> grand-parent to chick line breeding. The stats I have seen say to 
 > breed
 > traits favorably to cross out by at least the F3 generation to 
 > unrelated
 > stock.
I'm not sure I understand what you're saying. However, if you are in favor of 
inbreeding and/or linebreeding, I have to STRONGLY disagree....especially 
when it comes to species that are commonly available.
Yes, it's true that some of the mutations came about because of line- or 
inbreeding, but you will also see the problems that have come along with it. 
The lutino cockatiel comes to mind. If breeders weren't in such a rush to 
reproduce this bird in record numbers, perhaps we wouldn't have bald patches, 
poor feathering, borderline health, and neurosis. It took a while before 
breeders saw the ill of their ways, but it's taken a long long time to 
produce decent lutino cockatiels. Still, the breeders who don't do their 
research and haphazardly breed lutino to lutino are keeping those undesirable 
traits alive. It may be an awfully long time before lutino cockatiels all 
look as good and are as healthy as normal grey cockatiels, or even pearl 
cockatiels.
 > How do you think mutations occur, anyway? In the wild animals have 
 > no
 > real regard for whether or not they are related. They haven't 
 > developed
 > a clan system.
That may be true...to a degree, but part of the reason we have birds in 
captivity is to provide a BETTER life, and to prolong their lives. Just 
because it may be something they do in the wild doesn't justify doing it in 
captivity.
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