The Breeding Cabinet can also be known as Breeding Boxes or Breeding Cage.
The purpose of a Breeding Cabinet is to house your Canaries and their chicks during the breeding season. They come in various sizes and shapes however some basic rules apply, which makes the process and care Breeding cageof your birds so much easier.
(1). The cabinet should have a format, that can by inserting a slide, be divided into sections. This allows you to catch your birds more easily without disturbing the rest. It also allows you to have one cock with two hens by using three sections. By changing the slides, the cock bird can be easily moved between both hens.
(2). Have wire fronts which have two or more holes in the wire, so that you can use outside drinkers and seed hoppers. The outside drinker stops the inside of your cabinets getting wet and external seed hoppers allows you to change seed and water without disturbing the birds.
The birds quickly learn how to put their head through the hole to get food & drink.
(3). The Cabinet should have an easy method of cleaning the floor. I prefer slide out draws and on the floor I use sand which is in abundance in most parts of Australia. You could however use Sawdust, Crushed gravel, Crushed Sugarcane etc..
Breeding cage(4). The colour is best a light colour, such as white or pale blue. Most breeders use a pale blue however I have used white very successfully. I knew a man who bred Red Factor Canaries and he painted his cabinets pale pink.
(5). Each compartment should have 2 sturdy perches that do NOT move, as this increases the success of each mating.
(6). The Cabinet should be in a clean well lit position (preferably natural light, with good ventilation but not drafty.
(7).  I also do not attach the nest pan to the back wall, I put it in a margarine container, see
[ Nest ]
(8). To build a Cabinet with 16 Holes i.e. 4 Long by 4 High, you would need to first buy or make your wire fronts, because all measurements are based around them.  As well if you are getting trays made up you would need to work out your width and depth.  The following is a list of what you would need; timber lengths are approximate until you calculate the above.
  • 16 Wire fronts for Canaries
  • 16 Trays or the like.
  • 7 lengths of Radiata Pine - 1800mm X 300mm X 25mm (5 horizontal shelves + both ends)
  • 4 lengths of Radiata Pine - 1800mm X  20mm X 15mm (for the horizontal pieces between the wire fronts and the trays)
  • 6 lengths of Radiata Pine - 1800mm X 15mm X 15mm (for the verticals between each wire front, between which the separation slides go)
  • 2 sheet - 4mm 3ply 1800mm X 1800mm ( one sheet for the back, the second to be cut into slides to separate the birds.)
  • 4 Sturdy wheels so that you can move the Breeding Cabinet if required.
  • Wood Glue & small panel pins
  • 2 Litres pale Blue paint.
With the selection of timber you could use other varieties as long as they are straight.  Avoid using manufactured particle or chip board as this absorbs water and will not last as well.
When assembling fill all holes to avoid later problems with redmite etc.

Author:  James Hart  Published: 15/9/04