Which Cock Bird

[hobo 0]

Hi All,

 

I have a lutino hen and the only decent males I have are a cobalt pied, a violet normal and a grey spangle. The first two are well put together, good size, a little lacking in head feathering (is it called blow???) the spangle is a big bird and has a good full head of feathers. The lutino has good colour and is a little small but not to much. What would be the best pairing?

 

Thanks

Edited February 18, 2011 by **KAZ**

[nubbly5 0]

What are you aiming for? Show or colours?

[hobo 0]

I am not stressed about colours. I am more interested quality. I have read that you should not mix grey with lutino. And people seem divided over violet and lutino. I had thought I would put the grey spangle with my other hen (violet), who I think is better than the lutino hen. I want to improve quality, size and head and then maybe one day become active in the local bird club.

[nubbly5 0]

Can I suggest that if you are interested in "quality" (meaning size, feathering etc I assume), then you get yourself to a budgie club and have a good look at what quality in a show budgerigar means. Ask some dumb questions of anyone who will give you some time.

 

Realistically the best pairing for quality is always the best to the best - being careful not to double up on faults. Colour is always secondary - to a point. You have to understand the show matrix a bit to understand why breeders don't like to pair grey with lutino. The standard for lutino show budgies is a deep buttercup yellow and grey tends to affect the depth of the yellow so that is why they try not to do it BUT if the best bird you have is a lutino and the best complimentary hen you have is grey then it's silly breeding lesser quality birds together if there is a chance that the buttercup yellow might be somewhat affected.

 

Personally, and I'm not trying to be rude or anything, in your situation I would breed for pretty birds as there is little to no reason why you should be trying to pair for show quality unless you are starting to get into showing budgies. Another reason to head down to your local club is to see if it's really something you want to do in the first place.

 

So to answer your question - for quality I would pair the lutino to the grey spangle if he is the best bird you have available. You may end up with grey split for ino anyway if the hen is split for blue and then grey into albino lines helps to remove suffusion......

 

For pretty birds I'd go either the cobalt pied or the violet you should get some pieds in green or maybe even dark green - again the chance that the hen is split for blue might give you some blues, cobalts or violets and the cocks will be split for ino.