Correspondences


Table Of Contents


Red Skinned Chicks

By Marion Rodgers And Linda Hogan

Friday, March 6, 1998
Hi Linda,
Have you ever seen or heard of chicks in the nest whose skin turns bright red and the chicks usually die?
A man called me today in a panic and said the skin on his chicks was turning red and then they died. I have never seen this. It does seem like another man called me about 2 years ago asking the same question. I believe it was Frank.
The only info they gave me was that the chicks were still in the nest, unfeathered, and all of a sudden their skin would turn red and they died. This man today kept saying,"Bright red".
I have never heard of it. Hope we aren't getting some new canary disease. I wonder if it could be an irritant from the material they use in their nests. I ask the man today and he said burlap and kleenex. Said he has used the same thing for years. Have you ever seen or experienced anything like this?
On a lighter note-does it seem to you that Rollers always look at you with an almost inquisitive look? I thought it was just the adults but today I took a cage down that had 2 yellow chicks in it. They looked up at me with that same questioning, quizzical look. Am I imagining this? Maybe I am cracking up!
If you have ever heard of this "red chick disease" let me know. No hurry. At your leisure.
Thank you.
Marion Rodgers

Friday, March 6, 1998
Hi Marion,
Yes, I am familiar with this problem. The chicks look like they are doing fine, growing well, and the mother is feeding a lot of egg food. Then all of a sudden the skin turns red and the chicks all die. Not all hens will have the problem even with the same egg food because most feed other things.
The problem is dehydration. If you feel the skin it is sticky. The cases I have seen were the result of hens who feed a lot of egg food which was way to high in glucose. Some chicks maybe saved if the egg food is changed, greens added to the diet and the chicks are fostered to hens that feed a more balanced diet.
We need to question the breeder about the egg food he is using. I bet he is adding something which is causing this. Probably sugar etc. He should not feed any more of his current recipe and go back to the basic nestling food with hard boiled eggs and stop adding sugar to it.
Can you call and inquiry about the egg food?
Linda Hogan

Friday, March 6, 1998
Hi Linda,
You are amazing! Is there anything you haven't heard of?
I called Dan. His nestling food is Cede and soaked seed mixed together. He feeds romaine lettuce, sometimes carrot and sometimes extra I use Cede myself but I have never had anything like this. I just went in and got the box because I haven't read it for years. The 3rd. ingredient is sugar and the 4th. is honey. Wheat flour, dried whole egg, sugar, honey, hemp seed, niger, broken whole oats, poppy seed, yeast, Vitamin A supplement, Vitamins D3 & E, Menadione, Sodium Bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Thiamine, Mononitrate ( Vit.B1),Riboflavin (Vit.B2), Calcium Pantothenate, Choline Chloride, Niacin, Pyridoxine (Vit.B6), Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Biotin, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vit.C) Calcium Carbonate, Sodium Chloride, Magnesium Oxide, Manganous oxide, zinc oxide, Iron Sulphate, Copper Sulphate, Cobalt sulphate, Potassium Iodate, L-Lysine and DL-Methionine.
It also says on the back of the box-Eggfood should constitute 1/4 of the daily portion. then it says-prior to the 2nd. day of life we recommend not to feed eggfood-from the 2nd. day of life 2 or 3 times per day.
I am getting confused here. Like I said I haven't read on the back of it for ages as I have used it for some years. I just buy it and use it. This is giving me 2nd. thoughts. I don't like to change nestling food in the middle of breeding and since I have not had the problem I will probably go on as I am. I may change next year. In the meantime I will watch for red chicks.
I wonder what they mean when they say not to give eggfood for the first two days of life?
Thanks so very much. I will go call Dan now and tell him what you said.
What do you think of the ingredients in Cede?
Marion Rodgers

Friday, March 6, 1998
Hi Marion,
I think CeDe is a great nestling food. It is very high in carbohydrates and different then Quiko, Abba Green etc. High carbohydrate foods encourage birds to reach and stay in full breeding condition.
Does Dan add hard-boiled egg to his CeDe or does he feed quartered hard-boiled egg? The diet described is imbalanced; it is high in carbohydrate and low protein. If he doesn't add eggs and the hen feeds a lot of CeDe, this could be his problem. When egg is added to CeDe, it balances the high carbohydrate and then great results happen. Be sure he is not adding extra honey or sugar too.
I always add egg to CeDe and then I also offer 1/4 quartered hard-boiled egg the first five days. By doing this I don't have to worry about feeding it from day one.
Linda Hogan

 


