Cage & Aviary Bird Blogs

Why Cage Birds Are Good for Your Health

Owning cage birds like budgies, canaries, or parrots isn’t just a delightful hobby—it’s also good for your health. These feathered companions can brighten your life and offer several mental and...

Bonfire Night: Reducing Stress and keeping your...

Fireworks can be particularly harmful to wildlife, especially birds, as the flashing lights and loud explosions can startle and disorient them. With their acute hearing, birds are highly sensitive to...

UKBC lands at Haith’s new HQ

Last Friday, the 14th of June, Haith’s were honoured to host a day at their new premises for the popular budgerigar society, The UK Budgerigar Club (UKBC). The day was...

Honouring Budgie Breeders: Memorial Eucalyptus ...

During Haith's vibrant planting initiative to hand back commercial space at the new Haith’s Bird Food Centre in Louth, Lincolnshire, a special opportunity emerged to honour the legacy of budgie...

Haith’s Team Visits Chris Snell's Aviary: A Day...

Yesterday the Haith's Team went on a trip to Champion Budgie Breeder, Chris Snell's aviary. Chris was kind enough to initiate a visit to help the team understand the behind-the-scenes of running a...

Whispers of Joy: Discovering the Charm and Chee...

Siskins, native to both Europe and Asia, are charming small finches that enchant observers in their natural habitats. They feature a distinctively forked tail and a slender bill. The male...

Exploring the World of Budgies: An Evening with...

This week the Lincolnshire Budgie Society had the honour of hosting Professor John E Cooper, along with his wife Margaret, a distinguished wildlife lawyer, for a captivating meeting on the...

The Bengalese Finch: A Charming Companion for B...

Bengalese finches (Society Finch) are remarkably easy-going and versatile birds to care for. They thrive in various environments, be it breeding cages, indoor aviaries, or spacious flights, displaying contentment across...

The delight and beauty of Gouldian Finches

The captivating and alluring plumage of Gouldian finches (Erythrura gouldiae), native to Australia, never fails to capture attention. Renowned among bird enthusiasts, these beautiful birds have become sought-after pets, bringing...

Enhance the well-being of aviary birds with Hai...

Investing in the health and happiness of your cage and aviary birds is a dedicated commitment. Haith's Condition Seed™ whether with or without rape seed, emerges as an essential resource for...

Feathers of Wisdom: The African Grey Parrot

African Grey Parrots, have a relatively long lifespan and can live for several decades in captivity, with some individuals reaching 50 years or more. They are of medium to large size, characterised...

Winter Care: Keeping Your Feathered Friends Cosy

Caring for pet birds in winter requires special attention to their well-being, as the cold weather can pose challenges for them. Many pet birds, such as parrots and lovebirds, originate...

Pheasants: A Glimpse into the World of These Be...

Pheasants are fascinating game birds known for their striking appearance; they are large, colourful and belong to the Phasianidae family.  There are numerous different species, which originate from Asia. They...

The Unique Charm of Ringneck Parakeets

The distinctive ring-necked parakeet is easily recognisable with its vibrant green plumage, long slender tail, and bright striking red beak. They are renowned for their exceptional talking abilities, although the...

Crimson Crescendo: The Radiant Shade of a Canar...

Red canaries are popular among bird enthusiasts and pet owners due to their striking appearance, also known as Red Factor Canaries, there are a variety of domestic canaries that have...

A Beginner's Guide to Rearing Young Canaries wi...

Welcoming a new generation of canaries into your home is an exciting and rewarding experience that requires attention to detail and a nurturing touch. Rearing young canaries involves creating a...

The Enchanting World of Greenfinches

Greenfinches are commonly found in the wild, but they can also be successfully raised as pets within an aviary. Many aviary enthusiasts consider them an excellent choice for beginners, as...

Falling for Quality: An Autumn Day with Avian E...

We recently had the pleasure of hosting Professor John Cooper and his wife, Margaret, at our new premises. It was a day filled with insightful discussions, a tour of our...

