December 15, 2021

Questions and Answers #2 --- What color will the chicks be?

Q )  This is a very common question:    If I put this pair of canaries together, what color will the chicks be?

This is a question posted online many times:  what to expect (variegation) from pairing two birds... such as clear, self or variegated.  This is a fairly basic subject.... without definite answers if the birds are not of your own breeding.  The grandparent birds' appearances do influence future generations.  So, these basic guidelines are simply a starting point in guessing what the offspring will look like.

However, these guidelines are a good place to start!  They are quotes from several of the best books there are!  The photos below are from The Practical Canary Handbook:  A Guide To Breeding & Keeping Canaries  by Marie Miley-Russell and Canaries and Related Birds by Horst Bielfeld.  These books also cover other aspects of pairing two birds, such as color, feather type/quality, and other traits.

TOPICBOOK QUOTE
types of variegation ➞
predicted variegation
in chicks ➞
predicted variegation
and color
in chicks ➟
I cannot stress strongly enough:
Please LEARN all you can about canaries!
Please purchase and read at least one really good canary book.

If you are serious about breeding canaries, these are the best of the best!
All can be found on Amazon or Ebay.
  •  Canaries and Related Birds
    By Horst Bielfeld

    Feeding and housing of canaries in the European tradition, but is good, solid information.
    Good, detailed descriptions and breeding tips of a complete list of breeds, colors, and types!  Includes many helpful photos of good examples of breed/color standards... photos as simple as comparing hard/soft feather birds, and as advanced as comparing subtle differences in breed standards!
  • Coloured, Type and Song Canaries:
    A Complete Guide to Keeping, Breeding and Showing
    by G.B.R. Walker and Dennis Avon

    Descriptions of the various breeds, types and colors of canaries, as well as notes on standards for showing, guidelines for breeding and examples of care/feeding of canaries.  You will find answers to most of your questions in this book. The practical aspects of the genetics of breeding explained. Contains only basic explanations of showing. Some new color mutations are not included.
  •  The Practical Canary Handbook:  A Guide To Breeding & Keeping Canaries
    by Marie Miley-Russell

    Covering many subjects, this book describes the methods and the practices of an experienced breeder. Read this from cover to cover, and you will learn the important principles of successfully breeding canaries! One of the best! 
    NO PHOTOS!! No discussion of color breeding.
 
A list of all my favorite canary books can be found here:
Good Canary Books.



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