Local bird shows & new birds

I went to a bird show today in San Antonio. They are held throughout the year, and this was the first one in my local area. There aren't many birds available yet, as it's too soon in the season for new chicks. What is available are last years birds.
When buying at shows be sure to ask many questions! If the seller isn't able to answer your questions with confidence you may want to shop around. It's always wise to get to know the vendors/breeders and build a relationship.
Tip: A vendor at the show today told me to keep a 40 watt bulb on top of the cage with young birds and leave it on ALL THE TIME so they can find their food. This is not correct! Birds need their sleep in darkness. They know to eat before nightfall and this meal holds them till first light. Be sure to do your research before you accept a tip like this. If it doesn't sound right it probably isn't right! Lack of proper sleep WILL affect their health.

When shopping for your new bird get a really good look at it. Try to view under its tail and look for a clean "vent". If there is discoloration there (feces) it is a sick bird. Look for fresh bright eyes. Also look at the feathers. A sick bird is usually easy to spot.

I'm looking forward to our new 2010 chicks!

Molting

Wow, I haven't updated in several days! The mountain cedar here in Texas has been outrageously high, so I have been a bit under the weather with allergies...
My birds are doing well! My gouldian females are beginning their molt, but the males are a bit behind. Until they have all completed the molt they will not breed. I have them on a molt aid to help them get through this time and to encourage a faster molt.(ask me about this product) It is also great for their new feathers! It really brings out the colors. Please Google Gouldian Finch so you can see the beauty of these birds, if you aren't familiar with them.
The canaries are in a "soft" molt. They really aren't supposed to molt until AFTER breeding season, but with all the inconsistent weather we have had here they are confused. Several of my pairs are on eggs, but I don't believe they are fertile. I am letting the females stay on the eggs just so they will stop laying more and depleting their systems of vital calcium and minerals. Once the males are "interested" i will remove the bad eggs and let the pairs start over.
I am looking forward to a really great season of new chicks! I have some new breeds of canaries this year and I know the babies produced will be very special.
Thanks for reading, and please check back again! Always ask questions if you need some help with your birds.
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QUESTIONS ANYBODY?

If you have a question about your pet bird I can try to help. Ask under the comment section below, and I will respond. Thanks! Remember to check back for the answer :>

Sickness & injury

An update on my ill female frill canary-I nursed her back to health, even syringe fed her for 2 weeks. She lived in a basket all that time on a heating pad set to low.
Once she started looking better I moved her to a small cage without the wire grate on the floor so she could exercise her legs and feet. Her toes have not been quite normal on one foot, in that they won't grasp. So she hobbled a bit. I kept her in that small cage for a week and put her where she could see her mate. They talked to each other often! Now I have lined her mates cage with newspaper so she has a solid floor to stand on (no grate), and put perches in at nearly floors height to encourage her to perch. Now she gets on and off the perch and her feet look so much better. She isn't all the way back, but i believe she will survive this! I don't really know what happened to her in the beginning. One day she looked poorly, and the next day she was sitting in the floor. Once I removed her from the big cage i really thought she would die. I am thrilled that she pulled through, and I hope she will eventually be back to normal. She and her mate are happy now that they are back in the same cage together.
If you aren't familiar with the Northern Dutch Frill please google it. Her mate is a Parisian Dutch Frill. These are beautiful birds! :>

Jan 7

It sure is COLD! haha
Quiet day today. Not much to report.
I have enjoyed helping some of you with questions about your birds! It's fun to build a relationship. Stay in touch!
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addition to today's blog

I'm very excited today to see that one of my new baby gouldian finches is coloring in with a black head! Going to be a beautiful female, and she's the first black head I have in my flock! :>

update 1/12/10 I was wrong...I see red coming in now with a black edge. It's okay. She's still beautiful!

Molting

Hi all!
It's a cold rainy day here in Texas. No matter the season please remember to feed your feathered friends outside. They don't have the "pickins" in the winter that they might have in the summer. Everyone is hungry.
All of my birds are doing well. A few are trying to molt, as is detected by all the down feathers blowing around on the floor. Constant sweeping/vacuuming. The ones molting are now on Molt Aid (vetafarm product) to help them in this time and to make beautiful new feathers! They have to be pretty to strut their stuff for the females come spring time! :)
Remember, if you have any questions about bird keeping let me know. I may be able to assist you.
Thanks for following, and have a great day!

Sickness & injury/care

Hi again-
Tired today. I either have allergies or a rotten cold.
The birdies are the same today. I do have a female Frill canary that was really sick two weeks ago, and I have been nursing her back to health. Her health now seems normal, but one of her legs is lame. She can hold it up to her body, but she cannot perch. Currently I have her in a basket on a heating pad set to low. I keep her there for her safety. She peeks out at her canary friends in the room and I know she really wants to be back with them in their cage. Hopefully she regains the use of her leg. Seems sad to think she will hobble around forever. I don't know if the leg is broken. A vet would charge me an outrageous amount of money to look at, so I have waited to see if it gets better on it's own. It has improved.
More later! :) thanks for stopping by.

blog 2

Had a nice Sunday. Spent some time cleaning cages and preparing my birds for the upcoming breeding season. It is very wise to get your birds on a health program now to prepare them for breeding. You want them at their peak! On my website I have a link to Frisky Finches and at this site you can access Gary's 12 step program for your birds. He has it written for the Gouldian finches he raises, but it is great for canaries too. I have all types of canaries and finches and I have started them on the program. The Vetafarm products are great. I hope to have them available to you soon, but for now you can order them through Frisky Finches. Also, keep in mind your bird lighting. You will need to begin adding 30 minutes per week to their "day" and eventually reach 13 or so hours. This will bring them into breeding season. It's a lot like forcing bulbs to bloom. You're just fooling the system, so to speak. :) If you let the lengthened day get short again your birds will begin their molt, and this will push back your breeding season. You have to stay on top of the timing. Using a light timer will take out the guess work...
More later! Thanks for stopping by the blog. Happy birds make happy owners!
CanaryCoop

Welcome to the Canary Coop blog

Hello and thanks for stopping by the Canary Coop! This is the first time blogging, so it won't say much. As I become more familiar with what this is all about the posts will become interesting and hopefully you'll come back by! :) I'm always glad to answer questions anyone may have, so leave the question in the form of a comment and I will answer, if I can.
Happy New Year! It'll be fun getting to know all of you! Be sure to go by the website and check it out.

theCanaryCoop