Record keeping out the window

[CandoAviary]

I started keeping records on every gouldian born ...from the date, to the parents, to the mutations, etc. in 2008
Here it is 2012 and I had a baby fledge from a pair that I have set up and breed every year for the last 4 years. The male is an OH LB YB... found out later he was split for WB and split to BH The Hen was OH PB YB later found she too was split to WB. They have produced nothing but beautiful chicks mostly the OH LB YB beauties. Here is a post on this pairs typical colors of chicks.
http://finchforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=8 ... lac+breast

Okay...so now this year after some 40 chicks later from this pair...a BLUE fledged yesterday So all of those records and all of the records of the pairs of the chicks I set up later...or sold are not accurate. I mean I am thrilled to know that this pair is split to blue' There are some 48 possible mutations of chicks from this pair.

But on the other hand..... My past records are all wrong..or at least incomplete. I have had this happen with other birds also...some I did not repair with the same partners..... so needless to say...out the window with the records. Think I will just breed pretty birds or start recrd keeping from scratch. Just goes to show just when you think you know what you have... 4 years later you may learn you don't

A question... is it possible that this pair could have 40+ chciks and never through a blue or silver before now? I know it's possible but the odds are slim. So my real question is...how did the first blue mutation happen? Could this be a case of spontaneous mutation?

[L in Ontario]

LOL sounds rather like a lottery ticket to me. Chances are slim that you'll win (the big one) even if you play every week of the year.

Congrats on the blue chick.

[BigBear0007]

A question... is it possible that this pair could have 40+ chciks and never through a blue or silver before now? I know it's possible but the odds are slim. So my real question is...how did the first blue mutation happen? Could this be a case of spontaneous mutation?

You sure some other male didn't pay a visit to the hen?

[CandoAviary]

You sure some other male didn't pay a visit to the hen?

No, same mate, this is the only thing I know for sure I only cage breed one pair per breeding cage This blue chick also came from their 3rd clutch of the season. Last clutch came their first dilute. Has been an intersting breeding season with these 2.
I just wonder how many of their youngsters I have sold have thrown blue chicks. If they did..I sure hope the buyers were pleased

I sure hope this blue hen gets the lilac breast

[finchandlovebird]

Congrats on your blue. I love my blue from a clutch of 4; didn't know the parents were split to blue. And I think their first baby (single baby in the first clutch) who is coloring out now, may be a dilute.

[flyinverted]

Congrats on the surprise genetic discovery. Just curious how you determined that the cock was split to WC then the hen was as well? Or did you discover that at the same time when they threw a WC chick?

Thanks,
Steve

[CandoAviary]

I didn't discover the male being split to white. The breeder that I bought him from said he was through another breeder. Plus I have gotten white breast offspring from them, which now confirms this to be true. Purple is dominant over lilac, lilac dominate over white breast....so Dad has to be split to white breast also for me to get white breast offspring Mom is purple split to white breast but I can still get the lilac because ... the chick get the WB gene from Mom and the LB gene from Dad. Since the lilac is dominant over white then I get lilac breasted. I have only gotten 2 white breast from this pair out of the 40 some chicks. A few purple breast but mostly all are lilacs

[Chrismurdoch3]

Sounds familiar, I have a pair of normal or so i thought were normal British zebra finches, and this last clutch I got a black cheecked baby zebra. Ha who would have thought lol.