hen to lay in any of them, the entrance holes were more than two inches in diameter. Ncftv, a hole of that size might suit one of the larger parakeets, but a budgerigar! There may be many newcomers to our fancy who are unaware that a budgerigar hen dislikes nesting in a box with a big entrance hole. Why ? A big hole destroys her sense of safety and privacy—and do you blame her when you realise that invasion means a fight to the death or the loss of her clutch of eggs, or young ones. The more defensible and secure you can make tlie box the better she will be pleased. I nailed a bit of thmnish wood three parts over the entrance hole of an experimental box. leaving, in fact, just enough gap to invite the hen’s attention ; but, of course, utterly inadequate space for her to get in as at present This box I hung in a flight, wherein I had a pair of budgerigars, and the same afternoon I glanced in and saw the wood around the hole gnawed away. Next day the hen had enlarged it sufficiently to be able to squeeze herself through. There was an egg the same day ! It is a natural instinct in a hen to do a little hard work on her nest, so try letting a bird or two do a little enlarging of entry holes, and I believe they will be satisfied and restrained from other “wanton’ damage with their vigorous beaks. MULE AND HYBRID BREEDING. The practice of mule breeding with canaries and British birds has a strong fascination for many lovers of birds, but it is a pastime, that is as disappointing as it’ is interesting. The principal crosses seen here in New Zealand are between the canary and the following British birds: goldfinch, linnet, greenfinch and redpoll. In the breeding of mules between the canary and the more common finches as, aforementioned the method adopted is veiy much the same as in ordinary canary breeding. Thus canary mules have been bred and reared in a cage in a properly fitted bird-room, and even in an ordinary living-room by amateurs who have possessed very little knowledge indeed of the art of bird breeding. In practically all cases the finch is the sire and the canary the dam. , The product of matings between a canary and British finches are stvleri mules', but those from any two British finches are called hybrids. How or why the distinction was first made I cannot sav, for all alike are hybrids. The cages that are generally used by mule breeders are. those known as double-compartment, breeding cages. They are some thirty to thirty-six inches in length and eleven inches in depth, and eighteen inches in height with a sliding wooden partition in the centre. The best canarv ben suitable for mule breeding is a large Norwich type clear canary with fine, silky plumage. It is not wise to attempt mule breeding-early in the season and the canary hen intended for breeding should he kept on one side of the wooden slide in the breeding n cage, and the finch that is to be mated with her on the other side. Ihe shoe should be withdrawn about the end ot October and the birds allowed to run together. The birds should be given a nest pan and nesting material and it’ the canary likes the look of the finch you have cliosen she will soon proceed io build. As soon as fhe lien lays her first egg the finch should be removed out of her sight, and she should be left to lay her clutch of eggs and incubate them. . . As finches have been reared by hand from the nest, or have come lrom eggs hatched under a canarv hen. are generally more quiet and steady than those which have been caught wild, some breeders of mules always use A seed mixture suitable tor both the hen canary and the cock finch should he specially mixed ; the best being a mixture as follows: —50 per cent, plain canarv seed, and equal parts of hemp, niger, teazle, rape and linseed- Seeding grasses should be given in abundance as well as egg and biscuit food once or twice a week until the hen lays her first egg. QUERIES ANSWERED.

“W.D.” (Palmerston North).—Your finger-tamed green budgerigar is quite happy as it. is. and it would resent a companion very much. Tame birds do not appreciate the coming of another bird and its presence may cause fighting, but in any case it would have the effect of making your pet become wild. When playing with your bird talk to it, repeating the same word or sentence over and over again, and if the bird is not too old it may surprise you by coming out with the sentence yould have told it. If your bird is not talking by the time it is nine or ten months old. your chances ot getting it to talk will be nil. “Novice” (Palmerston North), (a): In showing budgerigars no one colour has an advantage over another The colours and sexes are at first classified, but then all first prize birds are judged again to see which is the best bird in the show, (b): Wendall’s laws apply to all birds to a great extent and specially to budgerigar breeding, (c): Assuming that your green and skv bfrde are pure colour-bred the offspring would be 60 per cent, green split skv and 50 per cent, sky split green. I wish to thank “Novice” tor his ‘P.S.” Am pleased you find these notes of use io you and I thank you for your interest in same.