Pied RFPF cocks infertile after 3 years

[MariusStegmann]

Yesterday, I met a guy called Martinus who is one of my country's larger bird-dealers. For instance he trades an average of 1000 gouldians per month. He mentioned that a pied Red Faced or Sea Green parrot-finch cock goes infertile after they reach the age of 3 years. Now I know why my one pied male has so few fertile eggs per clutch. The one clutch had 3 chicks and the 2 subsequent clutches had only had one chick out of 4 eggs. The first clutch must have been good because another cock managed to mate with the hen.

[monotwine]

They are perhaps less fertile the older they get but not infertile just because they turn 3. My 9yr old parrot finch had clutch with a baby last season.
However if you want to seriously breed them then it is advisable to restock every other year.
That pretty much goes for most finches.

[finchmix22]

My PFs have had clutches every year for three years. They just finished making a nest, so we'll see if we get another year.

[MariusStegmann]

What I meant to say is that pied males start getting less fertile after 3 years. This is certainly not true for all the pied males, but I was told that the heavier the pied the more rapid the infertility progresses.

[finchmix22]

MariusStegmann
Do you know why that is happening with pied males? I hadn't heard that before; however, I have one very, very pied male RT, who never produced offspring, so maybe there is something to the amount of pied? Curious...

[MariusStegmann]

I have no idea Deborah. I spend about 20 minutes talking to Martinus, mostly about gouldians.
He spoke about the infertility issue as if everybody knew about it. I immediately thought about Smurf who bought a heavy pied cock that was infertile.
Martinus said that his RT breeders often bring him heavy pied cocks in, and when he ask about it, they would say that the cocks are infertile. He would then sell them as ornamental birds. He says that the breeders keep their heavy pied young cocks and put 2 cocks per hen to counter this problem. His theory is that it is the pied gene that causes it. Obviously this can't be because the lightly pied cocks also has the pied gene. Also lots of normal's also has the pied gene, but does not display it outwardly.

[monotwine]

Interesting theory. I don't breed pieds. Well not heavy pied. Maybe you should do a test?

[monotwine]

Perhaps he would be willing to donate some ornamentals for you to try the theory on. It could be lots of things that cause infertility.

[MariusStegmann]

monotwine He still gets his price, even if you can't breed with it. He would also not sell to me, as that would offend Leon and he only sells birds in large quantities. He is based in PE, and was in the Cape on holiday. He could send birds to Leon and Leon can then sell them to me.