I have made the decision finally, I'm going to specialise in spangle and also work towards a second line of crested as a side project.

 

I'm getting lots of conflicting info regarding the use of opalines in spangle breeding. I don't want a lengthy debate here but I'm hoping that others can give me their views on the pros and cons of this.

 

My stance at this stage is that I personally don't like the opaline spangle combo in the one bird, so if I did use opalines I would most likely use a opaline hen to a spangle cock so that I would know for sure that the subsequent hen chicks had no opaline, cock chicks would only be kept past the 5 month old mark if they showed particular promise, as they would be split opaline which is something I want to try and exclude to lesson the number of chicks which are unsuitable simply due to annoying hidden splits (makes the outcomes more predictable that way)

 

.At this stage I understand that the use of opalines has been to increase spot but this has come with the risk of having birds with full spot which is obviously something to avoid.

 

I plan to keep a line of normals in order to provide birds with as few splits as possible to put to either my crested lineor to the spangle line, is this a better option than opaline?

YAY, Congrats MB on your choice

 

From what I have been told, and read the Opaline is good for the feather as it is Longer where as the cinnamon is wider ( or this could be the other way around - ) So this is where the "feather" comes in play ... And spots can be "fixed" so to speak

 

Spangles have been used to try and breed out the suffusion of Ino's and Luts -

 

But I am only new to this so more experienced members answer would be better

 

I have been thinking about the spangle to - All i know is I don't want any recessive genes at the moment

till i know what I am doing

 

Good luck Mate

Edited September 25, 200816 yr by Neat

Thanks Neat, it seems to beone of those things that people are either completely opposed to or all for

Personally, If you dont want the opaline gene, dont breed with any opalines and use all normals with your spangles.

I guess what I am trying to work out is whether there is any benefit of using opalines rather than normals. If there isn't then I agree entirely and I'll be steering well clear of the opalines for my show birds unless I come across a 'too good to pass up' opaline.

Another handy tip for you....use cinnamon spangles to breed together to produce DF spangles with no suffusion.

How does that affect the show prospects of single factor cinnamon spangles Kaz?

How does that affect the show prospects of single factor cinnamon spangles Kaz?

Cinnamon spangles will only do well in a show if they are the best example of a spangle and beat all others marked normally. As markings ( wings ) are part of the scoring of a bird when judged a cinnamon is harder to judge and usually a normal spangle will win first. In saying this I once had a cinnamon spangle hen that took out best spangle and she was a cinnamon.

The tip about using cinnamon spangles is a good one as it gives you a reason to keep some back for breeding DF spangles with no suffusion.

Hey MB,

 

Just wondering was the crested breeder I introduced you to last night any help?

Thanks for that Carolyn, she is only a relatively small breeder herself but she does have some occasionally as culls so she is going to keep me in mind

How does that affect the show prospects of single factor cinnamon spangles Kaz?

Cinnamon spangles will only do well in a show if they are the best example of a spangle and beat all others marked normally. As markings ( wings ) are part of the scoring of a bird when judged a cinnamon is harder to judge and usually a normal spangle will win first. In saying this I once had a cinnamon spangle hen that took out best spangle and she was a cinnamon.

The tip about using cinnamon spangles is a good one as it gives you a reason to keep some back for breeding DF spangles with no suffusion.

 

An interesting thing happened today. Went to a budgie show. Caught up some second rate birds of mine as the better ones were down breeding. One of the birds was a light green opaline spangle. I thought he looks nice but he wont get anywhere as he is opaline. He took out best spangle in show

Today was a good day ....even though the birds were second best or even third best birds, I got BEST DANISH PIED, BEST DOM PIED, BEST ALBINO, BEST SPANGLE AND BEST GREEN NORMAL, 6 firsts, 3 seconds and 3 thirds. I guess the cull I did a while back worked and the newer birds are better quality maybe. ANYWAY.......

I just wanted to show you that an opaline spangle although markings arent exactly right for the spangle class can still win best spangle in show

Thanks Kaz and congrats

 

I think just to make life easier I will still not include them in the breeding but it's nice to know there is hope for the odd one that pops up with a 'less than desirable' mutation combo

They usually pop up anyway as more often than not their is opaline or cinnamon hiding in the gene pool. Both opaline and cinnamon has its uses for helping breed feather and size

 

Funny thing about this opaline spangle cock. He was given to me by a top show breeder as a fledgling. He had no tail or flights and it was decided he was a french moult chick and he was given to me with some others. By the time of his first moult his feathers were all back and he looked pretty good. Here he is in the aviary whilst he was getting his new feathers

 

CONGRATS KAZ WOO HOOOOO...

 

I got told the same thing with them to breed into the DF 's to reduce the suffusion ...

 

Have you got any spangles with the bulls eye throat spots ( this is for anyone not just MB )

 

I haven't seen ( noticed them yet)

What a cutey

 

Tell me, does suffusion on DF birds cause big probs on the show bench at a club level or is it not really worth taking abird with it along? If I end up fostering out their eggs (and therefore they have no need to be in the breeding cage in a few weeks time) I'd like to take my two spangles along to the show just to see how they do

 

These ones:

A double factor with suffusion won Best DF in show today, but the judges said if the other DF's had been better birds it would not have won over them. There is a certain amount of suffusion they will allow...a percentage but I forget how much.

CONGRATS KAZ WOO HOOOOO...I got told the same thing with them to breed into the DF 's to reduce the suffusion ...Have you got any spangles with the bulls eye throat spots ( this is for anyone not just MB )I haven't seen ( noticed them yet)

Yes you can use the cinnamon spangles to produce DF spangles with no suffusion.I have got some spangles with the bullseye throat spots unless they were amongst some that Pie took home with her

okay, well it was more just out of curiosity and for a bit of fun anyway so maybe I'll just chuck him up there with no expectations and see how he goes

 

The hen who I just posted a picture of has faint ones as you can see, the cock's a DF obviously so if they're there they can't be seen so we shall see what happens with the chicks...

Edited September 27, 200816 yr by melbournebudgies

Your birds look good

Here's some bullseye throat spots on birds my favourite breeder keeps. Birds I have of his and Pie and Libby also now have.

 

Here is his website if you would like to look through. http://budgies.sytes.net