It's all in the Genes

It is our belief that in all forms of livestock breeding, blood is of more importance than visual qualities. Of course, if you are able to have both the visual qualities and the blood, then so much the better, but those type of birds are rarely available, and when they are, the asking price is usually greater than the average fancier can afford.

Before purchasing birds one should always make a point of looking for breeders who do their winning with owner-bred birds. If at all possible, arrange to visit the birdrooms of possible outcrosses. It is of the utmost importance that the overall quality of the stud is of the highest standard, for we believe that you can only expect to breed birds equal to the average quality of the stud from which they came.

These outcrosses must be paired to the most prepotent birds that you possess, in order that the qualities you saw in their "home stud" can be brought out. Our most successful outcrosses have come from the inferior brothers and sisters of really top-class budgerigars from good studs. It is far better to buy the worst bird from a really outstanding stud, than the best bird from a poor one.

A word of warning about buying blood; only buy blood if you are able to see where the so-called blood came from. Many birds are sold on the premise of being off one strain or another. If the bird you are purchasing has been bred from rubbish, which was bred from rubbish, then you can be quite sure that it will surely breed more rubbish, even if its great, great grandfather was Best in Show at the World Show!

We like to keep plenty of spare stock. It is all too easy to sell good birds; just try to buy some back. Fanciers should aim to have a good choice of pairings even on their last pair, that way you will have no need to pair two faults together, and should you have a really bad breeding season, you will have some reserves to fall back on. Far too many fanciers cut back on the numbers they keep just to keep the seed bill down! A false economy.

We never pair up on paper prior to breeding. We like to pick out those hens which are alert and bright eyed. In short, those which appear to be in breeding condition. It does not matter whether it is the best hen or the worst one, we then look for a visually suitable cock. By suitable we mean that any failings shown by the hen must be countered by using only cocks which excel where the hens fail. Similarly, faults in the cock must be countered by the hens excelling in those points. Never pair up birds which show the same faults, that way you should never produce inbred faults. In the long run you will only get out what you put in. If you double up on faults they will find you out in the long run.

Only when we have found a visually suitable partner do we check our records to see that they are not too closely bred. By close we mean brother sister or parent offspring. Apart from that anything goes.

Assessing Breeding Results

Having successfully paired your "Blood Birds" to your best, or most prepotent partners, the results should be carefully studied. These results can usually be assessed as being in one of three groups.

1. An odd show bird, with a some nice stock birds.
2. A number of mediocre stock birds.
3. Everything of a poor quality.

If your results are in group three, then it is far better to dispose of the lot. If your most prepotent bird cannot get anything out of your outcross, then it is better to call it a day there and then.

Group One results are easy; you've picked a winner; the two strains are obviously compatible, you've got your successful outcross.

Many more outcrosses result in birds from Group Two, and it often pays to retain a few of the better hens and pair them back into your own lines. It will usually be worthwhile if you chose your outcross well.

Birds of a Feather...

Nowadays, feather appears to be all-important on the show bench, and many fanciers pair their coarse-feathered birds together. This is often successful for a short time, but eventually nature catches up.

1. The better birds usually fail to reproduce in reasonable numbers.
2. Problems with missing flights and tails increase dramatically.
3. Body size decreases.
4. The show birds are difficult to get into show condition, and then hold it for a very short time.
5. The life span of the birds decreases.

Many years ago, Canary breeders trod the same path that we in the budgerigar fancy are on today. They saw the light, and now do not pair buff to buff. Very coarse-feathered birds should be paired to birds of a finer feather to produce the ideal show bird  a large bird of intermediate feather.

Original text: Copyright 1997, Gordon and Sylvia Hallam

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