How to increase the size of my zebras??

[ali.munir]

What advice can u ppl give me in order to increase the size of my zebra finches?? I have a colony of different size of zebras mixed togather. Some are very good size and some are not but they have the mutations that i want. What can i do to get increse size with gud mutations??
Thnx

[lovezebs]

ali.munir

Not an expert on breeding specifically for a larger size...

However, common sense would dictate, that if you breed larger birds to larger birds, you will get larger chicks. However, if that is not an option ( because your aiming for specific mutations ), then personally, I would breed larger hens to smaller cocks, pick out the largest chicks from those clutches and save them as your breeding stock. Once you have enough unrelated adults, you can begin breeding them back to your 'large' birds, and hopefully get large chicks after a few generations. If you have no access to larger new birds, then I think that would be your only option.

I have also found, that diet has a large impact on the size of birds, most particularly if an excellent diet is offered to the parents, and continued throughout breeding, laying, feeding, and onwards. A good and varied seed mix, combined with hard boiled eggs, vegetables, assorted greens, and vitamins and minerals.

Good luck.

[xz_zebs]

You might want to read this discussion:
http://zebrafinchforum.com/forum/index. ... ment-38329

You would have to put together a similar plan for the mutations you want.

Of course, the easiest way is to buy larger birds that already have the mutations you are interested in.

[paul-inAZ]

I don't know zebra genetics and guess that the mutations you want are recessive. In general~~ if you breed the largest of the color you want to the largest normal you should get normal looking birds with recessive genes for the colors you want. The largest of these normal/mutations [if unrelated] paired up may give you some proportion, say 25%, of larger birds of desired recessive mutations.
Subsequent back crossing of the mutations to large normals ought to solidify the size factor while again making normal/recessive mutation chicks and then normal/mutation x normal/mutation will begin to give you a few of larger birds you want.

At some point you can then begin to cross mutation x mutation.

This will require separate breeding cages for each pair to be sure of the parentage.
You will need several pairs with different blood lines to avoid inbreeding. Fortunately for you zebras breed like crazy so the time this would take is not prohibitive.

[ali.munir]

ali.munir

Not an expert on breeding specifically for a larger size...

However, common sense would dictate, that if you breed larger birds to larger birds, you will get larger chicks. However, if that is not an option ( because your aiming for specific mutations ), then personally, I would breed larger hens to smaller cocks, pick out the largest chicks from those clutches and save them as your breeding stock. Once you have enough unrelated adults, you can begin breeding them back to your 'large' birds, and hopefully get large chicks after a few generations. If you have no access to larger new birds, then I think that would be your only option.

I have also found, that diet has a large impact on the size of birds, most particularly if an excellent diet is offered to the parents, and continued throughout breeding, laying, feeding, and onwards. A good and varied seed mix, combined with hard boiled eggs, vegetables, assorted greens, and vitamins and minerals.

Good luck.

Thanks, do you think that breeding larger hens to normal size cocks will produce some birds of large size in every clutch?

[ali.munir]

I don't know zebra genetics and guess that the mutations you want are recessive. In general~~ if you breed the largest of the color you want to the largest normal you should get normal looking birds with recessive genes for the colors you want. The largest of these normal/mutations [if unrelated] paired up may give you some proportion, say 25%, of larger birds of desired recessive mutations.
Subsequent back crossing of the mutations to large normals ought to solidify the size factor while again making normal/recessive mutation chicks and then normal/mutation x normal/mutation will begin to give you a few of larger birds you want.

At some point you can then begin to cross mutation x mutation.

This will require separate breeding cages for each pair to be sure of the parentage.
You will need several pairs with different blood lines to avoid inbreeding. Fortunately for you zebras breed like crazy so the time this would take is not prohibitive.

Thnx, yes i am thinking of getting some breeding cages, but the point is that breeding cages are small. I dont want to depriviate the birds the freedom they enjoy in an aviary. Im thinking of getting my breeding cages custom made so the birds will have more room.
Apart from my one cock, and he too has paired up with a BB female, all of my birds are some mutation or the other.
I will get those breeding cages in order to develop specific mutations.

[xz_zebs]

Your finches don't need to be in the breeding cages all the time. If you remove the nests in your aviary to stop breeding there, you can catch the individuals you want to breed and add them to breeding cages for just the time it takes to raise a clutch.

You may also find larger breeding cages. I use 36"x18"x18" (~91.5cm x 46cm x 46cm) cages which are quite roomy for a single pair. I've also seen larger cages available.

[cindy]

I have the standard smaller size and large European English size... I have seen breeders breed the English to the standards but you get more of a medium size bird somewhere in between the English and the standard....not a fan of it. See if you can find some nicely bred English and work with them too, you will be pleased.

Agree with Paul and Lovezebs... I found in some the larger the hen the larger the young.