FrogsGoMoo
Meeting neighbors
- Joined
- 7/6/21
- Messages
- 53
- Real Name
- James
Earlier this year, we got a female Canary (Brown Sugar) who was just determined to lay eggs. We placed her in the cage with our other Canary (Sherbet) who we got 2 weeks prior of unsure sex. Brown Sugar laid 4 eggs about 2 weeks after we bought her. Unfortunately, they were all infertile. We let her sit on them for about 23 days until she abandoned them and I verified they were empty. A few days later, she attempts again with another 4 eggs. Once again, infertile. Let her abandon them again after 22 days. Then we decided okay, we haven't heard Sherbet sing and she's desperately wanting to be a mother. So we decided to search around for a male Canary to pair her up with and eventually found one off of Craiglist and set up to buy him on Friday. Unfortunately, the Thursday night before we were buying the new Canary, we found Sherbet sitting at the bottom of the cage heavily breathing. Took him to the vet and they said he was about to pass away from some unknown infection. We occasionally let them fly around out of their cage so I'm thinking he may have eaten something or got dust in his lungs. I honestly have no idea. I have 7 finches who are just fine and neither Canaries have gotten sick since. So it's really a mystery what got to him. Anyway, we placed the new Canary (Paprika) in a cage next to Brown Sugar to get them accustomed to each other before placing them together. A few days go by and we decide to put them together after Brown Sugar kept chirping to Paprika. Then 4 days later, Brown Sugar lays an egg. We expected the 3rd clutch of infertile eggs so expected nothing of it. 18 days go by and lo and behold, as I was putting in treats in their cage yesterday morning, I noticed an egg was missing and instead noticed what I thought was a pile of feathers from them molting. Then it moved. And I went "Oh shizz." Baby Canary. Now, the question I've been trying to get to is, WHOSE THE DADDY?! Sherbet died about a week prior to the first egg being hatched, so it's possible he could be the father since I did notice him and Brown Sugar kissing and they acted as a pair to me. He'd sit over the nest when she was sitting it in and feed her as well. He was a bit aggressive at times though and pecked her here and there. So wasn't sure if he was being an aggressive mate, or a territorial hen over the nest. And Canaries can lay eggs a few weeks after mating. So he's not entirely out of the equation. But Paprika could be a female as well since I haven't heard him sing in the 4 weeks I've had him and he broods on the nest as well when Brown Sugar is eating or stretching her legs. We're really hoping it's Sherbets since it'll be a nice way to remember him by since he along with my Society Finch, Cookies and Cream, were our first 2 birds, and it was sad to see him go so soon.
tl;dr Have 2 potential male Canaries who could be the father of my female Canary's babies. Neither ever sung and one had 2 clutches of infertile eggs with the hen, and the other was only with her in the cage for 4 days before she laid an egg.
But what do you think? I'll post photos to keep up on their feathers coming in to see if he comes in yellow/orange, or red/brown.
Sherbet:
Paprika:
Brown Sugar:
tl;dr Have 2 potential male Canaries who could be the father of my female Canary's babies. Neither ever sung and one had 2 clutches of infertile eggs with the hen, and the other was only with her in the cage for 4 days before she laid an egg.
But what do you think? I'll post photos to keep up on their feathers coming in to see if he comes in yellow/orange, or red/brown.
Sherbet:
Paprika:
Brown Sugar: