Crested

[Dave.H 11]

i currently keep a few crested, did have more but have been keeping only the best to progresshave currently the following Fawn crest cock 2011Fawn crest hen 2011Fawn bc crest hen 2010Fawn bc pied crest hen 2010 Lightback bc pied crest hen 2010bc crest hen 2010 bc crest cock 2010 last year i had only 3 pairs but bred around a dozen crested this year has been dreadful as yetlost my best crest from last year a fawn cock sold a couple of pairs not long ago breeding has been slower than last year - at this time last year i was on 30+ chicks but this year ive managed 20+ with more pairs and hardly any crested to datehope to speak to others keeping crested CheersDavethen

[mark1e 67]

Hi DaveHave you had good look in the Members Gallery yet you will see that Trevor / Norfolk Flyer has quite a few crested mutations some very nice birds,mark

[norfolk flyer 208]

Dave, As Mark said i do breed the crested type.As follows:-GreyFawnCfwBccfwGC (normal type)GC (pure white with faint cheek patch)GC LightbackWhat i find is that even if it's a poor crest, it breeds good crests and vice versa.I don't pair 2 crests together, do you?Do you go to any sales ? ie stafford, newark, norwich.Trevor

[Dave.H 11]

hi trevor, i did look in gallery and noticed a couple of crested but laptop was playing up at the time i was wondering, you wouldnt be the same gent who sells at every newark would you? if so ive spoke to you before.im trying to get the crested birds larger as well as in interesting combos.ill check out your galleryalways pair crest x non crested i know what you mean bout bad crested breeding good but ive been finding if the parent has a good crest it tends to breed likewise 9/10cheersDave

[norfolk flyer 208]

Dave, Yes i do sell at Newark, i'm in the end shed the opposite end to the entrance.I'm getting mutations first then i'll work on size, cos i think you can always work on the size but sometimes getting certain mutations is hard.When it's on come over for a chat, i'll post my table no. nearer the time so if any other members are there likewise.Trevor

[Nick Hall 193]

Hi Guys,Reading the posts from you guys re the crested Zebra. I am wondering on a few points. Have you ever paired crested to crested as an experiment?If you are breeding for exhibition which do you consider, size,type,colour or the crest on the bird as most important.Do you pair any crested bird with any non-crested. (from a non crested pairing)Do the non crested birds from a crested pairing develop broader heads?Remember it is a massive challenge to put a drooping round crest on a bird while maintaining shorter broader body feathers retaining type.Thanks,Nick

[norfolk flyer 208]

Nick, I'll try and answer the best i can in drop order if thats ok.No i've never bred Cr-Cr, 1. It's dom to dom and i believe you stand a chance of getting blind chicks. I have had this with 2 x GC's by accident in my aviary.2 You don't really gain to much you get 50% Cr's on average by using one Cr. Also by using 2 Cr's i think 50% are still s/f and 25% are d/f so if they are all the same mutation you wouldn't be able to tell the difference (sf/df).Deffo Crest, if it's in Cr class then crest it should be, then mutation (rarer the better), then size.I always pair a Cr to a non Cr both of the same colour, Keep the grey side together and fawn together.Doesn't matter whether it comes from a non Cr pair or not. Being dominant it's not carried.I don't think so, Cr's and non Cr's seem to be ballanced from the parents.The crest to me seems to fit whatever size bird it's on, a big or small bird the crest seems to be in proportion with the bird. ............................I hope this makes sence Nick, if you're still unsure about anything i've put please contact me again. These veiws are based on my own findings.All the best Nick,Trevor

[paulm 119]

Hi When breeding exhibition zebra finches it doesn't matter what colour we are talking about it must be judged to the uk standard for type and colour,if it is a rare colour mutation but like a match stick i dont believe it will do well on the show bench against better type birds.Also as rule of thumb you so never double up on dominate mutations,i have never heard any good come from doing this.Paul.

[Dave.H 11]

hi trevor yep ive definately passed your table before and spoke briefly i believeill try and get some pictures of the better crested birds see what you think had a cracking fawn crest cock i bred last year but fell off perch randomly about 2months ago no illness or anything- its mate did nest but they kept breaking the eggs so sadly no progeny off him i do however have a young cock bred early this year, same again fawn split blackcheek but has a really nice crest on him is much larger than its mother but isnt quite as big as the one i lost but hoping to breed him soonDave

[norfolk flyer 208]

Hi When breeding exhibition zebra finches it doesn't matter what colour we are talking about it must be judged to the uk standard for type and colour,if it is a rare colour mutation but like a match stick i dont believe it will do well on the show bench against better type birds.Also as rule of thumb you so never double up on dominate mutations,i have never heard any good come from doing this.Paul.

