Question about cockatiel sex-linked colours

[Mike17]

We have a pair of 'teils which have had 5 eggs hatch. Three appear to be pieds, but I'm mystified by the other two which look to be lutino. The **** is a pied, the hen a cinnamon. The chicks which are showing grey appear to be quite dark, even darker than a normal wild coloured 'tiel. After reading up on 'tiel genetics, I'm a bit mystified at having two possible lutinos as, while the **** may be split lutino, the hen can't be as she's a cinnamon. Can anyone offer an explanation.

I'll post a pic, the nesting box is pretty gross though (dirty).

 

[Mike17]

Good grief, I see there's software that blanks out what a male bird is

 

[jewels04]

Ha I noticed that too.

 

[MonicaMc]

The hen is a cinnamon pied.


Only the male needs to be split lutino in order for any offspring to be lutinos. If the hen isn't a lutino herself, this means that all lutino chicks are females. Non-lutino chicks can be any sex.



Genetic Calculator 1.3 Cockatiels

1.0 natural ADM.pied /ino x 0.1 natural ADM.pied cinnamon

% from all 1.0
50.0% 1.0 natural ADM.pied /cinnamon
50.0% 1.0 natural ADM.pied /ino cinnamon

% from all 0.1
50.0% 0.1 natural ADM.pied
50.0% 0.1 ino ADM.pied


Do you have a photo of the male as well?

 

[Billy29]

Not to hijack the thread but what percentage of lutinos have male pattern baldness?

 

[MonicaMc]

It's not "male pattern baldness" - it's just thinning of the feathers, and may be so thin that the spot on the back of the head ends up bald.

It's hard to say what percentage of birds have this trait, as many people have been striving to breed the trait out of lutinos.... i.e. not breeding two lutinos together and/or not inbreeding. Breeding lutinos to normal birds with healthy feathers. Breeding split lutino offspring to healthy feathered birds. After so many generations, it's possible to breed out the bald spot entirely.

 

[Mike17]

It's not "male pattern baldness" - it's just thinning of the feathers, and may be so thin that the spot on the back of the head ends up bald.

It's hard to say what percentage of birds have this trait, as many people have been striving to breed the trait out of lutinos.... i.e. not breeding two lutinos together and/or not inbreeding. Breeding lutinos to normal birds with healthy feathers. Breeding split lutino offspring to healthy feathered birds. After so many generations, it's possible to breed out the bald spot entirely.

Thanks for your answers, Monica. It's in line with what I thought I understood from reading about 'tiel genetics (I should be able to understand it, I did a little genetics in biology, years ago). My wife is keen to have a male lutino as we had one (our very first bird) and he exhibited the baldness you mention. He also had a really pathetic crest

I'll try to get a shot of the male after work today. He's a nervous sort of guy and is hard to get in one place for a shot when I'm inside the aviary. As far as I can make out he's a pied, but there might be other descriptors after "pied". His name is Pavarotti

 

[MikeyTN]

Following is my guess depending on what your male looks like.


Mother:Cinnamon Lutino Split To Pied
Fatheried Split To {X1: Lutino}

male offspring:
25% Pied Lutino Split To {X2: Cinnamon}
25% Pied Split To {X2: Cinnamon Lutino}
25% Lutino Split To Pied {X2: Cinnamon}
25% Grey Split To Pied {X2: Cinnamon Lutino}

female offspring:
25% Pied Lutino
25% Pied
25% Lutino Split To Pied
25% Grey Split To Pied

 

[Mike17]

Thanks, Mikey, very useful.

 

[MikeyTN]

Your very welcome! I've actually been searching for a male Lutino myself. Found one awhile back then the lady backed out at the last minute. The mating season for my tiels have started, they started the nesting process and been laying eggs already....

 

[Mike17]

Here's a pic of Pavarotti, the male, father of the chicks in pics.

 

[Mike17]

And another. Not overly clear, either photo, I'm afraid, he's one nervous guy and doesn't stay still for long

 

[MonicaMc]

That means that my calculations are correct. All offspring will be pieds and all lutino pied offspring are females. There's no way to tell which males will be split cinnamon, and which are split cinnamon lutino.

 

[Mike17]

Thanks, Monica. Looks like we have 2 lutino hens and unknown remainder although the largest is pied, the other two showing grey so probably pied too.

 

[MikeyTN]

Or my calculation is right! That was the only way I can make the Lutino chicks come up as offspring. If you think different Monica please do show me a chart.

 

[MonicaMc]

MikeyTN, I did before you posted. Here's the post again.

The hen is a cinnamon pied.


Only the male needs to be split lutino in order for any offspring to be lutinos. If the hen isn't a lutino herself, this means that all lutino chicks are females. Non-lutino chicks can be any sex.



Genetic Calculator 1.3 Cockatiels

1.0 natural ADM.pied /ino x 0.1 natural ADM.pied cinnamon

% from all 1.0
50.0% 1.0 natural ADM.pied /cinnamon
50.0% 1.0 natural ADM.pied /ino cinnamon

% from all 0.1
50.0% 0.1 natural ADM.pied
50.0% 0.1 ino ADM.pied


Do you have a photo of the male as well?