line breeding

[kyle]

Hi all. I have been reading about line breeding and from what I understand its usually starts with a unrelated split green back to whatever mutation you are trying to achieve. Then siblings and parents can be paired up together for up to 10 generations. Is that right?

[kyle]

Upon further reading I see that its cousins and grand parents to grand kids but siblings are out. In order to line breed you would need at least 3 unrelated blood lines. Am I way off?

[lovezebs]

kyle

I have heared about line breeding, and I know that some breeders, will breed parents to offspring, though not siblings.

I know that it's done, to achieve certain certain mutations, etc. For some reason however, it just doesn't appeal to me. I guess it's something to do with humanizing our pets. Not sure how I feel about cousins, sort of makes one think about the European royal families, and what it did to them eventually.

[kyle]

Very true Elana, but would we have all the beautiful mutations without it? I'm thinking it can be done in a limited way with the birds health bieng priority. However in the end it would still require a varied gene pool for healthy robust chicks.

[Atbird]

Most mutations were developed using line breeding, which is basically "inbreeding with a purpose ". The problem is that while increasing the probability of a desirable mutation, there is the side affect of increased probability of UNdesirable mutations showing up. So I think once you develop a few mutations, then outcross them and line breed again to develop different lines.

http://bowlingsite.mcf.com/genetics/inbreeding.html

[DanteD716]

Linebreeding is normally started when an offspring is born with an unusual trait and the breeder wishes to make more birds with the trait. Eventually you'll need to outcross with unrelated birds, because the chance of disease and sickly birds goes up as the gene pool decreases. I wouldn't breed related birds unless you absolutely have never seen this mutation in the bird, but I'm sure many birds are inbred accidentally with no notice to the owners.

[lovezebs]

DanteD716

Hi guy.

I understand the concept and the reasoning behind it, but it just seems wrong somehow.

We might get the right colours etc. but what does it do to their minds? Do we end up with stupid, mentally messed up birds down the road, or with birds that lose their parenting Instincts and so on?

[paul-inAZ]

Just curious -what do you have in mind that prompted the idea of line breeding?

Dante has it summarized accurately. Unless you have a brand new, never before seen mutation it is not something to embark on. The only other reason might be one of reinforcing and perpetuating some particular trait that is not strictly speaking chromosomally determined.

As mentioned, there can be penalties.

[DanteD716]

lovezebs I'm not saying that I'm either for or against line breeding. Never cared for it myself but if somebody else wants to that's there choice.

[lovezebs]

DanteD716

Really didn't mean to jump down your throat if it came across that way, sorry, lol.

It's all kyle 's fault....

[DanteD716]

lovezebs I don't mind it, apology accepted

[kyle]

Thanks a lot Elena. It didn't take much for you to roll over. Lol. I wasn't sure how it was done and thaught what a better place than here to ask. It isn't something I plan on doing and I am in no way trying to create a new mutation. From what I understand that is the main reason for line breeding.

[lovezebs]

kyle

Just funning with you please don't take it to heart.

When I start thinking of in-breeding and line breeding, etc. I guess I have visions of two headed birds with teeth and crossed eyes, who can't fly and succumb to horrible diseases.

Yea, yea, I know I'm exagerating, but you know what I mean.... I hope.

[kyle]

Elana of course! This is the one occasion where two heads are not better than one!

[lovezebs]

kyle
Haahahaah!!!