Infertile Eggs

By Vicky Hartman And Linda Hogan

Tuesday, March 10, 1998
Hi Linda,
I'm about to ask you some questions that have probably been covered in all the information you have on your site. I hope you don't mind and Please have patience, this is my first attempt to breed canaries and I'm making myself nuts.
I have 2 pair of canaries, I will start with the pair I know is a true pair. They laid 3 eggs. The hatch date was approaching and I found one of the eggs broken on the cage floor. The hen had been sitting REALLY tight and now she was off the nest so I checked the other 2 eggs and they crumbled in my fingers. So where do I go from here? Do I have them sit out for awhile or set them up again?
The second pair-- the male has done no singing not a peep. They went nuts building a nest. Started building before I had finished securing the nest in the cage. The "female" started sitting in the nest right off the bat. Soon there was 4 eggs. Now the "male" is sitting on the eggs and the "female" acting like she couldn't care less. There has still been no singing. I think I have 2 females but the breeder I got them from swears the "male" was singing. The female is not feeding the sitting bird either.
What is your opinion of this situation?
I feed my birds a seed diet and CeDe. The person I ordered the CeDe from said this is all they need. But from what I'm reading on your site that is false. They have cuttlebone and mineral blocks too, of course. I put CeDe in the cage everyday. Is that wrong? And I stopped feeding boiled egg on this man's advice to. Because the CeDe is all that is needed. They really aren't eating much seed. They just want their CeDe and I don't think that's good for them. I did mix up some boiled seed and mixed it with wet CeDe. Should I continue that so they are getting something else besides CeDe?
I'm getting very concerned about the health of the birds. I read all the messages on the canary list and now the info on your site and I think that man lead me down the wrong path to make a sale. What do you think?
I cannot begin to tell you what kind of canaries these are. I know the one that is suppose to be a male is a red factor and the other is a cinnamon. The true pair are a variegated red factor. Both looking very much like each other. Which now I read is not a good thing.
So do you think you can help this really confused canary owner???? If so I say, "God bless you".
Vicky Hartman

Tuesday, March 10, 1998
Hi Vicky,
In regard to the first pair you described with the broken egg, it is common for hens to throw infertile eggs out of the nest. Likewise, the ones that broke in your hands were not fertile either. I would leave them together but take the nest out for a few days. High carbohydrate foods such as CeDe push the birds to lay. Fertile eggs require the male and female to be in full breeding condition. Feed them a seed mix that is wheat germ oil and superpreen vitamin coated. An excellent mix is sold by Wall Seed Company here in Wichita. Call 1-800 878-2473. Go back to a regular untreated seed mix after the second clutch of eggs is laid. For extras feed only petamine and toasted wheat germ offered on alternate days. When the first baby hatches offer CeDe with hard boiled egg added and 1/4 hard boiled egg. They love to nibble on the cut edge of the yolk.
The second pair doesn't sound very promising. Again I don't think your birds are in breeding condition. The male should feed the female and sing his mating song while dancing around in macho fashion. Check the vents. The female vent is rounded and swollen. The male vent during breeding season assumes a pointed shape which protrudes forward toward the head.
I like CeDe but it needs to have hard-boiled egg added to balance its high carbohydrate content. It should not be fed until the babies hatch.
I also recommend using poultry vitamins from January to August. Feed stores or veterinary supply places carry them. Use 1/4 tsp to 1/2 gallon water. Change water daily.
An excellent mineral is marketed by Abba Products. They call it mineral grit but it is actually a completely digestible mineral. Keep it available at all times. They do not accept credit cards but you could call them at (908) 353-0669 to find out prices and shipping to your area.
Breeding comes naturally when be are patient and don't push our birds with rich egg food.
Linda Hogan

   


Sick Hen

By Four Members Of The Canary List

Thursday, March 5, 1998
I bought two pet store hens in early December. They seemed fine for a while, then one of them became somewhat lethargic and puffy. She napped a lot, continued to eat very well, but she got sloppy looking, especially her face which became pasted over. She did not have a wet nasal discharge that might indicate a respiratory problem but her breathing seemed strained as she got worse (when she would sit puffed up her little tail would go up and down a bit with each breath -none of my other birds do that) Her vent was clear, but she went thin, even though she was still eating up to an hour before she died. She was having trouble perching and would sit in the cage bottom puffed up and head under wing- but she would go over and eat regularly- until the very end. I had her caged with the other hen (they had been caged together in the store), but I separated them when it appeared that one was sick. Now the other one is starting to exhibit the same signs- most notably the sloppy look and frequent napping all puffed up.
Does anyone have a clue what could be wrong? Parasites? Salmonella or bacteria? Yeast?
The droppings look normal, and her vent is clean. But I don't want to medicate before I have an idea what the problem might be.
Thanks for any ideas.
Gregg DeChirico

