Cream-Ino Hecks Longtail

[mackstaa]

Greetings
I have a pair of Creamino Hen and split Cock Hecks, what should I do to keep the creamino running as I dont ever see these being sold?

Seems its sex linked gene so maybe I can pair off the youngsters next year (if I get any this year) and breed them back to normals?
Any Ideas? Or maybe know someone who breeds creamino s thanks

[Jayburd]

currently (I think) a cream bird being sold on the wattle aviaries website ;)

[mackstaa]

Just some info would be good enough for the moment JB or a breeder in Western Aus

[zebman]

Your best outcross is to pair any creams you breed back to normals, that way you keep the cream mutation strong.

[mackstaa]

Surely there must be some Hecks experts out there??

Are they that unpopular?

Anyone?

[Tiaris]

They did become a bit unpopular despite their attractiveness. Many people have had problems with the weakness of this mutation. Alot of blindness when kept in full sun (due to sensitivity of red eyes) as well as trouble flying due to very poor feather structure. They still need very regular outcrossing to normal hecks. Breeding using splits bred from cream parents is of virtually no strengthening benefit. Best to only regard a split as being useful in such weak mutations when it has a pure normal parent. QFS Finch News classifieds regularly contain ads for normal hecks.

[mackstaa]

Thanks Tiaris thats what I needed to hear, just basically a feel for this mutation and its sensitivity to it. I did read about the genetic structure behind the creams and the albinos. Sounds like they have a little further to go than the well established Sex linked genes of seagreens and yellow back Goulds etc. Cheers and big Up!
mac