I would like a book to help with Gouldian Genetics

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 12:21 am

Well I have looked and looked to try and find a book to help me with the genetics of the gouldian finch. We have a male RH/PB/GB & female BH/PB/GB and thinking of adding one more pair. Buying for color is always what we thought but then again we thought we would look into colors and if they decided to breed. It is so difficult

I have read the posts and the section in Finch Information center and still it isn't getting through.

So are there any books? I came across this book and thought I would ask what everyon has used to learn the different outcome etc. or do most of you just wait and see....

A Guide to Gouldian Finches (Revised Edition) by Milton Lewis, Dr. Rob Marshall, Dr. Terry Martin & Ron Tristram

thanks

Post by **Hilary** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 1:00 am

That's a nice book - I'd highly recommend it for anybody with goulds. If you want to understand genetics, I'd also recommend getting getting the freeware Gouldian Genetic Forecast from Carlos Matos. People's explanations of genetics made me go crosseyed, but just playing with the program really showed me how it all works. You can email Carlos at C_Matos@Bigfoot.com to ask for a free copy of the software. You plug in the parents' colors (including splits), and get a list of possible combinations by sex. If you highlight a single combination, a picture of that bird appears (Carlos uses Crystal's images from finchinfo.com). It can keep me entertained for hours!

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 8:30 am

thanks Hilary the book is on ebay for about 45.00 not sure of shipping and thought I would see if it is worth the money. I usually check books out at the library first and if I think it will be a great addition then buy it but the library doesn't have one book on gouldian finches, can you imagine that

I will also send Carlos an email and ask about the software. Does he send it to you in your email or is it added to your computer with a disk?

Also a question about genetics. Is it true both parents have to be full white breast to pass along the white breast to their chicks? For example on parent it white breast and the other purple will all chicks be purple breast because the one parent is a purple breasted?

Post by **Hilary** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 3:45 pm

I found the genetics in the book to be more interesting than helpful. Again, I need to play with it to understand. Carlos emails the program (in my case, almost immediately).

Each parent (as I understand it) has to either be white breast OR split to white breast. So white with white will produce 100% white, white to split to white will produce a mix of white and split to white (but visually purple), white to purple will produce purple and split to white, and purple to purple will produce 100% purple.

kiwi & mango · Post by **kiwi & mango** » Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:24 pm

I received the soft ware from Carlos and have been sitting here for the last 20 minutes playing with it....amazing...

I think I will pass on the book and use the money towards more birds....

Thanks Hilary