sibling mating

[gcoqui]

Hi,
I have posted before about my babies which are all fine and now leaving home. Have another situation. The first time the parents bred they had 3 babies which I kept. I had the 3 in the same cage for almost a year. They started fighting so I took the aggressor out. She started laying eggs so I bought a young male for her. They are happy together. The other 2 I left together. They seemed very attached. I thought they were both female, so did my vet but they were very young when he checked them. I discovered last week that Dahlia is definitely a male. They are mating and have laid 2 eggs. I took the first away than read I shouldn't do that. The second was laid yesterday. I do not have a box on there and have not encourage breeding. I left this egg to get some advice. I do not want to give either up and I don't really want to seperate them. They have been attached since birth. I have read different opinions. My vet says it's ok in birds just not cats and dogs but I dont' feel that it is ok. Hoping for some knowledgeable advice.
Thanks,
Gina

[featherjinxer]

It's no more "okay" to inbreed birds than dogs or cats. It is done- that is how new mutations and such are formed. Usually only long-time breeders do this, because it does take a lot of knowledge and husbandry to do it successfully, and without simply getting a bunch of deformed/compromised birds.

What you could do is buy some fake eggs, and replace the ones she lays with these. That way, she can sit all she wants and nothing will come of it. Some people take the eggs that are laid, and boil them, and give them back.

As well, go ahead and do all the regular things to discourage breeding. Lower the light levels to 10 hours or so a day, rearrange the cage frequently, don't give nesting materials (which you had said you've already done) and such.

[gcoqui]

Thanks,
I think I'll try the fake eggs. It didn't sound right to me. Inbreeding is inbreeding.
Gina

[destineesbirdmama]

I just wanted to say that I agree inbreeding should not be done and im sure their are many problems that can arise. After I came across this message I wanted to ask a question, I bought two baby lovebirds from a guy who did not want them, the babies father and mother were related,(try to fallow me here,this is confusing) The father was the mothers father. In other words father mated with his daughter and two of the babies are my lovebirds now. Maybe I was lucky, but they are really healthy and wonderful bird. My question is that one of the babies seams to have fallen in love with my 1year old lovebird (pickle) who I had prior to getting the babies, they seam to be opposite sexes. If the day comes that they have babies, does anyone think I may have problems with the babies, if one of their parents is a inbreed bird. Ok I hope that made sense!!! Thank you to anyone who responses, by the way the babies are only 11 weeks old and all of the birds have there own cages, but I do let them out when I am home and they find their way to each other, which is how I know they are in LOVE.
Thank you again, Amie

[linda040899]

As a breeder, I have to say that I never suggest breeding siblings unless you are looking for a specific mutation of lovebird. I have several brother/sister pairs that I breed but I have an end goal in mind and that happens to be a mutation that is particularly hard to find. In my case, one of the ones I want/need is a WF Creamino male. Even hens are hard to find in this color.

With that said, I will breed brother to sister when looking for something specific only if my parent birds are unrelated. One generation down is all you can really get away with. Now, parent to offspring is a different story. Brother/sister is actually a closer relationship than parent/offspring. The baby is 50% genes from each parent so the offspring is only 50% related to the parent. Still, only one generation down.

Following what I've said here, I've never had any genetic problems in my aviary. You don't have to agree with me but this is what I've found in my own breeding experience.

Linda L.
Lovebirds Plus Aviary

[gcoqui]

Hi,
thanks for the replies and the information is helpful to me. I am not very experienced in breeding. Linda, I have read what you said about breeding sister/brother for a specific mutation but you are much more experienced. I am not breeding for that purpose and did not want these two to breed. The parents are unrelated though. I think I may have found a solution to my problem. I found a person with a male who needs a female. She is bringing him down tomorrow to meet with us. If all goes well I will put him with Pearl and take Dahlia out and put him seperately and in a seperate room. I have actually posted an ad for him so hopefully he will find a new mate also. I don't particulary want to breed Pearl but I do feel bad for her. I talked to an avian vet who told me to shake the eggs for a few days so that's what I've been doing.
Thanks,
Gina

[SURFERGIRL30000]

I got my two peach-faced lovebirds from a local breeder. She had many different parents breeding and put the eggs all together. They are now almost a year and the female (sunny) has laid about 10 eggs. One hatched. There is a chance that they are siblings. Advice?
-Lucy

[maxollie]

Yes, I also agree with Lucy. You could have two females. Birds can mimic behavior of opposite sex, so they could have looked like they were mating. That probably got the hormones going and one laid the eggs. The other one, if a female, could lay eggs too.

Take a piece of paper towel, and fold it up, place it in a cage corner, and place the eggs on top of the paper towel. You should not through any of the eggs away for about 30 days. If you definitely do not want babies right now, just in case you do have a male and female, boil any eggs laid, and put them back on the paper towel. The hen needs to set with them, because if you throw them out, she will immediately lay more. If she abandons them and or no longer is interested in them before the 30 days are up, then you can remove them. If not, leave them with her for 30 days.