Feathers & Friendship: An Insight into Domestic...

Chickens, often overlooked, are gentle souls capable of bringing a wealth of love and joy to many households. Within this blog, we will explore their life cycle, offer essential advice...

The Enchanting World of Cockatiels: Tiny Birds,...

Cockatiels, often called the "gentle clowns of the bird world," are captivating avian companions that have captured the hearts of bird enthusiasts worldwide. These small parrots, native to Australia, have...

Why lovebirds make colourful friends in your home

Lovebirds, small parrots known for their vibrant plumage and affectionate nature, have captured the hearts of bird enthusiasts around the world. Belonging to the genus Agapornis, these charming birds are...

Canary Bliss - Creating Harmony in Indoor and O...

Embarking on the enchanting journey of keeping canaries in an aviary offers bird enthusiasts a symphony of joy and vibrant colours. Whether nestled indoors or embraced by the open air,...

Feathers and Chirps: Keeping Zebra Finches as D...

Zebra Finches, with their vibrant plumage and cheerful chirps, make for delightful companions in the world of avian enthusiasts. These small, social birds are not only visually captivating but also...

The Joyful Company of Parrots: A Guide to Keepi...

Parrots, with their vibrant feathers and intelligent eyes, make for delightful companions in the world of pets. These charming birds are not only visually appealing but also possess unique personalities...

Haith’s Host Lincolnshire Budgie Society Open E...

Yesterday evening, the 19th of September, Haith's was thrilled to open its doors to the Lincolnshire Budgie Society. Before the doors opened, staff were busy preparing the canteen, ensuring that...

Competition Time: Win 5kg of Aviary Mix

If you enter our competition, be careful not to respond to any invitations from fake accounts purporting to be Haith’s. Ours is a free competition and we’ll never ask you...

How to check the quality of bird food that you ...

It is important you provide your birds with a high-quality seed mix as this will ensure they get the correct nutrients and will help keep their feathers, beaks, and general...

Podcast: The importance of flight for Budgies a...

Exercise plays an important role in a bird’s weekly routine, not only can it stop them becoming overweight it can keep them from being bored. If you normally keep them...

UK Budgerigar Club (UKBC) talks to Haith's bird...

UK Budgerigar Club (UKBC) talks to Haith's birdseed about putting budgies first. In this episode, Dr Kevin Eatwell, veterinary specialist and management committee member of the UK Budgerigar Club (UKBC),...

How to keep your budgerigars cool in extreme heat

Snippet from our new podcast 🎤 How to keep your budgerigars cool in extreme heat - Champion Budgerigar Breeder Chris Snell explains all. Champion Budgerigar Breeder Chris Snell shares invaluable...

How do you become a champion budgie breeder?

Snippet from our new podcast 🎤 How do you become a Champion Budgerigar Breeder? We delve into Chris Snell's childhood to see where it all began In this captivating podcast...

Is it worth paying more for a good quality budg...

Snippet from our new podcast 🎤 Champion Budgerigar Breeder Chris Snell explains how important a good quality bird diet is. In this podcast featuring Champion Budgerigar Breeder Chris Snell, the...

What's the difference between pet budgerigars a...

Snippet from our new podcast 🎤What's the difference between pet budgerigars and exhibition budgerigars - Champion Budgerigar Breeder Chris Snell explains all. In the fascinating world of budgerigars, there exists...

Do budgerigars (budgies) need natural daylight?

Do budgies need natural day light? Listen to Champion Budgerigar Breeder Chris Snell's advice. Ensuring optimal conditions for budgerigars, commonly known as budgies, is crucial for their well-being. One essential...

NEW PODCAST DROPPED

Certainly! Here's an expanded version of the podcast announcement:--- **NEW PODCAST ALERT: Delve into the World of Budgie Breeding with Chris Snell**Exciting news! We're thrilled to announce the release of our...

Think you can’t afford top-quality feed? Think ...

If you typically order more than ten bags of seed at a time for your budgies, you might want to take a closer look at our “Clubman” bulk pallet discount...

