"normal" zebs vs "english/jumbo/xl" zebs

[BronzewingBilly]

Hi all. about 15 years ago i kept zebra finch, i sinced moved on to other species and my zebs were slowly sold and replaced. recently i went to a show and was shocked at the size of the zebs on sale. my old ones were slightly smaller than a bengalese/society. these ones were java length but much rounder than a java. does anyone have any experience with how these are in terms of differences in health, lifespan, hardiness, activity and fertility? many thanks.

[BronzewingBilly]

similar sizes comparison

[BronzewingBilly]

and another chick

[finchbreeder]

I buy what I like, or want to experiment with.
This has been anything from a "little bit interesting" backyard Zeb, to a "particular type" show Zeb.
Some of each prove robust, or not so.
It's in the bloodlines and upbringing not the size, from my experience.
Yes I do from time to time cross the types to achieve what I am after, that's what outcrossing is about.
I don;t show so I don;t care, about size, just colour and configeration.
As I have a full avairy of nice coloured Reds it works for me.

[Craig52]

I see you are from the UK so yes size is a show bird. They are now in Australia and some birds are huge bigger than a diamond firetail.
Sadly here the fertility drastically dropped most only giving one fertile egg in four. Mating problems are to blame and a breeder I know has to trim the feathers around the vent on both male and female to help them do the act.
It's exactly the same with the huge British budgerigars. Both being Aussie birds they freak me out when I see them compared to our native midgets

[BronzewingBilly]

I see you are from the UK so yes size is a show bird. They are now in Australia and some birds are huge bigger than a diamond firetail.
Sadly here the fertility drastically dropped most only giving one fertile egg in four. Mating problems are to blame and a breeder I know has to trim the feathers around the vent on both male and female to help them do the act.
It's exactly the same with the huge British budgerigars. Both being Aussie birds they freak me out when I see them compared to our native midgets

thanks for that, i had thought that may be the case them struggling with fertility etc due to size.

personally i cant understand it, to me the joy of keeping birds is that they are "wild", so you can have a natural aviary set up and the birds feed and nest build and raise chicks as in the wild almost. having huge birds with no natural behaviour makes no sense to me.

obviously i dont want wild birds that are so scared they smash into wire and hide from people. but i dont want a domesticated, reliant bird either.
i dont want to be following pet keeping and breeding like dogs where you end up with flat faced dogs that cant breathe or long backed ones that cant run.

i watch a youtube channel called ocaviary, dunno if youve seen it? hes a great guy and does some good work. but he showed a clip of his exhibition greenfinch, and how they are 2.5 to 3x larger than wild ones. and due to the size and domestication etc wouldnt survive in the wild.

[finchbreeder]

My mother is a budige breeder, and her birds did not get into this years National Budgerigar Show because while they are perfect in colour and markings.
They are too small according to the standard. Yet she has been discussing with and teaching genetics to various winners for 30/40yrs
In the early days mum never feather trimmed her budgies before breeding season, now it is a standard part of breeding prep. So imagine how some of them are.

[elferoz777]

1from 4 eggs is generous

Mine aren't as big as the mid to top nsw breeders but the fertility is more like 1 from 12 with the fledging rate about the same.

They're not like my red zebs that would breed 40 plus a yr from a few prs.

[finchbreeder]

I have noticed the red Zebs fertility is dropping.
Might be time for some more outcrossing.