A moulting or breeding bird has noticeably higher nutritional demands than one just getting through an ordinary week, and a conditioning seed is built to be added on top of the usual diet at exactly those times, not fed as an everyday staple.

This is a compound feedstuff for canaries, made from Japanese millet, rapeseed, whole linseed, hempseed, mawseed, niger seed, perilla seed, gold of pleasure and aniseed oil — a blend of small, oil-rich seeds. Johnston & Jeff's own guidance is not to exceed 15% of a pet bird's diet, rising to 25% for breeding or aviary birds, with less fed during ordinary maintenance or rest, or offered separately once or twice a week.

• Compound feedstuff for canaries
• Blend of oil-rich seeds: linseed, hempseed, mawseed, niger seed, perilla seed, plus aniseed oil
• Should not exceed 15% of a pet bird's diet (up to 25% for breeding or aviary birds)
• Feed less during maintenance or rest periods
• 12.75kg bag

What the label does not say. Johnston & Jeff market this as high in energy and protein, but no percentage for either is given on our card — you're working from the feeding proportion guidance rather than a nutritional panel.

Who it's for: canary keepers conditioning birds for breeding season or the moult, added to the usual diet rather than replacing it.