Retrospective Evaluation of Reproductive Records in First-Season Malta-Type Canaries Fed Two Domestic Commercial Egg-Food and Seed Combinations

This single loft observational study compared reproductive performance during the first breeding season in Malta type foster canaries (Serinus canaria domestica) managed under two domestic commercial egg food and seed combinations. Breeding records from a single loft were reviewed from early February to early August of the same year. Both feeding combinations consisted exclusively of commercially marketed products manufactured in Türkiye. Males were housed individually until the breeding season, whereas females were maintained in groups of five. After pairing in early February, birds received either domestic X brand egg food plus Y brand domestic canary mixed seed or domestic A brand egg food plus B-brand domestic canary mixed seed (n = 5 pairs per group). Birds were housed in specially designed roll system PVC breeding cages (50 × 40 × 40 cm) and completed four clutches with their own eggs and chicks, without being used as foster parents during the study period. Egg number per clutch, chick number per clutch, seasonal totals per pair, and hatchability were evaluated. The Mann Whitney U test was used for between group comparisons, the Friedman test for within group clutch effects, and Holm corrected Wilcoxon signed-rank tests for pairwise comparisons when required. Seasonal total egg number per pair was 16.2±0.8 in the X+Y group and 15.8±1.3 in the A+B group (P = 0.841). Total chick number was 14.6±1.5 and 13.4±1.8, respectively (P = 0.421). Hatchability was 90.1±7.2% in the X+Y group and 84.7±7.2% in the A+B group (P = 0.310). Egg numbers followed a similar course across four clutches in both groups. In contrast, chick number tended to decline as the season progressed; this change was significant in the A+B group (Friedman P = 0.026). When all pairs were evaluated together, the reduction in chick number was most evident between the first and fourth clutches (Holm-adjusted P = 0.023). In conclusion, no between-group difference was detected in seasonal egg output, chick output, or hatchability in this small observational dataset, although the X+Y combination showed a more stable pattern in late season clutches.