Can I Give my Chickens Bird Food?

Healthy diets, healthy birds; a recent student ...

Readers will be aware that Haith's has always prided itself on the quality of its bird diets. In the early days, following the establishment of John E Haith’s in Grimsby...

Dust and Diets: An Unholy Alliance in Bird Care

Haith's have long been recognised and widely praised for the quality of their  foodstuffs, that any fed to birds, wild or captive, are as free as possible from dust. Indeed,...

An Overview of Canary Keeping: Breeding and Sho...

The canary fancy is quite different to many other branches of the bird keeping hobby. People keep either a few Canaries just for fun, some will breed with them and...

Feeding Budgies for Optimal Breeding Condition

If the purpose is to breed with your budgies, it’s all about getting them fit to breed – and that means two things – feeding them properly and giving them...

Feeding Budgies for Shows: Nutrition Tips for C...

  Feeding budgies during the show season is not especially difficult but the challenge is not to get the birds so fit that they don’t relax in a show cage....

Common Questions About Canaries: Answers and Tips

Bird-keeping expert Fred Wright answers some of your FAQs: Q: I am confused – canary breeders at my local club talk about Yellows v Buffs but I don’t really understand what...

Haith’s Budgie Tonic Seed: Benefits and Feeding...

Haith’s Budgie Tonic is one of the company’s bestselling seed mixes. It’s popular with many top Budgerigar fanciers and those on their way up the success-ladder, throughout the UK. Why...

Feeding Canaries and British Finches Before, Du...

Why a moult? What’s it all about? Once a year, all of our birds shed of feathers. Some birds will drop a few feathers during the year, but the perfect...

Budgies for Fun and Colour: A Guide to Budgerig...

There is so much fun and enjoyment to be gained by keeping and breeding budgies. Read on to learn more... There is an exhibition fancy for budgerigars but around 90...

October Birdroom Tips: Caring for Budgies

October is one of those strange months in the budgerigar birdroom – almost anything can happen, and it usually does! Discover more... Lots of exhibition breeders now start to pair...

October Birdroom Tips: Caring for Canaries

With canaries, October can be a straightforward month. The show season is in full swing and those Open and members shows will continue until the end of the year... Most...

Preparing Birds for Breeding in March: Tips for...

There are two highlights to the bird keeper’s years and that’s either the breeding season or the show season. But make no mistake that the success of the show season...

Beachcombing for Cuttlefish Bone: A Guide for B...

If you live on or near the south coast of the UK did you know that you can collect cuttlefish from your local beach? It is possible to find cuttlefish...

Budgies Love Fruit and Veg: A Guide to Healthy ...

Budgie Breeding: Making That Start with Budgies

Haith's QC Presentation at Cambridge University...

Monday, 28th October 2019 I was thrilled to have given a talk to CUVZS students about feeding and nutrition of birds last week (24th October 2019) along with our veterinary advisor Prof....

UK Budgerigar Club

The UK Budgerigar Club (UKBC) is an all-inclusive club to help promote and grow the hobby of keeping and breeding budgerigars regardless of what type or variety. A fundamental goal...

Cockatoos - great companions

There are several different species of cockatoo, that belong to the family Cacatuidae. They range in size from medium to large and stand out with their dramatic crest feathers, dusty...

Keeping Zebra finches as pets

Zebra finches are small, delightful birds and can be found across most of Australia, they belong to the subfamily Estrildidae (weaver finches). They have a striking colouration of a classic...

Tips for bird-keepers No3

In my previous “Tips for Bird-keepers”, I focused mainly on day-to-day care of your birds and ensuring that both they and you can cope during this Covid-19 “lockdown”. On each...

Tips for bird-keepers No2

In my first set of “Tips”, I reminded bird-keepers of the need to ensure that someone else could look after your birds if you were unwell or otherwise unable to...

Tips for bird-keepers

The current Covid-19 (coronavirus) “lockdown” presents challenges to all who keep birds, whether that is in the home, in a bird-room, aviary or zoological collection. First, the birds need to...

