Sunday, February 1, 2015

The thyroid gland, located in the neck region, has been
observed to enlarge due to proliferation of epithelial cells in the follicles in many species of birds, including pigeons, canaries,
budgerigars, and wild birds.

Several conditions are known to damage the thyroid gland. The most common is dietary iodine deficiency. An inadequate level of
iodine in the diet leads to a lack of available iodine in the thyroid
glands. Iodine is needed for the production of thyroxine. When low
levels of thyroxine are in the bloodstream, the brain sends signals to
the thyroid glands causing a proliferation of follicular epithelial
cells. With sustained iodine deficiency, the signals
continue to stimulate epithelial cell proliferation and produce thyroid
enlargement.

Thyroid problems are further complicated by certain feeds such as rapeseed, flax, soybean, cabbage, and broccoli which block the normal production of thyroxine. During this prebreeding/breeding season, I feed almost no rape or flax seed and feed peas instead of other vegetables. Providing one drop
of dilute Lugol's solution in 1 oz. of fresh drinking water once a week may be used as a preventative when these foods are being feed.

Canaries with low functioning thyroid hormones are lethargic and seem to lack vigor and when left untreated may contribute to immune deficiency and susceptibility to infection, infertility and embryo death in the shell and decreased hatchability. Even males losing their voice and not singing can be due to iodine deficiency.

Kansas is known for being an area that is iodine deficient. And over the years, I have use Lugol's iodine or vanodine iodine to ensure good thyroid hormone production. Yesterday and today, I added 5 drops vanodine per gallon and today and I can already notice raised activity, and a more "perky" disposition and feeding behavior.

I have a few German rollers from other breeders that were raise primarily on rape seed. One bird was thought to be a hen but actually it was too thin and out of condition male. This bird is now starting to sing after two weeks with two consecutive days each week on vanodine in the water. Likewise the other older Roller male and two hens from another breeder are starting to gain weight. The older male produced very few chicks last year and his son even died and the two hens never came into condition. I think the all rape seed diet had quite a detrimental effect on them.

My vet book describes making a concentrated solution of Lugol's iodine two ml in 30 ml of water for a working solution then one drop concentrated solution to 250 ml of water. The 5% is closest to the working solution.

2011 Visitor Counter

Visitor Counter

Search This Blog

Big Bird

About Me

My first canary memory was early childhood as my mother raised about 100 canaries each year. During the breeding season, she was always finding a young chick which she said needed hand feeding. I would use a toothpick to stuff its crop with eggfood. It never occurred to me that each time it was a different chick! I still have a weakness for hand feeding although I rarely do it as the mothers food is far superior. When I was 16, I adopted an elderly "grandmother" and she raised German rollers. I would sit for hours and listen to her green roller singers. I banded my first birds in 1980. I achieved master breeder exhibitor status in color-bred canaries and German Rollers.
I became a judge and hold judging credentials from the Central States Roller Canary, National Colorbred, Stafford Canary, North American Border and Old Varieties Canary Associations. I have judged shows all over the US including Puerto Rico and Canada.
My book "The Complete Canary Handbook, Canary Tales" is in its 14th edition and sells worldwide. In a typical year, I breed around 150 canaries. My current aviary includes German Rollers, Borders, Staffords, and Colorbreds.