Aussie Finch Forum

I have heard different views on the likelihood of inbreeding occurring in colony bred birds.
Do finches preferentially seek out unrelated mates if available or is it purely random?

Cheers
Brett

I recommend if you are starting a colony , to buy from several differant breeders so that in the beginning you should have a deep gene pool. But good records will keep a track of such issues. Every couple of years introduce new blood so in breeding wont be to much of an issue.

But personally I wouldnt have a clue as to random pairings or choosing an unrelated mate. It would be a good captive study I guess. But the more options they have the less likely there would be a sibling pairing I guess, so it would probaly boil down to how you manage the colony.....pete

If setting up a colony, I'd put in birds which are going to be unrelated no matter which mates are chosen. ie. all males from different stock to all females. Remove young as they become independent & there can be no inbreeding.

With colonies I Pair all the birds up in my 6 suspended flights as singular pairs till they come bonded when bonded I place in a breeding flight with other bonded pairs of that species.When they have chicks I pull them out when uncoloured and feeding themselves and place in my holding flight

Breeding birds in colonies has to be hit and miss BUT you can take steps to assist it.
In my very large aviary I have a group of Jacarinis and a group of Yellow Faced Star Finches the original birds came
from Ernie Reed over 35 years ago,yes 35 years ago.Today their quality has not lessened one bit.
How have I maintained the quality,simply every couple of years I release 2,3 or 4 cocksbirds from outside my collection.
Why not pairs,simply they may pair up together,with the same sex they have to meld in.Why cockbirds,they are generally easier and
cheaper to buy. Also I always like to know how old my hen birds are.

Thank you for the replies

the original birds came from Ernie Reed over 35 years ago

Well this does give me some heart that it is possible

all males from different stock to all females

I did consider this, but it might be easier said than done. It can be hard to source multiple hens.

I Pair all the birds up in my 6 suspended flights as singular pairs till they come bonded

That's not a bad idea, I could try something like that if not able to source sufficient unrelated birds.

Cheers
Brett

Don't need to source spare hens. eg. buy 3pr from Joe Bloggs & 3 pr from Jack Schidt. Pair the cocks from Joe with the hens from Jack & sell 3pr unrelated birds.
Orix's system is the ideal method of adding new blood to an unrestrained flock in a huge aviary, but for anything in a near conventional sized one I'd defininely go for a controlled (& controllable) number of pairs and manage the stocking of the aviary by removing excess young.

Some excellent advice there guys, because when I have bought birds of both sexs in they seem to want to stay with birds they know rather that go to strangers. True this is with Zebs and I select breed so they have to lump it. But sometimes it is very hard to convince them.
LML