Latest News: Elected Fellow of The Linnean Soci...

Simon H King, Haith’s Associate Director has recently been elected a Fellow of The Linnean Society of London, the world’s oldest active biological society. The Society was founded in 1788...

Can Bird Food Be Fed to Chickens? A Comprehensi...

Chickens need a constant supply of minerals, calcium, and protein to help provide you with fresh eggs daily. We all love to feed garden birds, and our busy mail order...

Feeding Budgerigars

Feeding is very often not taken seriously by Budgerigar fanciers. But serious breeders take it as one of their top priorities. I already written about the importance of requiring the...

Haith's welcomes Chris Snell

Dear readers of the Haith’s Cage & Aviary Times We’d like to offer a big welcome to a new contributor to the Haith’s blog - Champion Budgie Breeder, Mr Chris...

It was nice to see you!

I would like to start by saying a big thank you to everyone who made Haith's feel welcome at this year's Budgerigar Society World Championship Show this past weekend. Trevor...

Hygiene and Garden Bird Feeding: Best Practices

What is the importance of Hygiene and Garden Bird Feeding. The importance of practising hygiene when feeding garden birds was emphasised once again in a recent scientific paper in the...

Kipepeo Workshop in Kenya: February 2018 Report

A One-Day Workshop on the Health and Welfare of Invertebrates, particularly butterflies, was held at Kipepeo, situated at Gedi Historical Site, a village near the coastal town of Malindi in...

Haith's Simon King Named Department for Interna...

Haith's Baits accept an invitation to become a #NPHExportChamp to encourage others to consider growing their international business through exporting. The invitation from Mark Robson, Yorkshire and Humber Regional Director...

A balanced bird diet is essential

A balanced bird diet is one that provides birds with the necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients required to maintain cells and allow a bird to go about its business correctly....

Haith's Pro Attends 2017 BIAZA Annual Conferenc...

During the year in which Hull has been designated the City of Culture, BIAZA aptly focused on a theme of 'Cultured Thinking: Placing Zoos and Aquariums within the Cultural Landscape...

The Coopers' Training Programme in Musanze, Rwa...

The Coopers (Professor John E Cooper and Mrs Margaret E Cooper) had been asked to provide veterinary and legal teaching for the hospital (clinic) staff and some invited participants. Their two-week...

Get better Budgies with Haiths breeding calendar

Every Budgie breeder will have their unique way of navigating the breeding season and some may argue that they have the process sewn up; however, for many others – the...

How to achieve a quick healthy moult

Birds which are in good condition don’t stick in the moult, they get through it quickly and thus maintains their stamina. Birds fed on Condition Seed have greater resistance to...

Haith's is runner-up for HSBC International Bus...

Haith's is very excited to have been shortlisted for the prestigious HSBC International Business Award. Haith's wish to thank all their UK and International clients as it wouldn't be possible...

BIAZA AGM and Conference 2015: Key Highlights

PRESENTATION ON BEHALF OF HAITH’S – “HEALTHY DIETS…HEALTHY BIRDS” by John E. Cooper and Andy Beer.     Haith’s (John E Haith Ltd) is based in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire,...

Essential Equipment for Veterinary Work in East...

Working as a wildlife vet in Kenya conjures up images of helicopters, four-wheel-drive vehicles, capture guns and an army of field workers and anti-poaching rangers. If fact, our veterinary advisor,...

Haith's PRO Shortlisted for Prestigious BIAZA A...

Haith's PRO will be awarded either Bronze, Silver or Gold for the category of Animal Breeding, Care & Welfare at the BIAZA AGM Gala Dinner on the 10th June at...

RZSS & Haith's Share Developments in Avian Nutr...

Andy Beer (Royal Zoological Society of Scotland) and Simon King (Haith's) attended the World Pheasant Association's Conservation Breeding Advisory Group Avicultural Day (at Cotswold Wildlife Park) Saturday, 7th February, 2015...

One Health: Highlights from the BVA Annual Conf...

