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Re: Michael L. or anyone who knows genetics...
Posted by Michael L on 9/13/05

On 9/13/05, jill wrote:
> i have read some of the things you have posted in the past
> and you seem to know a bit about genetics. i have two
> albinos. they seem to really like each other. what would
> happen if they breed? would the babies be deformed? would
> they be any other color besides albino? thanks in advance,
> jill


Jill,
That is a great question that many people wonder about.
Albino is a recessive, sex-linked mutation. So to breed two
true Albino birds, you would only get male/female Albino
chicks.
Whether or not to do this is debatable. True Albino birds
have the red eyes which can be light sensitive. There are
dark-eyed whites that are often mistaken as Albino just
because it is a pure white bird. Most dark-eyed whites or
clear whites are actually very heavy pied birds void of other
color.
In certain species of birds, such as the cockatiel, albino
(blue series) or lutino (green series) birds have some
feather issues which include poor feather quality and bald
spots.
Genetically, two recessives don't produce the best offspring
or sometimes the healthiest.
If you were determined to breed two white birds, I would
suggest a dark-eyed white and an albino rather than two
albino birds. This way you would have the possibility of
some different colored chicks as well as white, and you would
not be encouraging possibly genetically defective chicks
which may die or be born with birth defects.

Michael L

Posts on this thread, including this one

• Michael L. or anyone who knows genetics..., 9/13/05, by jill.
• Re: Michael L. or anyone who knows genetics..., 9/13/05, by Michael L.
• Re: Michael L. or anyone who knows genetics..., 9/13/05, by jill.