Copyright 2007 Cockatiel Foundation, Inc.
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ARTICLE
| PAGE 2. Continued ... Any of these traits may be assessed when preparing to pair up birds for the coming breeding season. Birds should be caught up, individually caged and examined. If both birds in a pair show the same fault, the union should be changed. To quote a well-known husbandry principle: “Never breed two birds together that share the same fault no matter how good their other qualities may be!” If you proceed to breed two birds together with the same faults, you will set the faults as inherited, dominant traits in future offspring. Ideally, pairs should be placed side-by-side to see how well they match. Some questions to consider may include the following: do any of the pairs share major faults (e.g., do both partners carry a bald spot?); do the pairs compliment one another for a particular quality (e.g., does the cock excel in crest length, while the hen carries superior crest density?), and so on. Other traits to consider beyond outward physical appearance include health, fertility, successful incubation and parenting skills, among others. Another legitimate concern is whether to breed exhibition stock with superior traits if they won’t reproduce or feed their own offspring. Parenting abilities can be influenced by genetics and it may be helpful to our cockatiels’ biological evolution to allow them to raise at least one clutch of babies on their own through weaning. Otherwise, if chicks are continuously removed for handfeeding and adults are not allowed to develop and exercise their formerly innate parenting skills, we may end up breeding fertility and nurturing skills right out of a line. If pairs are compatible, they may be given a nest box and the opportunity to raise young. It is advisable to study show standards so that you are familiar with the ideal cockatiel and understand your breeding goals. Attend as many bird shows as possible and sit up front or volunteer to be a steward or ribbon tier. There is much to be learned from the show judge’s comments during a show. Visit top breeders and study their birds until you form some idea of the qualities you are looking for or what you wish to emulate in your own stud. Once you have your initial stock ready for the season, write down a breeding plan. For example, “to produce a standard crest with the qualities of fullness, density and graduating filaments, with an ideal length of 2.75 inches in the young produced” may be set as the objective for the 2004 breeding season. Although the ideal crest actually measures 3 inches in length, it may be unrealistic to expect to reach this goal in only one season. Be reasonable in your objectives and progress so you do not set your plan up for failure. And, keep in mind there is likely to be several other objectives sought in the overall breeding plan with different goals for different lines of birds. In the future, you may wish to produce a line with an outstanding crest (Line A), that you may want to combine with another line for exceptional size (Line B), to form a strain that carries both large size and an outstanding crest (Line AB). Other lines and their traits, once set, can also be brought in to help form the future stud. Objectives and Feedback The beauty of writing down your objectives is that they can be measured and assessed at the end of the breeding season. This information is important for positive feedback and review, noticing where improvements are needed. Once the young are fully weaned, they may be separated into a nursery or juvenile flight. Unless they are to be sold as pets or breeding stock, it is advisable to keep the young for at least a year, even two, as final growth will not be known until they are fully mature. Some young cockatiels can really blossom in their second year and surprise an exhibitor. Culling must be done ruthlessly if progress is to be made in your breeding program. “Keep the best, cull the rest,” is another livestock principle well heeded. If there are birds that do not measure up to your standards, sell them as young pets so they will go to good homes. We are responsible for the birds we bring into the world so we owe them a good home if we cannot provide one for them ourselves. Meticulous record keeping is essential to keeping track of dominant and recessive traits and will prevent wasted time and seasons of haphazard breeding efforts. Breeding records should include quality attributes, family characteristics, recessive faults, breeding histories, medical histories and any other information that may be pertinent to future progress on the show bench. Rewarding Genes A bird that is judged against a national show standard that consistently receives top bench placement by numerous panel judges is rewarded beyond the material ribbons, trophies and championship titles it may receive. In essence, its very genes are being rewarded on the show bench. And, like all good, positive reinforcement, it will be these winning individuals that the exhibitor will set up to breed the following season in hope of passing on the same exceptional qualities to future generations. By breeding back to winning birds and establishing lines based on specific attributes, exhibition studs will eventually be formed where future offspring will pass on these desirable traits. It is these individuals then, and the fixed traits passed down to their progeny, which should continue to do well on the show bench in years to come. Even if a hobbyist chooses not to exhibit their birds, it is possible they may end up in another hobbyist’s aviary to become breeding stock, or even foundation stock. It should give the non-exhibitor some satisfaction to know that the birds they produce are of good enough quality to show successfully, if one wishes to do so. Whether a bird is intended for the show bench, the aviary, or simply as a beloved pet, there is no reason not to attempt to produce the very best at every opportunity. |
| "Providing Resources to the Cockatiel Community" The Cockatiel Foundation, founded in June 2007, began out of a growing need in the avicultural community to offer its members programs for pet owners, breeders and exhibitors, in addition to services never before addressed in the cockatiel community. CF is establishing a Cockatiel Adoption & Placement Program to hrlp in the placement and rehoming of cockatiels to new, permanent "forever" homes. CF offers a wealth of information on color genetics, mutations, and breeding research. CF is addressing the needs of our Youth Members in the CF Youth & Education Program developed for tomorrows' next generation of cockatiel afficionados. Please visit our unique LOST & FOUND Center to report and reunite birds with their owners! Joining the Foundation When you join the Foundation as a Member, you will receive many benefits, including the Cockatiel Chronicle and have access to the Members' Only Yahoo Group for chat, PHOTO CONTEST, Members' Articles & more! Please read about our Membership benefits and peruse the website. COME JOIN US! |
Cockatiel Foundation, Inc.
c. 2006 Alyssandra Young
| REWARDING GENES ON THE SHOW BENCH © 1990-2003 LINDA S. RUBIN Adapted from an original article appearing in the American Federation of Aviculture, AFA Watchbird magazine "All Rights Reserved" |
| Linda S. Rubin is an aviculturist, lecturer and avian educator of 30 years, with an international byline in avicultural magazines around the world and author of several books at www.CockatielsPlusParrots.com. She is the cockatiel expert columnist for Bird Talk’s website, BirdChannel.com, writes as an overseas columnist for Cage & Aviary Birds (United kingdom), and she serves on the board of directors as National Specialty Vice President for the American Federation of Aviculture, Inc. She is the founding president and genetics consultant of the Cockatiel Foundation, Inc. Linda is a certified panel judge for the Cockatiel Foundation, and the Society of Parrot Breeders & Exhibitors, judging shows throughout the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada since 1984. |
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