I have 3 happy canaries in a large cage 2 metres tall by about 1metre square. Today on a windowsill in my local town in S of France I saw 6 canaries in a small 2ft x 2ft x2ft cage, all singing. Is this too many in a small cage and what is the best size? At some time in the future I might have to downsize my home and cage.
Also, I saw some of the birds had striking black markings on them. What breed are these and do they all fit together?
Look forward to some answers. Thanks, Jacqui

Hi Jacqui,I had 4 canaries in a large cage they were all males and were fine together in the winter while they were moulting, but come the spring all hell let lose they fought almost tried to kill each other I had to seperate them,I put them in a friends aviary which was big enough for them to have there own territory.Suex

Hi Sue, Thanks for your message. I have 2 females and 1 male. I did have another male and the 2 males did fight a bit, but unfortunately the poor thing escaped. Perhaps it was a good thing in the end as regards fighting. There must have been at least 2 males in the cage I saw in Antibes by the amount of singing going on.
Any thoughts on the breed of the ones with pronounced black markings? Perhaps a different breed would not fight.
Jacqui

Hi Jacqui
You should be ok with just the 1 male I did have the same and they were fine nested had young never any fighting.There are loads of different breeds some have markings I"ll try and find some.Sue

I sadly have to announce my oldest female canary died last night. It was rather cold and she was old. I gave her a good burial in a blue velvet pouch in the garden under my Christmas Tree. Anyone who was logged in before, this was the canary with a hole in her beak.
As a result I have bought a new smaller cage for the 2 remaining. It was very difficult to catch them without damage, but I hope they will get used to the smaller cage. I plan to bring them in at night during the winter, although I had been wrapping them up warm in a blanket I don't want to risk another loss. Will let you know how they adapt to smaller cage and being indoors at night for the first time in their lives. Jacqui

Since bringing them inside in the warm and in a smaller cage, the male has been singing his heart out. What is interesting is he does not face out of the cage but seems to be singing looking at a large landscape painting behind the cage. It is almost as if he thinks he is in the landscape. Has anyone else had any similar experiences? Jacqui