Showing the mighty Lancs

PAUL WOODWARD shares advice with Dave Brown on successfully breeding and exhibiting Lancashires, one of our most celebrated old canary varieties. Continues from last week

- Paul Woodward

DAVE Brown: How do you feed your Lancashires?

Paul Woodward: When I started out, I used to give them all sorts. You read lots and hear different advice, so you try out lots of things. However, nowadays things are kept a lot simpler.

In October/November, when the moult is finished, the diet is made up of a good-quality mixed canary, which I cut with plain canary. I keep the diet “low” at this time in the season to help with show condition. Too rich a diet will result in mucky vents, which you don’t want to have on a show bird.

Come December I’ll start building the diet up again and offer soft food a couple of times a week. Simple is again the approach and I use roughly 50 per cent frozen peas to 50 per cent Cede eggfood, then just an inch of carrot. Whizz it all up in the blender and that’s it.

Come breeding time they will also get a daily offering of broccoli in addition to their winter fare. I just place a floret in the cage and let them pick over it.

Simple is good if you’re working during the day and helps other people who may look after your birds when you are away.