My Zebra finch Genetics Q..
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 12:59 pm
Let me first start my question by saying hello, and introducing my self, I am new here
, and although I am not a stranger to owning zebras, this is my first time breeding them, and I have a question with regards to my new hatchlings, and their parents genetics..
The father is a lightback, a poor quality one I guess
.. he was a "Petsmart" special. I went to three different Petsmart stores, and four local petshops to compare the birds that each had.. The local shops only had normals, some whites, and one store boasted florida fancy. But since the lightback caught my attention first, I decided he was the best looking one. He had the lightest color-- more whitish than gunsmoke, wasn't pied, or didn't look like he had a leg in the grave.
Originally I wasn't interested in breeding, but my poor lonley bird didn't sing, or didn't do much of anything except sulk, and beep a low miserable beep.. Then I remembered something else I saw while I was out and about.. the store with the 'florida fancies' also had black cheeks..
I found my bird a female, who was all by herself in the indoor mixed flight aviary (lucky bird, all the others were in glass cages, with no light, and all looked beat up/ sick) Being the healthiest and most robust bird, and being a female I bought her. She is a black cheek, however, her brest is very yellow compared to all the other female birds I have seen, and her black cheeks look more like giant black tears..not patches.. So here I have the perfect match, two imperfect birds to spread the love..and they did.
Their first clutch has three chicks
1 is a very light fawn color with white tipped wings and a white throat half black cheeks, white belly, no brest bar feathers, and it's beak is starting to turn orangish... Possible female?? Male?
2 Is very light grey, but has a very yellow belly like mom, and has black tears like her too, and yellow beak and feet.. I'm guessing a possible female??
3 very light grey with black cheeks, grey "chestnut feathers", yellow beak and feet, and a few feathers for a breast bar.. Possible Male?
I don't know their sexes yet, I don't believe they have molted into their adult colors yet-- which could mean that their color could darken/change slightly right??, although one keeps trying to sing-- I hear him, just havn't caught him doing it yet!
Now for the question:
What the heck just happened with my birds?! According to the genetic calculator I found I was supposed to have all normals with this combo-- right?? I'm just a little confused..and need someone to clarify.

The father is a lightback, a poor quality one I guess

Originally I wasn't interested in breeding, but my poor lonley bird didn't sing, or didn't do much of anything except sulk, and beep a low miserable beep.. Then I remembered something else I saw while I was out and about.. the store with the 'florida fancies' also had black cheeks..
I found my bird a female, who was all by herself in the indoor mixed flight aviary (lucky bird, all the others were in glass cages, with no light, and all looked beat up/ sick) Being the healthiest and most robust bird, and being a female I bought her. She is a black cheek, however, her brest is very yellow compared to all the other female birds I have seen, and her black cheeks look more like giant black tears..not patches.. So here I have the perfect match, two imperfect birds to spread the love..and they did.
Their first clutch has three chicks
1 is a very light fawn color with white tipped wings and a white throat half black cheeks, white belly, no brest bar feathers, and it's beak is starting to turn orangish... Possible female?? Male?
2 Is very light grey, but has a very yellow belly like mom, and has black tears like her too, and yellow beak and feet.. I'm guessing a possible female??
3 very light grey with black cheeks, grey "chestnut feathers", yellow beak and feet, and a few feathers for a breast bar.. Possible Male?
I don't know their sexes yet, I don't believe they have molted into their adult colors yet-- which could mean that their color could darken/change slightly right??, although one keeps trying to sing-- I hear him, just havn't caught him doing it yet!
Now for the question:
What the heck just happened with my birds?! According to the genetic calculator I found I was supposed to have all normals with this combo-- right?? I'm just a little confused..and need someone to clarify.