Saturday, August 23, 2014

Selecting The Best Canary Seed Mix

By Deanne Shepard


All canaries need a good mix of seeds in their diet. There are many mixes available commercially which makes choosing the right canary seed mix for your birds more difficult. Various factors must be taken into account when making a choice. The age, health and living conditions of the birds are all important. The seeds themselves need to be fresh, clean and combined in the right proportions.

If a bird is underdeveloped or suffering from failure to sing, prolonged molt or color changes, it is most likely not getting the required nutrients. Seeds provide many of the nutrients required but the combination and quantities of the various seeds needs to be right too. Rape seeds, for example, contain a lot of oil whereas others are more starchy.

Matching the diets of canaries to different periods of the year is the sensible approach employed by most breeders. They may require a diet that is higher in protein during mating season or one higher in fat during winter. Those who live in aviaries rather than cages may need more carbohydrates in their diets as they are more active.

The kinds of mixes available at pet stores are fairly standard. The seeds contained vary considerably but many of the mixtures consist mostly of canary seeds with some rape or canola, millet or flax added. Searching for such products online offers access to a far wider variety of mixes to choose from. This allows for a comparison of ingredients and prices and reviews can also be read before deciding on a particular product.

When buying a mix, an all natural one should be chosen. It is very important to keep the diet of the bird as fresh and natural as possible. It should not contain any dyes, synthetic ingredients or preservatives. Seeds must be discarded if they have been affected in any way by damp or mold or if they are simply too old.

Leafy greens are considered an important element in the diet of canaries by many breeders. Many people prefer to give these to the birds themselves but they are also added to some blends. Other products have fruit and even nuts added too. The type of fruit used should be a hard fruit like a pear or apple as softer fruit can cause problems.

There are many mixes available that have added vitamins. The seeds are coated with these vitamins and they help the bird to resist disease by counteracting any dietary deficiencies. Some owners add vitamins themselves to food or water. However, there is always the question of amount and too many vitamins is as detrimental as too few. It is always better to underfeed additives and supplements rather than overfeed.

The type of mix purchased may need to change at times. For example, more fat is usually required in winter to cope with the cold and rape seeds are a good source of fat. A combination that is higher in protein may be needed during breeding season. Whatever mix is required, it is easy to source and purchase from an online store.




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