How do you keep red factor canary red?

In order to maintain their rich red plumage, red-factor canaries must be fed foods rich in beta-carotene, or a supplement of half pure beta-carotene and half pure canthaxanthin to maintain their best color.

Are red factor canaries good singers?

Red factor canaries are prized for their color rather than their song, but they are also very melodious singers and enjoy singing. These canaries are generally good-natured, social creatures. Healthy canaries will always have clear, bright eyes, clean, smooth feathers and curious, active dispositions.

Are canaries naturally red?

While both are canaries, red factor canaries are a hybridization from yellow canaries, and are bred and prized for their color instead of their song. But red factor canaries can’t maintain their red color on their own.

How do you breed a red factor canary?

Breeding season for most canaries is usually from December to April. They are best bred in breeding cages. They lay their eggs in a nest. The female will lay 3 to 6 eggs, one per day.

What kind of bird is a red factor canary?

When hatched, the red-factor canary is is a pale peach or orange. It owes this original color to the red siskin, which was introduced to the canary line in the late 1920s. Most of the red factors, however, are color-fed, meaning that the owner feeds a special diet to create a bird that is a deep orange or red, much like those flamingos.

How did the Canary get its red color?

The domesticated canary was produced two centuries earlier through selective breeding of the Atlantic canary. In modern times, the red coloring is maintained through selective breeding of canaries that possess the red color genes. Red siskins are no longer required, and after generations of outbreeding, red canaries possess very little siskin DNA.

When to give red factor canaries color fed diet?

Canthaxanthin doesn’t do much for the color of the feathers already visible on a bird, but it will enhance the color of feathers waiting to grow out after molting. For this reason, some bird owners prefer to give their red factor canaries a color-fed diet just before and during molting.

What to do with molting red factor canaries?

For molting red factor canaries, try offering Quiko Special Red Egg Food as a snack or treat.