Thursday, March 5, 1998
Hi Linda,
I am at my wits end trying to figure out what is wrong with Gregg's birds. Do you have any comments on it?
to refresh your memory-he had bought these birds and when he brought them home they seemed ok. then they started puffing up and acting lethargic. One died and then the other started showing the same symptoms. He said the faces all "pasted up". I thought at first he meant something thick. This AM he tells me that it is clear and all over the face and crown. I had already ask about scaley face and snuff. It is so hard to tell what is wrong with a bird if you can't see it. I know the birds are sick and advised him to get them away from his other birds if he hasn't done so already. Oh yes, I did find out that they are banded and are 97s. does it sound like a sinus infection to you, or some other respiratory problem? Frank up at MBF told me that for some reason people are having a problem with snuff this year and we haven't had that problem for some years.
I know Gregg got bad birds-sick birds but I can't figure out what is wrong with them. I keep saying birds-I guess he just has one left now. Anything you can think of will be appreciated.
PS-From Gregg's last description it doesn't sound like snuff. I watched Frank treat one of Velda's birds for snuff. It looked like a rough, lumped up place and only in one location by the beak. He scraped it (which made me wince) and then he sprayed it with F---- (can't remember the spelling). I know you have seen it. It goes on a bright lemon color and lookd powdery on the bird. It clings and stays there.
Marion Rodgers

Thursday, March 5, 1998
Greggs bird's 'sticky' plumage must be as a consequence of either a discharge nasally, orally OR from it's enviroment. Gregg, is it possible that the birds are 'wetting' something in their enviroment or 'bathing' in something other than 'clean' additive free water ??
I have never seen sufficient discharge nasally to 'wet' an entire face, the nostril usually 'clogs' long before that. Discharge from the beak would probably be visable. This sounds like something 'external' ?? Do you add anything to the water as a sanitiser/conditioner ?? Or could it be 'leaching' from the perches ??
Nigel

Thursday, March 5, 1998
Hi Gregg,
I just had a message from Nigel that sounds quite plausible. I am getting lots of people in on your sick hen! That is good, the more minds we can get working on it the better!
Nigel says he believes what you call "pasted up" is coming from the nostrils or orally and the big OR, its environment. I go along with the discharge being either nasal or oral. It has to be.
Nigel goes on to say,"Gregg, is it possible that the birds are wetting something in their environment or bathing in something other than clean, free water"? Nigel says, "I have never seen sufficient discharge nasally to wet the entire face, the nostril usually clogs long before that. This sounds like something external. Do you add anything to the wateras a sanitizer/conditioner?? Or could it be leaching from the perches?"
Gregg, I think there is some sound advise here. Why don't you check into the things he mentioned? I know a man in Long Beach who puts Clorox in his bath water and a lot of canary people put Listerine in the bath.
Let us know
Marion Rodgers

Thursday, March 5, 1998
Hi Marion,
I think this is a respiratory infection but saying that leaves many options for the cause of the problem. Mostly likely these birds were not given a good diet that is rich in vitamins. The result was susceptibility to something. The causes for respiratory infections include bacteria, virus, fungus or mites. With the discharge I also would consider and irritant such as using a phenol containing cleaning agent on the perches. This would irritate the eyes too. Any of the infectious causes could be brought on my the stress of changing diet and aviaries.
It is critical that all new birds and even our own birds (when they have been to a show) be isolated from the rest when there is a potential for a new infection. The isolation should be for at least one month.
For these birds, if they were mine I would do the following things:

  1. Start them on poultry vitamins. These are very high in vitamins and electrolytes. Veterinary supply companies, Jeffers, feed stores usually carry them. They cost about $4 a package. Use 1/4 tsp to 1/2 gallon of water. Change water daily. Feed from January through August. If the water in the area is deficient on iodine, I would add a couple drops of vanodine to 1/2 gallon water. If the birds were fed poorly on a seed diet, they are likely iodine and vitamin deficient.
  2. Start some antibiotics. Work with a vet or if that isn't an option, try some pediatric amoxicillin (pink liquid), give one drop in the beak twice a day...
  3. Make sure perches, cages etc were cleaned with a 10% clorox solution and not lysol etc.
  4. Offer extras such as niger seed (it is easy to crack), bee pollen, 1/4 quartered hard-boiled egg, and couscous with poppy seeds and petamine added. Do not feed greens.
Linda Hogan

