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Cockatiels: Breeding Smart! Excerpt
COCKATIELS:  Breeding Smart!
by Linda S. Rubin
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Excerpt From Chapter 4:

Creating a Stud

Linebreeding
The second approach, and one commonly employed when raising
semi-domesticated species such as cockatiels, is the systematic mating of related
birds. The goal of pairing birds which are related to one another is to produce
uniformity within the stud, while yielding offspring which retain the superior
qualities of their parents or family strains. This method of pairing back distantly
related relatives, or linebreeding, has been utilized routinely over the years by both
successful hobbyists and breeders of exhibition stock.

However, most breeders make the effort to distinguish between linebreeding i.e.,
the breeding back of less closely related relatives (e.g., niece to uncle, grandchild
to grandparent, cousin to cousin, etc.) and that of inbreeding, i.e., closer unions
usually defined as the breeding together of brother to sister. More rigorous
proponents often include the mating of offspring to opposite sex parent, and the
pairing together of half-sibblings, under the stricter definition of inbreeding.

While inbreeding may be a beneficial tool to be used under very special conditions
by the skilled aviculturist, it should not be practiced indiscriminately by the less
informed, or novice breeder. However, linebreeding can be an excellent and
responsible system in which to create a family strain, or stud of birds. When
practiced correctly, such a method will produce family lines demonstrating very
specific attributes, qualities, and uniform family characteristics, which are
immediately recognizable as inherent of that line. Without linebreeding, it would be
impossible to form a strain of birds, attain consistent high quality, uniformity, and
other desirable qualities. It is not a "hit or miss" venture, but rather a carefully
planned enterprise.

It may be a distinct advantage if one is able to locate a stud of cockatiels which the
owner has been linebreeding. By beginning with linebred stock, much of the work
will have already been done. Breeders choose to linebreed because they wish to
set certain characteristics in their stock e.g., such physical attributes as size, color
and markings, crest length, etc., or non-tangible traits such as fertility, hardiness,
good parenting, etc.

By purchasing linebred birds, such desirable characteristics as these may have
already been set in the ...


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COCKATIELS: BREEDING SMART!
Now Available as a Downloadable Digital Book
The second edition in e-book format provides
an overview on breeding cockatiels through
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principles of line-breeding, and provides a
unique discussion on how to recognize and
establish new color and pattern mutations at a
depth not often found in the literature.
*  NEWLY UPDATED SECOND EDITION
*  REVISED CHAPTERS on nutrition,
sports and new mutations
*  Text Length equivalent to each of the  
author's hard cover books  (Multiple  Bird
Households and Ultimate Parrot Guide
*  Packed with insightful information
for the novice and most seasoned
aviculturist desiring to delve deeper ...
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   Excerpts:               Controlled vs Colony Breeding                      Breeding Condition                      Line-Breeding                     Inherited Faults                      Miscellaneous Faults                       Order >>