The British Veterinary Association’s Annual Conference was held this year in collaboration with the London Vet Show. The 2014 programme theme was “One Health” – linking the health and wellbeing...

Haith's scoops third place at The Budgerigar So...

You can probably tell from the photo below that the Haith’s Cage & Aviary Show team were happy to receive third place for best trade stand from Budgerigar Society President,...

Kenya Workshop Discusses Health, Diseases, and ...

Non-human primates (monkeys and apes) face many threats, amongst them poaching, destruction of habitat and infectious disease.   Dr Steven Unwin, organiser of the PASA Veterinary Workshop in Kenya, briefs...

Why Dust is a Dirty Word at Haith's PRO: Ensuri...

As another Haith’s PRO bird diet springs healthily off the production line, we will not lament the death of dust we’ve extracted from it. We’ve come up with lots of...

Our goal: The cleanest bird food in the world

We have a moral duty to manufacture the cleanest bird seed mixes in the world. That’s our goal, but why? Currently in the UK, it’s possible to supply bird food...

Panic Ploughing: Understanding Its Impact on Wi...

What’s the problem with our countryside? It looks pleasant enough (doesn’t it?) Read here to find out. When travelling at the National Speed Limit! Driving fast past golden fields and...

Moulting made easier at Haith's

After the physiological strain of breeding, parent birds may liable to exhaustion and also will have commenced their moult. This is certainly the most stressful time for them, particularly in...

What affects the condition or fitness of racing...

The term ‘condition’ is a familiar one in the English Language – and there is a variety of uses. To aviculturists it has a specific meaning and relates to the...

Preparing for Another Pink Death: Bird Care Ins...

Flexible, standardised post-mortem examinations important in preventing future flamingo die-offs pink aggregations of lesser and greater flamingos. Over the last 20 years these populations have suffered a series of unexplained...

International Veterinary Forensic Science Assoc...

The Fourth Annual Conference of the IVFSA (International Veterinary Forensic Science Association) was held in Orlando, Florida, USA, from Wednesday 21st to Friday 23rd May. Speakers from several countries -...

Quality bird diets in East Africa

  Bird diet quality holds universal significance, transcending geographical boundaries and avian species diversity. Professor John Cooper's recent examination of poultry feed in Kenya sheds light on this crucial aspect...

A month by month guide to the breeding and rear...

UK fancier, and Haith's customer, Mike Harrington shares a year in the life of his incredible American singer programme. In addition to the monthly recommendations it is advisable to conduct...

Different birds, different tastes - Part 1 Dome...

This week, part one; we’re starting the journey with Domesticated Foreign Finches & Zebra Finches: Domesticated Foreign Finches: There are now several varieties of domesticated foreign finches and their hybrids...

Domesticated, Coloured and Pet Canaries

Feeding canaries is very much the same as all small seed-eating birds and over generations the champion breeders and showmen, particularly of the Type Canaries, have developed their own particular...

Germinated Seeds, Minerals, Quantity of food an...

Germinated seed - Most birds enjoy germinated seeds, which provide a rich source of Vitamins A and E. Presoaking in lukewarm water for about half a day is necessary to...

Different birds, different tastes - Part 2 Beng...

Thank you for joining us on part two of this journey, looking at how Haith’s cater for finches (Domesticated Foreign, Zebra, Bengalese, Gouldian Finches), small Parrot-like and Budgerigars too. If...

RVCZS Royal Vet Symposium 2014: Key Highlights ...

The first Southern UK vet school zoological society symposium 2014. Read here for more information. RVCZS ROYAL VET SYMPOSIUM 1ST-2ND FEB 2014   Organising team:  Rosie Beaumont and Catherine Jeanes...

The History of John E Haith Ltd

Discover the history behind John E Haith Ltd by reading this blog. In 1947 John 'Ted' Haith bought a war damaged three storey chapel in Cleethorpes to expand his growing...

It’s time to bring our birds into breeding cond...

We are now approaching that time of the year when birdsong is said to be at its loudest. It used to be during the first week of April but changes...