I've been raising canaries for 25-30 years and am having trouble in the past few years. My canary eggs hatch and within a few days the babies start dying. One dies then another dies and sometimes they live until they are almost feathered out and then die. I feed them commercial canary mix, fresh water daily, dandelions and/or greens and fresh made daily egg food. Does anyone know anything about this or had a similar experience? Any help would be really appreciated. Thanks.

Funny you should say this as we have had a very high mortality rate with our canaries this year same sort of thing.
We have had 3 live babies this year out of numerous eggs.Live babies that have made it Imean.Lots make it out of the nest but then die or die just as they get feathered.
Not sure of the reason but would be interesting to hear others opinions.
It is not like we do not know what we are doing either as have bred many healthy canaries.

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Ted I replied to you on the other thread.

Possibles - Red mites - Sky high numbers in the past couple of years.
Vitamin D deficiency

Have a look on Google for Diseases of Canaries By Robert Stroud. Its an online book and has some good advice/information.
Page 47/48 list the signs and symptoms of VIT D deficiency

how old are the parents?
maybe they are past their healthy breeding age, if there is such a thing. plus it has been far warmer these last few years dehydration leading to crop sead rot and toxin production. dont know just putting some ideas in the mix.

It's very difficult to understand what is going there without take a look to the little pullus dead.
For my experience this situation happens when pullus has genetical tare, for example because father and mother are hierarchic affine, antoher motive could be humidity too much hight, or the opposite, too much sunny and hot place (dehydration).
Another thing could be salmonellosis or other fungal infection... how are fecal of babies? and mother's belly?
Are your canary mothers experienced? or at first hatch? could be and undernourishment problem....

Pls tell us more information about what did you seen.

Nick

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Hi Ted, I am from South Africa, we have been having the same problem here. One of my friends said that a Professor notified him to stop feeding the birds with egg, rather use a substitute for egg or not at all. I have tried this and my baby birds are not dying anymore. Apparently the chicken eggs contain salmonella, not enough to be harmful to us humans, but quite harmful for the birds. I hope this helps and let me know. Thanks. Kind Regards Kobus Groenwald, my email address is - jacobus.groenwald@vcontractor.co.za