Thursday, March 5, 1998
Hi Linda,
Thanks so much for your advise! We will find out what is wrong with that bird yet. I feel almost compelled to find out
Hi Gregg,
Please read Linda's answer to me on the List.
Marion Rodgers

Sunday, March 8, 1998
First off, thanks ot all who responded to my post. The latest development is that my hen seems to have turned around! Out of desperation, I finally just treated her with antibiotic (oxytetracycline) in her drinking water, and within 3 days she is back to being perky and not puffed and mopey. She is acting normal again. Her face is still dirty though, and I agree wiht Nigel's guess that it is an oral discharge. I watched her rub her face on the perch a lot (before treatment) and I think it was food dripping out of her mouth that would get all over her face. She eats a tremendous amount and her crop must have been overstuffed. I will keep her under careful eye and hope she pulls through. In all the years I've kept birds (parrots and softbills) I have never had an episode like this. Thanks to everyone, especially Marion who can finally get some sleep now that the little gal is on the mend. Cheers
Gregg DeChirico

Sunday, March 8, 1998
Hi Gregg, it sounds like an infection in the crop, and they are notoriously difficult to cure. Scrupulous cleanliness will be required if it is, to prevent re-infection, good luck with her Gregg.
Cocks, in condition regurgitate ALL day, as part of their conditioning. They 'slaver' food in the grooves, perches, in between their toes, all over the place, they sling it up the walls, where their saliva goes off like 'super-glue'.
They will certainly feed hens, as will hens, feeding each other as the season nears. It will be vital to get the disinfectant going.
all the best,
Nigel

 


Got A Bad Boy

By Three Members Of The Canary List

Tuesday, March 10, 1998
I'm a couple weeks behind you, Claire, but it looks like I can say "finally", too. My roller pair have an egg in their nest, and he is carrying on with the pursuit, unless she stands on the edge of the nest.
I watched the frenzied flights for about 45 minutes this afternoon before she realized he would leave her alone if she stood at the nest.
Last year's birds (now gone) only had an 18X9X9 cage to move in. Now I have built the larger 30X30X12 and they can do a lot more flying. It has to be more healthy for them both.
Well, one egg in the nest. I wonder how many I'll get...
Heavy wet snow again today (had to cancel Parish Council Meeting); temp in low 20's - went sub-zero last night. I feel sorry for the robins who have already shown up.
Fr. Frank E. Jindra

Wednesday, March 11, 1998
Hi Frank,
Re. your Rollers, from first indications I would recommend caution on your part with the birds.
The cocks behaviour sounds very 'pushy', he may calm when the hen starts 'sitting', if he does'nt his desire to mate may cause problems. I assume you are removing the eggs ? If he starts treading her on a nest full of eggs, they may end up scrambled. Also, if she is too terrified to get off and feed, her condition will be affected, and may affect her sitting. Sometimes when the hen is reluctant to mate, in one instance the cock can knock her about so badly as to render her unfit in 'one go'.
Frenzied flights are NOT good. In the wild canaries are generally polygamous, and male canaries notoriously bad fathers, all this "married" & "happy families" stuff is frankly, Frank ......well, it's (can't think of a suitable word to convey it to a Priest !!?) but you can figure your own.
The size of the cage is irrelevent in the pursuit, more space is more effort for her to keep away from him. It may well be necessary to remove him, anytime after the third egg is laid would be fine.
Starting from a perspective of His will, is no way to breed canaries, I think thats why He gave us intelligence and imagination ?
Nigel.

Wednesday, March 11, 1998
Thanks, Nigel. And great timing! You wrote:
"The cocks behaviour sounds very 'pushy', he may calm when the hen starts 'sitting', if he does'nt his desire to mate may cause problems.... Also, if she is too terrified to get off and feed, her condition will be affected, and may affect her sitting. Sometimes when the hen is reluctant to mate, in >one instance the cock can knock her about so badly as to render her unfit in 'one go'....
It may well be necessary to remove him, anytime after the third egg is laid would be fine...."
I came back from a morning long meeting to find the hen on the nest with her head under her wing. I clapped my hands & she came out from her wing. WHAT I SAW, I DID NOT LIKE. I immediately removed the male because she was bloodied above her beak!
She only has two eggs in the nest, but that is all the contact she will have with him.

