If you are a canary owner, you may be excitedly waiting for your hen to lay her first egg. However, it can be difficult to tell when a canary is ready to lay for beginners. Hence, we have prepared 5 signs that can help you determine when your canary hen is ready to lay her first egg.
- Vent and Abdomen Become Straight: When a female canary is ready to lay, her vent will become straight with her abdomen. This means that the vent and abdomen will appear as if they are one surface. This is a clear sign that your feather friend is ready to lay her first egg within 2 to 3 weeks
- Enlarged Abdomen: As a female canary becomes more ready to lay, her abdomen will also enlarge. This is because the egg is developing inside her body and needs more space. You may notice that the feathers in the abdominal area become more sparse or even fall out as laying approaches. She is within 5 to 10 days.
- Nesting Behavior: If you have provided your hen with a nest and nesting material, she will build her nest and you may notice that she spends more time inside it as she approaches egg-laying. She may also start to rearrange the nesting material and make it more comfortable. This behavior is a clear sign that your canary hen is preparing to lay her first egg.
- Increased Appetite: As the egg develops inside the female canary’s body, she may also begin to eat more to support the growth of the egg. You may notice that she is more interested in food than usual or that she finishes her food more quickly. Providing your hen with a variety of foods during this time can help support her health and the development of the egg.
- Fluffed-up feathers: The hen will fluff up her feathers to create a warm and cozy environment for the eggs inside her body. However, fluffed-up feathers can also indicate an underlying health issue, such as egg binding, where the egg gets stuck in the hen’s body.
Tip: Blow on the abdomen feathers to observe any changes in the abdominal area of the hen, such as an enlarged and red abdomen. This will help you notice any changes without disturbing the bird or causing her stress.
Helpful resource: Check out our article Common Breeding Issues in Pet Birds, including canaries.