I bred dogs for over 30 years and each litter was bred to incorporate or enhance a certain trait. Linebreeding, outcrossing and inbreeding were utilized as needed.

Do bird breeders breed for anything beside color?

Example, would a bird breeder seek out a bird that talked very well to breed to another that talked very well and do so over the generations to (hopefully) develop a "line" of birds that consistantly talked very well?

Or a bird that had a particularly nice disposition?

Or great feathering?

Are any kind of pedigrees kept on birds?

I was wondering that too!

Hope someone gives us an answer.
Sounds logical to me.

I believe from what I have read that smart and responsible breeders breed to enhance the blood lines rather than to just breed for the sake of money. I don't know about all of the questions you had but there is my two cents! maybe someone will be along soon

Ive only heard of breeding for a certian color mutation or for big healthy babies... Hope someone else has more info! Sounds intresting! =D

I'd have to say that most breeders breed for quality. Talking ability is probably the last on the list...lol

There are some breeders that breed exclusively for size. Linda Greeson has had some huge Quakers. Well over 200 grams! And that is all muscle

Some breed for disposition, colour and conformation (mostly used for showing birds).

There is no set way to keep records, so depending on the breeder depends on how detailed the records and pedigree is kept. My Quaker's lineage can be traced back a number of generations. This is really only important for breeding purposes though.

Hope that helps

Thank you! Now I am wondering why, since most people would like a bird that talks, some breeders don't breed for that specific trait. Of course good health would come first but.....
If I were going to breed, which I am not, I think I would focus on that.

Like I said, there are just so many more important reasons to breed. Talking ability is just a bonus when it comes to birds.

So how does one determine which bird should be bred to which?

Hi! I'm very new here but seen your post an wanted to say (add) a few things. First I've never bred birds before but, horses, dogs for show....I've got years of experience. I'm a UKC Judge an have many BIS, BOB, Group Wins, CD's an CDX's to my credit.

In reference to your questions. I would assume that breeding healthy birds would be your front line concern along with size. In my search to learn more because I do plan to try my hand at breeding, I would watch for undesirable traits in my breeders. Quakers have a good reputation for being good parents an doing the job well but....

I'm sure we are all aware of those exceptions to the rule. To purchase a bonded pair, I would want them proven. An ask lots of questions of how they raised their babies. Does the current breeder pull them to handfeed at a certain time or let the parents do all of the work of raising their babies?? I'm sure I could think of more but that is at the top of my list.

I have a bonded pair here that raised their babies all by themselves. I use those words because the kids I got them from admitted they didn't know anything about breeding an when the parents got so upset someone did suggest to them to cover the birds.

I own them now an two of their babies that hatched May 2nd. They handed me food for large parrots when I went to get these birds. It was Hartz brand an they had no other supplements for these parents that were working their tails off to raise an feed their babies.

Two mornings ago I found an egg in the bottom of the cage. I've already put plenty of nesting items in their for them. I'm hopeful that Trip might have laid at least another egg this morning, I haven't looked yet. But I know they've been busy sittin' on the egg while the other ones does renovations to their new beginnings. I've got tons more to say an ask about but I'll shut up for now. LOL Glad to be with a group that is asking questions an wanting to learn, that's what brought me here.

I, too, bred many successful competition dogs. Show, field and obedience.
Of course good health would be the first criteria but as a breeder of other animals, do you believe birds could be selectively bred to talk?

If that were my goal I would find a healthy female that was an excellent talker and then find a healthy male that was an excellent talker. At least some of the babies should pick up that characteristic, don't you think? If not the first generation perhaps but if the criteria was followed with unrelated pairs and then bred back it should manisfest itself in future generations.

I know some strange things can be inheirited. I had a line of ****** years back that smiled! Non of the males that I know of but all of the females! And they knew when to smile. When greeting me or trying to cajole something from me. They were so cute and so wierd!

lol We have walker hounds like that. Only 2 females in the litter, and both smiled when they'd see me coming hehehhe.

We kept one of them, and now 4 years later, she had a litter of 8 pups on August 7, and 4 are female.

Will be interesting to see if they are smilers like mom <grin>.

I am not sure that it is the genes that decide talking ability. I have 2 baby quakers from the same clutch a week apart that I handfed. The oldest one Spirit is talking away at 3 mos. Squirt is 6 days younger and the most I can get out of him is sometimes kissy sounds. Both from the same parents yet, both very different (like children) in personalities and attitudes and likes and dislikes.

That is understandable. Not every pup in the litter will inherit the trait or characteristic the litter was bred for.
With dogs you HOPE that the one(s) that do are, in all other aspects, are good enough to breed.