"Starting from a perspective of His will, is no way to breed canaries, I think thats why He gave us intelligence and imagination ?"
I agree, we have so specialized the breeding that we do need to be very careful what happens. In the wild, this pair would probably not have been together long enough for him to damage her like this. I'm just glad I wasn't gone for longer than the morning hours. I left for my meeting at 10am, was home at 2pm - and she was hurt.

Any suggestions from anyone, other than watching her?
I now I did right to separate them. I didn't want to move the nest to another cage, so the male got put into a standby cage.
Sunny today, temps in the 20s, but the March sun is melting the remains of the sidewalk snow.
Fr. Frank E. Jindra

Wednesday, March 11, 1998
Hi Frank,
I've been there, many times !!! There should be no problem with the hen, she should recover o.k so long as she is'nt too badly injured. I would leave her to quietly get on with it. If she was fit, she may well have a fertile clutch anyway. She'll be better off without the cock. The only complication is the second round, but we'll work through that when the time comes. Lets hope his drive is reflected in their fertility and you get a full clutch of good eggs.
hope all goes well,
Nigel

Thursday, March 12, 1998
Hi Father Frank,
Usually the hen will be ok. The worst case would be a loss in incubation temperature.
It is good that you separated the cock from the hen. It is important to settle this hyper boy down.
Hyperactivity can be caused by the diet. Vitamin E, Wheat germ oil, Fortified Cod Liver Oil, hemp seed, and niger have the potential to cause this problem when fed in excess. I prefer to feed toasted wheat germ, no more than 1/2 tsp per bird every other day because the effect is less dramatic and easier to control.
Feed him only water with no additives, seed mix, and small amount of greens once a week. It will take three to four weeks to reverse his behavior.
Norwich male canaries are normally so laid back they often fail to mate even when the hen is begging him. A little wheat germ oil will promote mating but too much will make them so aggressive they try to kill each other!!!
Hemp will make birds more active up to a point where they are overdosed and act lethargic. Hemp builds up in the tissue and takes at least four weeks to decrease its effect.
Linda S. Hogan

Thursday, March 12, 1998
Hi Linda,
Yes, it is the new roller pair.
She seems to be fine: eating, moving back to the nest & moving around in the nest. I think she is going to start incubating the two eggs she has down. Maybe I'll get a third egg today, I don't know.
The cut above her beak has cleaned up a lot. I put a pan of water in the bottom of the cage, & she cleaned herself up well. I thought about putting some "xenodine" - part of the betadine family - on her. I picked that up from the local vet. He at first was recommending something with a steroid - I said: "wait, she may still lay an egg in the morning." He said: "okay, no steroids!"
I'm still not sure about using the xenodine. Things seem to be fine. She has cleaned herself up, and the cut seems to have sealed itself. Leave well-enough-alone?
Thanks for your suggestions on the diet change for him. I'll print out that list & get the changes in place as soon as possible.
Things are looking more promising for my AS pair. She has not started nest building yet, but if they follow the timing of the roller pair, that should start this weekend.
I'm not sure who to set with the third hen I have. I haven't made up my mind, since she isn't banded & I don't know what she is.
By the way, that reminds me to ask: how & where do I look for banding supplies? As I said I have one roller pair, an AS pair, and a pedigree-unknown hen.
Also, Nigel, thanks for your input on this. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one to have run into this.
Cloudy today. Temps in the mid-20s (I'm being optimistic!).
Can't wait for the green to show and the snow to go.
Fr. Frank E. Jindra

 