Paul, Thanks for info there, some of the lesser known mutations are hard to get size into. wouldn't this be taken into consideration on the bench.Eg, not to many years ago the penguin struggled for size but now it's up with the others.I was just thinking that surely it would attract more colours to the bench and possibly get more people to keep the more rarer types.Please don't think i'm disputing what you say, i'm just trying to make a constuctive comment.All the best Paul, Trevor

[paulm 119]

Hi TrevI know what your saying but it seems with zebras that some mutations are very much so lagging behind because of the difficulty in breeding these mutations and improving their type and size,i have heard it said that some mutations and combinations have a tendancy to throw smaller type birds making it difficult to improve them,i was told and i dont know how true it is that the penguin mutation had a tendancy to lose size and it took good none pengiun birds bred in to keep the size up in them,but i have never kept penguins so i dont know if this is the case.

Paul,Thanks for info there, some of the lesser known mutations are hard to get size into. wouldn't this be taken into consideration on the bench.

The thing is it depends on the judge and the quality of birds involved as they are judged against the same model for type no matter the colour and the closer to the standard the better the birds chances,you may well win your class but then you may be up against say some fantastic fawns for best in show,this is one reason you dont see many multi combo birds on the show bench even though it would be nice.But this doesn't mean you shouldn't try and improve the mutations you like as you may well be the person who manages it.All the bestPaul

[Zebraman 267]

I might have a go at crested.Trevor, what type do you keep and what's you mix between sexes?Gary.

[norfolk flyer 208]

Gary, I've got the following, Grey, Fawn, CFW, BCCFW,GC,GC Lightback + my white type GC's.When i pair them i never do 2 crests together + i keep the grey side and fawn side seperate from each other.Hope this helps, Trevor

[Zebraman 267]

My preference would be with CFW and Lightback.Does the sex influence the outcome, I.e. Crested hen with none crested cock and vice versa.Gary.

[Dave.H 11]

heres a current year bred cock bird think hes march/april - so around 4-5 months old at the moment - hasnt filled out as much as id like but looks nice and hope he does well once alittle olderAlso this is the aboves cock father - fawn - his mother is a rather small type crest(rough crest too) fawn blackcheek pied Also a couple of random pictures from a stock flight cage - young normal hen same age as crested, 09 fawn hen whos sitting 7 eggs with a bc crest cock.-on this one you can see youngest crest hen, sibling to other fawn crest she has thrown more like the mother but may keep her yet - this one has a young 7month old lightback hen

[Dave.H 11]

Thought is add to this threadJust bred 4 chicks from 2 pairs did chip but lost a couple from one pair for no apparent reasonPair 1 bc crested split lightback cock x exb fawn hen, they had 3 chicks wondering if a stray egg was laid in their nest at mo. 2 chicks hatched 5 days before 3rd chick.Chicks are normal crested & lightback crested 3rd chick is bc crested Pair 2 exb fawn cock x fawn bc crested pied hen Hatched 3 chicks but lost 2 chicks, under 5days old3rd chick is a fawn and nearly ready to fledgeCheers

[norfolk flyer 208]

Dave, Good crest on that Fawn male, i like him.But one thing i've noticed with crests is that even if the parent with the crest is a good one you can't guarantee the the young will have good crests and visa versa.Keep up the good work, Trevor

[paulm 119]

Well if the creast is anything like they are in canaries the type of feather has a lot to do with the quality of the creast as the type if feather can differ a lot from parent to offspring,may be this could be a factor.Paul.

[Dave.H 11]

why arent your replys coming up on new posts for me :Sas only just seen them.well the 1st pairs offspring - the lightback hen is the best which im chuffed about shes come out with a good crest and should be a decent size i hope better than the above cock bird her normal sibling has a very flat crest but does have good shape but time will tell and the bc crest is smaller but odviously due to colour i suspect but has a very nice crest will add more pictures when i catch them up soon Dave

[Dave.H 11]

Heres 2 of the young - the normal wouldnt sit still so couldnt get one of it quite surprised by the bc crested seems to be filling out a little since jumping nest heres hoping the hen fawn is a split from past generations i hope bc crested lightback crested - will be split bc too shes been out of nest 5days or so

[adrian wills 5]

Hi guys , having never bred crested zebras but have bred cresred bengales do you get double crests on your brds ( ie two center points a major show fault in the bengies) . A couple of years ago dave edwards bred a superb crested fawn light back hen including good size , it what can be done with crest cheers adrian w

[norfolk flyer 208]

Ade, Never had a double crown on a zeb or heard of getting one, so basing on that i would say no. But i have been wrong in the past.I've included a pic of one of my 2011 crests, i'm quite happy with this one, any comments would be handy please.Trevor

[mark1e 67]

Hi TrevorI myself have not realy liked crested zebras put the picture of that one has changed my mind about them very nice grey crested hen bird,mark