Fischer Breeding (Genetics)

[Lizzee]

Hi, everyone. I would like some advice. I was gifted 4 little birds, because the one was getting badly plucked. The dominant bird is a yellow female who bonded with a blue male. The green pair was added later and it's this male who looked like a vulture by the time I got him- his neck and face completely plucked. The green pair soon became nest active. I've seen them mating, but they've laid about 12 eggs and all are infertile. Now I'm wondering if he is infertile, and if she will accept a new mate? I don't really want to seperate them as they've bonded so well and since I seperated the pair he is really doing great.

Now the genetics question: I was told (by a few breeders) that with yellow and blue pairing up I'll certainly have green babies. However, these little ones hatched with orange fluff and the other with white :20: can anyone tell me what to expect or how this happened? I'd like to know a bit more about how this works, thanks!

 

[MonicaMc]

The female must be split for blue then. This would account for the white fluff. The orange one should be a green based bird.

Do you have photos of the parents?

 

[crimson]

I do know that both sets of parents must carry the same gene in order for it to be visible in the chick.
In other words both parents carry the "white gene", whether it remains all white or will be white/pied will be determined after it's first moult.

 

[Lizzee]

Thanks for the replies! I thought the orange fluff might be a yellow birdie. So white fluff would be blue based - interesting! Unfortunately I think the chances of pied are very rare. Here's a pic of the parents

 

[MonicaMc]

The yellow lovebird appears to have multiple mutations, the first being pied. I can't say for sure on the rest.

If pied is a dominant gene, then it is possible to have pied offspring.

If, however, the pied gene is recessive, then the blue parent must also carry the pied gene (i.e. split for pied) in order to get pied offspring.



I'm not too familiar with fischer genetics, but I think the pied gene might be dominant.