Canaries Month by Month:

With Christmas around the corner, BRIAN KEENAN is well into his winter programme, and reckons he might deserve a nice outcross

- BRIAN KEENAN

AS DECEMBER comes around, there is only the odd show or two left to complete the UK canary show season, and the majority of major winners have already been seen and assessed by most exhibitors, at one point or another. Or have they? The unseasonal long moult which many breeders are talking about this year may yet mean there are several new faces on our later show benches, which will extend the competitive interest we all share. I certainly hope so! My main thoughts, however, are focused primarily on next year’s breeding season.

At home in the birdroom, I aim on placing my hens into small flights, three or four to a cage utilising treble breeders wherever possible. My cock birds are in large 24in (61cm) single breeders, one bird to a cage. I find these practices helpful to avoid fighting, reduce stress and at the same time allow the birds to increase their fitness and activity levels over the next two or three months.