cranberry wrote:I have 2 yellowback Gouldian cocks which I hope to pair up with 2 yellowback hens (if and when I find them). My question is, how can I ensure the yellowbacks pair up if I mix them together with normal Gouldians in an aviary? Is there a method that can be used prior to the breeding season to make them feel attracted to each other once the breeding season commences?
If you pair them with normals then you will get all YB hens and all SFYB cocks, use these the following season to coss back against each other (males from one clutch to females of the other) to get 50% DFYB males and 50%SFYB males and 100%YB females and you'll have stronger blood lines (and birds) than mutation to mutation.
If you want to increase your numbers of YB then have all YB males and equal numbers of normal and YB females that way all young will be YB and you can then mix the young across the breeding lines the following year.
Best way is let them bond together and let nature take it from there they should the cocks find it's girl.. If you keep swaping them around then they will lose intrest.. When I bred Gould I had 3 cocks in 1 avairy seperate from hens.. Then around 1 of march I'll put 2 hens in with the cocks leave 1 hen on her own until the cocks pair up .leaving 1 cock left which I'll throw him with the other spare hen.. So only they get moved around 1nce.... Always worked for me...
cranberry wrote:I have 2 yellowback Gouldian cocks which I hope to pair up with 2 yellowback hens (if and when I find them). My question is, how can I ensure the yellowbacks pair up if I mix them together with normal Gouldians in an aviary? Is there a method that can be used prior to the breeding season to make them feel attracted to each other once the breeding season commences?
If you pair them with normals then you will get all YB hens and all SFYB cocks, use these the following season to coss back against each other (males from one clutch to females of the other) to get 50% DFYB males and 50%SFYB males and 100%YB females and you'll have stronger blood lines (and birds) than mutation to mutation.
If you want to increase your numbers of YB then have all YB males and equal numbers of normal and YB females that way all young will be YB and you can then mix the young across the breeding lines the following year.
Hi natamambo. I think you may be confused with the European yellowback. Mine are the Australian Yellowback which I believe are autosomal recessive, not sex linked as you suggest. I stand corrected though.
cranberry wrote:I have 2 yellowback Gouldian cocks which I hope to pair up with 2 yellowback hens (if and when I find them). My question is, how can I ensure the yellowbacks pair up if I mix them together with normal Gouldians in an aviary? Is there a method that can be used prior to the breeding season to make them feel attracted to each other once the breeding season commences?
If you pair them with normals then you will get all YB hens and all SFYB cocks, use these the following season to coss back against each other (males from one clutch to females of the other) to get 50% DFYB males and 50%SFYB males and 100%YB females and you'll have stronger blood lines (and birds) than mutation to mutation.
If you want to increase your numbers of YB then have all YB males and equal numbers of normal and YB females that way all young will be YB and you can then mix the young across the breeding lines the following year.
Hi natamambo. I think you may be confused with the European yellowback. Mine are the Australian Yellowback which I believe are autosomal recessive, not sex linked as you suggest. I stand corrected though.
Not confused just not fully informed, you don't state which in your OP as you admit freely ;). Now that I know you want the "other YB" (mine are all European, although I hate that name for some strange reason), then yes they are autosomal recessive and I reckon you're asking for trouble leaving it to nature. Unless you want splits to strengthen the breeding line (since most mutations are, in theory at least, not as strong) then there is no way I'd be leaving it to chance. Santa needs to bring you (belatedly) a new aviary me thinks .
Yep I hear ya! Unfortunately I don't have the room for new aviaries but I do have 2 spare budgie breeding cabinets. I wonder if they will do OK in these? A bit too small me thinks though!
cranberry wrote:Yep I hear ya! Unfortunately I don't have the room for new aviaries but I do have 2 spare budgie breeding cabinets. I wonder if they will do OK in these? A bit too small me thinks though!
When I was a kid every one I knew with Gouldians just used budgie breeding boxes (and had them in heated sheds but that's another story).
Why not use the boxes and use the males you have and normal females then you'll have splits ready for next season - it's getting a bit late for getting pairs together now anyway unless you opt for Feb / March as the first nesting cycle.
So you reckon Gouldians will breed in cages that are roughly 600mm x 450mm x 450mm? These are standard size budgie breeding cages. I have the nest boxes on the outside to give more room on the inside.
cranberry wrote:So you reckon Gouldians will breed in cages that are roughly 600mm x 450mm x 450mm? These are standard size budgie breeding cages. I have the nest boxes on the outside to give more room on the inside.
I'm new to Gouldians (only had em a week) but certainly what I saw back then was everybody was using standard budgie boxes with the nest on the outside. Others here might have more and more recent experience.
.