Breeding Problems

By Stephen And Linda Hogan

Thursday, April 30, 1998
Dear Linda,
How are you? I hope that your breeding season is going smoother than those here in Las Vegas. Ron and Candy are breeding lots of babies, but also loosing them during the weaning process. I, on the other hand, am loosing just too many in the nest. So, since I am trying to learn how to use the computer I told Ron that I would e-mail you with some questions. In the meantime, Pezzutis have sent three bodies of birds off to a State lab in California for necropsey. The first look shows nothing, but they are doing cultures now. So, I'm not sure what they still want me to ask you!
I have had everything in the world so far. Clear eggs, a little bit of dead in shell, hens puncturing eggs with their nails, hens that only half-heartedly feed, etc., etc. Up until last year, I had always medicated my birds before the breeding season. In 1996 I bred 97 Glosters out of 20 pairs, and no hen had more than two clutches. In 1997, it got close to setting up time, and I thought , oh, the birds are healthy, so I did not medicate. I bred 42 chicks out of 30 pairs. Then, not being a quick learner, I did the same thing this year, and things just aren't good.
I' considering just doing the medication now, hoping that it will turn this season around. It really can't get any worse!! What do you think of antibiotics during the season, and which ones would you use? In some eggfood recipes I see antibiotics listed as an ingredient, and other people have told me that it interrupts the fertility in the males. HELP!!!!!! To make matters worse, my Vetisulid has an expiration date of May 1, l997 on it, so if you think that Vetisulid is the best choice, is this bottle too old?? Would LS-50 be a better broad spectrum med. to use for this purpose? What is the shelf life of LS-50 if it has been in the freezer? The vet that is doing Ron And Candy's necropsies said that they should put the birds on an antibiotics and leave them on it for the entire breeding season. Another breeder in California just told me to use the Tetracycline from the feed store in your eggfood because chicken growers use it for better egg production.
Any input that you could give us would be greatly appreciated. I hope that your breeding season is going much better. I've thought of it many times, but can't remember if I ever got the job done. Did I thank you for the copy of CANARY TALES that you gave me in L.A? I LOVE your books and I shared that copy with a couple in Canada. They called to tell me that it was WONDERFUL, and they were going to take it to their club meetings up there and try to put together group orders.
Well, let me know your feelings on all this, please.
Thanks,
Steph

Friday, May 1, 1998
Hi Steph, Ron and Candy,
Breeding season always brings challenges. I am reminded of a nursery man from Holland who when I visited his greenhouse he was dumping a lot of sickly plants. My reaction was he shouldn't do that but rather he should nurse each one back to health. He turned to me and said "they don't all grow her either mamn". So it goes each of us have challenges to overcome to breed canaries.
First of all, I do not use antibiotics on my birds. On rare occasion, I have treated an individual but I find that saving weak birds is not a good idea in the long run. When you inbreed for quality some of the birds are not strong and thus must be culled from the breeding program. I also do not like to risk developing antiboitic resistant bacteria.
My approach is to use avian-dervived probiotics. Aviguard is no longer available so I have switched to using BeneBac made by PetAg. Call 1-800-3230877 to locate an area source. This product contains 5 strains of Lactobacillus isolated from birds. The Journal of Avian Veteranians recently had an article on use of this product with Cockatiels. The article was Dr. Thomas Tully of Lousians State University and he was able to demonstrate through a scientific study the benefits of using this product. I add it to the egg food. It should be stored in the freezer to preserve the Lactobacillus viability. I will be writing more and posting the new article on my Web site.
For Dead-in-the-shell, I add 3 or 4 drops of Vanodine to the water. Also if a hen is sitting without a male in the cage, I feed her 1/2 teaspoon of soaked hemp. I keep a jar of hemp in water in the refrigerator and rinse it daily. The hemp will make the hen sit tighter on the nest and stop them from desserting the nest. If a nest of fertile eggs fails to hatch on the 14 th day, transfer the eggs to another hen. If she has a good incubation temperature the eggs will hatch on the 15 th afternoon. If the original hen was in top breeding condition, her eggs should hatch on the 13th day.
I always keep 1/4 of a hard boiled egg in the cage for the hen to feed. Use a small knife to cut the egg so that you have a sharp ridge through the yolk. The first 5 days I only give her the hard boiled egg and a separate dish of egg food. Chicks will probably be ready to band by the 5th or 6th day. At that time add sprouted seed and greens. One of my favorite greens is frozen peas. Just rinse in hot water. Frozen corn is also good.
When I talked to Ron and Candy, they were leaving their gloster babies with the parents until about 45 days. The longer a baby canary is feed by his parents, the harder they are to wean. Also by that age they are quite big and need more food to keep them going. Around the 21 day, you may see the babies nibble on the hard boiled egg or eat egg food or sprouts. Another wonderful food for weaning babies is couscous. I use the wheat type and add 1 cup couscous to 1 cup hot water. I also add 1 tablespoon poppy seed to it. I add the prepare couscous to the egg food too but I do not offer it to the parents separately because they will likely eat it instead of the egg food. When I see them take a bite, I move to a small weaning cage. I do not put any perches in the cage initially so that they stay on the bottom where the food is and eat. They will usually eat the hard boiled egg. If they do, it takes very little to keep them going. The egg food should be rich. I add wheat germ oil to it so it will be higher calorie.
I always remember my special visit with the Las Vegas Canary people. It was a great meal and sharing you hosted for us. Candy was the perfect hostess. No one had taken such care of me since my mother... I got hooked on mango-peach juice that Ron shared with me.
Linda S. Hogan