Feeding Your Canary :: Feeding and Nutrition

Canaries are delicate birds and can dehydrate in a very short time, so make sure your canary has access to fresh food and water all day.

Canaries are delicate birds and can dehydrate in a very short time, so make sure your canary has access to fresh food and water all day. Keep food vessels clean and check often for mold and grubs in food.

A good food for a canary is a seed mix commonly called Black and White, which consists of 70 percent canary seed and 30 percent seeds from the rape plant. But, having said that, don’t overlook the fact that canaries should also have fresh food daily.

Many breeders offer their birds a half-teaspoon or so of chopped hard-boiled eggs per day per bird during breeding season. With a few exceptions, birds are likely to go for most fruits and vegetables that humans will eat. Chop the pieces very fine and avoid avocados at all costs – they can be toxic to birds. Canned corn, on the other hand, is highly nutritious – and a great favorite. They also enjoy bits of whole wheat or corn bread.

Canary pellets can be used as a dietary supplement. Canaries love sunflower seeds, but offer them sparingly as they are very fattening. To break down the hulls of seeds such as dry corn, wheat, and sunflower – and to break their complex carbohydrates down into sugars – soak the seeds in water overnight in the refrigerator, and offer small bits to your bird each day.

Sprouted mung beans are also a good choice, but be sure to check for mold before feeding them to your bird. Also, mineral grit and cuttlebone should be added to keep your bird healthy.