Aussie Finch Forum

Almost everything I've found written about the (Australian) blue Gouldian mutation suggests the birds are a lot weaker than normals, due to genetic flaws caused by inbreeding.

All of these articles are around 10 years old, and all finish by mentioning ongoing efforts by breeders to strengthen the blue mutation by out-crossing to normals.

So basically my question is, how is the blue mutation going? Are the birds still weak and ephemeral, or have most of the issues been bred out?

A safer topic like religion or politics might be a better choice.....

From what ive seen, experienced and heard they are still no good unless medicated and any explanation otherwise is a marketing ploy. Ive heard the aussie yellow blue or whatever its called is not as bad but im still waiting for some to test.

Ive heard it all, offered to pay more for apparent "good birds" on the proviso if they drop or cant raise a clutch of young id be letting the world know. Surprise surprise no one will sell me one.

I love the colour and got some great tough birds from ppl on here. With these the adults were great but they could get blue yoing to fledge. Only splits and normals. Ive had reputable vets tell me there is a legit reason they are no good. Someone on here will surely elaborate better than i can.

I have been breeding blues now for many years and ive heard it all before ,the birds weak,i cant keep it on the perch yarda yarda yarda,not once have i heard a breeder blame themselves for poor husbandry and aviary conditions ,lack of greens or seeding grasses all of which can only help them,i use solaminavit and a higher vitamin e on sprouted seed,proof is in the pudding cost of a blue and split some ten odd years ago was $500 plus,now a blue is between $250 to $280,splits around $100 for a hen and $50-$60 for cocks,go to a sale today and blues a fairly abundant in Victoria and getting harder to move,look at pet link in December -Jan there are a large amount of blues for sale,some breeders you can trust and others you cant,do your home work and hope for the best ,isnt that what we do with all varieties of finches that we try to breed,the blue is no different,garyh

My belief is that some breeders are producing better specimens than years ago and genuinely deserve congratulations for the years of breeding work to get that far. But, blue mutant birds are still generally nowhere near the normal bird for genetic strength and ability to withstand many health issues. They still take a higher level of care, supplementation and hygiene for success & acceptable survival rates compared to most normal Gouldians IMO.

HI yes i think them are getting stronger but i do agree with Garyh looking after then will help a lot i do think price are down now to $150 and sp $50 to $80 this yr
i think we not at the time to start to put blue to blue yet

So what you are saying guys, is. Put your blues to splits and normals. To strengthen the genetic material. At least for the next year or two.
LML

Still needing stuff like solaminavit to keep them on the perch....

Yeah I'm hearing ya vette but ya do what you have to Ta keepem on the perch open aviaries western Sydney when did you have overnight -4 this year . Mine survived

When they are as hardy as normals and no additives needed then imo they may be worth keeping ...my gouldians always survived down there

Well in the past 2 weeks i have taken orders for 14 pair of blues,seems to be no slowing down on people wanting blues,as with all my finches,which include diamonds,yellow siskins,emblemas,ruddies,strawberries,cordons i feed the solaminovit liquid on sprouted seed,its just a vitamin and amino acid supplement,breeding results are great,birds are happy and healthy,if this is all i have to do to keep my birds in tip top condition then guess what ,im going to keep doing it ,a lot of posts that i have read on the forum indicate that breeders use some form of vitamin supplement at some stage so does this mean that all caged birds are weak,imo the blues are a beautiful bird and if you want to breed them dont hold back, there will always be the knockers the same as the ones that said the world was flat,garyh